The Air Force performed market research in late 2014 regarding a state-of-the-art, long-range, integrated infrared search and track (IRST) system for the F-15C, according to a notice posted on Federal Business Opportunities.
The IRST system, a new start program for fiscal year 2016 that could be worth as much as $283 million over its lifetime, would have extensive leveraging of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and availability for increased growth through firmware and software reprogramming. The Air Force is taking a two-pronged approach to this solicitation: It is investigating the availability of both a production-ready IRST system for fielding in 2018 and the development of a system that would be ready for fielding in the 2020 timeframe.
The service wants an IRST system on the F-15C to improve its ability to detect, track, target and engage threats in radar-denied environments. According to Air Force budget documents, the IRST complements other onboard sensors by scanning a large volume of air space and fills gaps left by other sensors. This capability complements the radar to enhance survivability and lethality against air-to-air threats, provides a passive IR sensor system that searches for, and detects, IR energy and provides the aircraft mission computer track file data on infrared targets.
As part of its market research, the Air Force sought solutions at a technology readiness level (TRL) of 8 for production-ready units and a TRL of 6 for developmental units. The Air Force has not determined an acquisition strategy. Market research results, the service said, will assist in determining whether this requirement will be a full and open, a small-business set aside or a sole-source acquisition.
Lockheed Martin [LMT] is bidding for F-15C IRST and will offer its new Legion Pod the company rolled out a few weeks ago. The company also made its first sale of a single Legion Pod, Lockheed Martin Director of Fire Control Business Development Don Bolling told Defense Daily on March 3 at the company’s Orlando, Fla., facility, but he declined to provide specifics. Legion Pod is a multi-function sensor system that supports collaborative targeting operations among multiple aircraft in radar-denied environments, according to a company statement.
Bolling expects a draft request for proposals (RFP) in the April/May timeframe, a RFP in the fall and a contract award in early FY ’16 or calendar year 2016. Bolling said he expects the Air Force to procure about 170 IRST systems and he expects prime contractors Raytheon [RTN], Northrop Grumman [NOC] and Boeing [BA] to also compete for F-15C IRST.Raytheon spokesman B.J. Boling declined to say Monday whether the company would pursue the F-15C IRST program. Representatives from Northrop Grumman and Boeing did not respond to requests for comment by press time.
The Air Force also expects IRST development to last from second quarter FY ’15 through fourth quarter FY ’19. The service anticipates an IRST development Milestone B decision in fourth quarter FY ’17 and an engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract award for the development version of IRST in first quarter FY ’18, according to budget docs. The Air Force requested $18.4 million for F-15C IRST in FY ’16. The service did not return requests for comment Monday.
The Navy has its own IRST program that will be deployed on F/A-18 Super Hornets. The IRST21 sensor, co-developed by Lockheed Martin and Boeing, received approval from the Navy in January to enter low-rate initial production (LRIP) (Defense Daily, Jan. 23).