Attritable ISR Aircraft RFI.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

AIR FORCE LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT CENTER

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE

14 April 2026

Tracking No. FA8629-26-RFI-4ISR

FROM: AFLCMC/WI CDO

Capabilities Development Office

2640 Loop Rd. West

Wright Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7200

SUBJECT: Request for Information (RFI) – Attritable ISR Aircraft

1. NOTICE

This Request for Information (RFI) is issued for informational purposes and market research only; it does not constitute a solicitation. The Government will not reimburse any company or individual for any expenses associated with preparing/submitting information in response to this posting. The information provided may be used by the Government in developing its acquisition strategy, statement of work/statement of objectives, and/or performance specifications. Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary or competition sensitive information contained within their response as instructed later in this posting.

2. BACKGROUND AND SCOPE

The United States (US) Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance & Special Operations Forces (ISR & SOF) Directorate, Capabilities

Development Office (AFLCMC/WI CDO) is conducting market research to identify possible sources capable of providing attritable airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) (Note: In this instance, UAV is defined in the broadest sense as any unmanned airborne platform). Operators desire low-cost, fast-to-field, fast-to-deploy, airborne ISR mass to increase mission flexibility and mission surging. Missions include but are not limited to: battle damage assessment (BDA), full motion video (FMV) monitoring, and signal detection and characterization.

Attritable aircraft (AA) are defined as aircraft that exist on a continuum between expendable and maintainable systems, closer to expendable. See graphic below from a State-of-the-Art Report (SOAR) by the Defense Systems Information Analysis Center for reference. In this instance a dollar amount is not defined for this range, but solutions with limited reusability and features should be lower in cost than those with greater reusability and features.

Note: The capabilities summarized above are further defined in Section 4. Please refer to the KPP and KSA tables for the specific threshold (minimum) and objective (desired) performance requirements associated with each capability.

3. REQUIREMENT

Operators will use the attritable UAV to collect a range of ISR data, including but not limited to: Electro-

Optical/Infrared (EO/IR), full-motion video (FMV), and/or signal detection and characterization. All data collection and characterization must support processing, exploitation, and dissemination based multidimensional information fusion.

For detailed instructions on how to structure your response to these requirements, please refer to the RFI

Instruction Page and the Respondent Question Sheet. While this RFI outlines specific performance parameters, the Government’s primary interest is in acquiring meaning combat capability. Therefore, respondents are encouraged to propose innovative solutions and trades that may deviate from the objective requirements if they result in a more effective, affordable, or producible system.

Additionally, to provide insight into long-term program objectives, respondents should be aware that the

Government places a high value on a comprehensive and affordable support strategy. Any future acquisition will require a sustainment solution to ensure operational availability. While detailed plans are not requested in this RFI, respondents should be prepared to address their capabilities in the following key product support areas, which are referenced in the Respondent Question Sheet:

• A holistic Maintenance Concept (including the potential of using Field Support Representatives)

• Supply Support (including spares and Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM)

• Technical Data (such as technical orders and/or commercial manuals)

• All necessary support equipment (including ground equipment & communications gear)

• Packaging, Handling, Shipping and Transportation planning

• Manpower and training concepts for both operators and maintainers

• Facilities (facility, storage, dimensions and weight per unit)

• Continuous Information Technology & Cyber Security Support

• Design Interface considerations that align within Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), 2026 NDAA

DCMA Blue List requirements, and enhance Reliability & Maintainability (R&M)

4. KEY PERFORMENCE PARAMETERS (KPPs)

KPP: Key Performance Parameter; capability crucial to the operational utility or suitability of a solution.

KSA: Key System Attribute; Capability that is important to achieve for operational utility or suitability.

(T) = Threshold performance value (required to be met initially by selected object fielded).

(O) = Objective performance value (desired final equipment performance parameters if technically feasible and determined to be cost effective).

(T=O) = Threshold is the Objective

The following KPP tables list specific thresholds and objectives for design. Greatest value is placed on range, loiter time, cost per unit, and sensor performance, with the flexibility to upgrade communications, navigation, command and control, and on-board processing. Responses should address all unmet requirements.

KPP

ID 1

Aircraft THRESHOLDS (T) / OBJECTIVES (O):

1.1 Range

T=200km from launch and recovery (L/R) location to collection area/O=1500km from L/R to collection area

1.2 Loiter Time

T=4hrs in collection area (not including ingress and egress)/O=20hrs in collection area

1.3 Cruise Altitude Mission variable based on ISR collection needs and air traffic coordination.

Vendor should provide altitude performance information in response. (T=O)

1.4 Climb Rate Mission variable based on ISR collection needs and air traffic coordination.

Vendor should provide climb rate performance information in response. (T=O)

1.5 Max Speed Mission variable based on ISR collection needs and air traffic coordination.

Vendor should provide max speed performance information in response. (T=O)

1.6 Operational

Environment

O=Performance in a variety of weather and environmental conditions desired.

Vendor should provide weather and environmental performance information in response.

1.7 Operational

Attributes

Rapid deployment capability. Deployable to austere locations. (T=O)

1.8 Integration Must be able to integrate with and provide necessary power for Sensor(s), Command and Control and/or Autopilot, Communications, and Navigation systems. (T=O)

1.9 Communications T=Mission essential/O=Secure Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) with FMV and metadata capacity plus Link-16

1.10 Navigation T=Mission essential/O= GPS, INS, and Alt PNT

1.11 Command and

Control

Secure Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) and/or Autopilot pre-programmed mission (T=O)

1.12 Mission Planning T=Route Planning/O=Automated route planning. Dynamic re-tasking capability.

Sensor scheduling. Air traffic deconfliction.

1.12 On-board

Processing

T=none/O=Multi-INT fusion, Automatic target recognition (ATR), and/or edge processing

1.13 Ground Control

Station

T=Minimal Footprint. Must be able to integrate with Aircraft, Sensor(s), Command, Control, and Communications (C3), Navigation, and End User Device (EUD) as applicable. Mission essential data processing. Can operate from separate location than aircraft launch and recovery. /O=Collaborative analysis environment. Automated reporting and dissemination of data.

ID 2

Configurable Communication

System

THRESHOLDS (T) / OBJECTIVES (O):

2.1 Communication

T=Mission essential/O=Secure Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) with FMV and metadata at 50Mbps, and Link-16.

2.2 Integration T=Integrate with Aircraft and Sensor(s)/O= Integrate with Secure networks.

ID 3

Configurable Navigation

System

3.1 Navigation

T=Mission essential/O= GPS, INS, and Alt PNT

3.2 Integration T=Integrate with Aircraft flight controls/O=Integrate with Sensor(s)

ID 4

Configurable Command and Control System

THRESHOLDS (T) / OBJECTIVES (O):

4.1 Command and

Control

Secure Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) and/or Autopilot pre-programmed mission (T=O)

4.2 Integration T=Integrate with Aircraft flight controls and Sensor(s)/O=Integrate with secure networks

ID 5

Configurable Onboard

Processing System

5.1 Onboard

Processing

T=none/O=Multi-INT fusion, Automatic target recognition (ATR), and/or edge processing

5.2 Integration T=Integrate with Sensor(s)/O=Integrate with secure networks

ID 6

Camera Sensor THRESHOLDS (T) / OBJECTIVES (O):

6.1 Image Type T= Electro-Optical/Infrared(EO/IR)/O=Multi-spectral, High definition (HD).

Vendor should provide ground sample distance (GSD) performance.

6.2 Storage Must be able to store all images from mission on-board until they can be passed to End User Device (EUD). (T=O)

6.3 Integration Must be able to integrate with Aircraft, Navigation, and End User Device (EUD) for post mission or during mission download of images. (T=O)

ID 7

FMV Sensor THRESHOLDS (T) / OBJECTIVES (O):

7.1 Field of View

T=Gimbaled sensor with 360 degree coverage/O=Wide area persistent surveillance

7.2 Video Type T= Electro-Optical/Infrared(EO/IR)/O=Multi-spectral, High definition (HD).

Vendor should provide ground sample distance (GSD) performance.

7.3 Video Processing

Speed

50Mbps (T=O)

7.4 MTI Target

Tracking

T=none /O=A single sensor should be capable of tracking a moving target using FMV. Vendor should indicate MTI availability and performance.

7.5 MTI Track

Capacity

T=none/O=A single sensor should be capable of maintaining multiple tracks simultaneously. Vendor should indicate MTI availability and performance.

7.6 Laser Range

Finder

T=none/O=Provide range of target. Vendor should indicate laser range finder availability and performance.

7.7 Laser Target

Indicator

T=none/O=Provide laser target indication. Vendor should indicate laser target indicator availability and performance.

7.8 Integration Must be able to integrate with Aircraft, Command, Control, and Communications (C3), Navigation, and End User Device (EUD). (T=O)

ID 8

Signal Detector Sensor

8.1 Waveform Mission variable based on ISR collection needs. Vendor should provide waveform options and performance information in response. (T=O)

8.2 Integration Must be able to integrate with Aircraft, Command, Control, and Communications

ID 9

Other Sensor THRESHOLDS (T) / OBJECTIVES (O):

9.1 Sensor ISR collection needs vary by mission. Vendors with sensors outside the scope of those listed in tables 6-8 should provide options and performance information in response. (T=O)

9.2 Integration Must be able to integrate with Aircraft, Command, Control, and Communications

ID 9

Ground Control Station

THRESHOLDS (T) / OBJECTIVES (O):

10.1 Ground Control

Station

T=Minimal Footprint. Mission essential data processing. /O=Collaborative analysis environment. Automated reporting and dissemination of data.

10.2 Integration Must be able to integrate with Aircraft, Sensor(s), Command, Control, and Communications (C3), Navigation, and End User Device (EUD) as applicable (T=O)

Key System Attributes (KSAs)

(All airborne equipment)

Airworthiness

Must be able to meet USAF Airworthiness standards for UAV Group Type. (T=O)

(Aircraft) IFF IFF Mode 3 (T=O)

(All) Security Must be able to integrate with secure networks. (T=O)

Manufacturing Production must be able to scale within months. Vendor to provide production capacity and time from contract start to deliver initial units. (T=O)