The Army is conducting a market survey to see what industry can provide for an affordable Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (CUAS) interceptor to protect against tactical UAS, cruise missiles, and/or rockets, artillery and mortars.
The interceptor should be able to be integrated with the current Defense Department Joint Force Structure with little or no modification to current assets, the request said.
The request for information (RFI), published July 12 in FBO Daily is being conducted for the Army by the Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC).
The government does not plan to award a contract or pay for information received for the request.
Innovative lethal and non-lethal concepts able to defeat the threats are welcome. AMRDEC is interested in receiving information on affordable interceptors or an intercept capability that can be quickly implemented and fielded at a reasonable cost and can integrate with the current joint force structure with little or no modification to the current force structure assets.
The integrated system maturity, the interceptor plus force structure assets, should support fielding at no less than Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 8 within two years of initiation of the program, the RFI said.
The RFI includes annexes defining costs, TRL, threats, UAS rules of engagement, and other items.
The key goals for the CUAS interceptor system are affordability and timely delivery to the warfighter.
“Our interest lies in an interceptor with a desired production price of less than $100,000 (FY ’11 dollars) with a not to exceed (NTE) price of $150,000,” the RFI said. “ For missile solution options, a procurement rate of 1,000 missiles per year may be assumed; total initial procurement would be 10,000 missiles. Average Unit Production Cost should be considered the primary driver.”
The affordable interceptors are to be able to defeat the most likely UAS threat in all types of weather, and intercept UAS threats at ranges far enough away to prevent surveillance of protected assets.
“A confidence level of greater than 0.90 should be achievable,” the RFI said.
Additionally, interceptor methods may employ lethal or non-lethal methods to defeat the threat. It is also desired that the interceptor minimize injury or damage to civilians or infrastructure. Insensitive munition compliance is also desired but not required for the initial capability.
The interceptor concept shall be able to field demonstrate capability in its final tactical configuration within 24 months from the start of the program.
Multiple government furnished equipment (GFE) subsystem components may be used if the offerors want.
The concepts should address the specifics of each component: launcher, interceptor, fire control sensor and control system.
No foreign participation is allowed. After the completion of an independent assessment by the government, respondents will receive a summary of assessment results.
Multiple concepts may be submitted. Responses to the RFI will consist of whitepapers that are due Aug. 5. The annexes and technical briefing must be received no later than Sept. 9.
For general questions regarding this RFI please contact the Contracts Point of Contact: CCAM-RD-B/Lisa Duncan, U.S. Army Contracting Command- Redstone, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. 35898 via e-mail at [email protected]. All questions must be submitted in writing and reference the RFI number.