Coast Guard LOOKOUT search-and-rescue research proposal (2026)

The U.S. Coast Guard published a notice of intent on October 26, 2026 to enter a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with LOOKOUT to assess AI-enabled situational-awareness tools for search and rescue. Comments and related material are due November 25 under docket USCG-2026-0374. The notice seeks input and potential participation from others; it does not establish that an agreement has been executed.

Proposed research

The proposal concerns automated target detection, classification and tracking from Coast Guard sensor feeds, benchmarking, interoperability and data-handling practices. It seeks performance evidence and a coverage-factor measure for search-and-rescue lateral range curves. Tools should be commercially available, portable, self-contained, capable of edge computing and compatible with varied video sensors. The notice’s “Super Intelligence” terminology does not demonstrate capabilities beyond human intelligence.

Participation and resources

The notice distinguishes CRADAs under 15 U.S.C. §3710a from procurement contracts and grants: federal participants share research resources without contributing funding to the non-federal party. The Coast Guard anticipates supplying staff, its own support resources and data feeds; the non-federal participant would support installation, technical work and a joint report. Proposals are limited to five single-sided pages, with specified exclusions. Selection remains discretionary, with special consideration for small businesses and consortia and a preference for U.S.-located business units.

Status

LOOKOUT is being considered for a test environment. The notice describes evaluation to inform possible future operational adoption, rather than an award or confirmed fleet deployment. See federal authorities and government-use topics.

See October 26 news coverage.