QA Summary _8-24-26.docx

Q&A Summary

Industry Information Session, Naval Disruptor Days 2026:

Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) and Passive Decoy (PD) Technologies

5 August 2026

U.S. Department of the Navy Rapid Capabilities Office (DONRCO)

1. While the call for solutions will be unclassified, is there an ability to upload classified white papers to fully describe our technology?

At this time, all submitted materials must align with DoD Distribution Statement A. There may be opportunities to work with vendors in the future at a classified level.

2. Have you considered including drones that are trying to avoid detection, whether via reduced visual or thermal signatures?

This is not the priority or primary use case for the EO/IR and PD Disruptor Days.

3. Would you consider small RF systems for drone tracking? Why only EO/IR?

DONRCO strongly prefers the passive capability of an EO/IR system. DONRCO may consider submittals for RF systems but is primarily seeking the advantages of a non-RF system.

4. Is the Government seeking complete mission systems or individual technologies? Is the Government primarily interested in evaluating complete EO/IR mission solutions that integrate multiple technologies (e.g., sensors, processing, recording, and mission-video distribution), or are demonstrations of individual subsystem technologies equally encouraged?

DONRCO prefers complete, integrated systems that could detect targets of intent and provide data to fire control systems, C2 systems, etc. However, DONRCO may consider submittals regarding subsystem technologies.

5. Are you considering standing up a consortium?

Not for this effort.

6. After the demonstrations, what is the pathway to acquisition? How large of a buy for EO/IR and decoy systems is the Government anticipating?

Acquisition pathways will depend on various factors. Estimates will not be provided at this time.

7. Are we able to form industry partnerships/use multiple companies for a single submission? What is the Government’s approach to teaming for the decoy effort? For example, could a company with a deployable structure and another company with a reflector form a partnership?

While the Government cannot recommend specific teams or partnerships, this call is open to proposed Industry teaming and partnerships. White papers should indicate such plans.

8. How do Disruptor Days integrate with the DONRCO BETS process? Will success at a Disruptor Day be a requirement to be considered for a BET?

The intent is to use data from Disruptor Days to build future BETS.

9. For LOE2, is the objective to support only RCS signature decoys? Are other signatures of interest, such as visual, IR, or acoustic?

The primary signature of interest for this event is RCS. There will be a different effort/LOE for visual, acoustic, or other signatures.

10. Can you reiterate that you are looking for iterative solutions for the decoy, not clean sheet designs?

DONRCO works rapidly. Nothing prohibits consideration of a clean sheet design if it meets requirements for maturity, acquisition, and production timelines.

11. How does an unclassified white paper submitted for consideration for Disruptor Days differ from the information DONRCO has been requesting be submitted through Vulcan?

This call is for a targeted Disruptor Day event. DONRCO will continue to review and consider all submissions. Vulcan is still a valid submission method for data on any projects in DONRCO, but submittals for the EO/IR and PD Disruptor Days must comply with submission instructions posted on SAM.gov.

12. If my company is an OEM with a partial solution, do we need to name and team with a systems integrator to be considered?

While the Government cannot recommend specific teams or partnerships, this call is open to proposed Industry teaming and partnerships. White papers should indicate such plans.

13. Are software and AI as important as hardware?

DONRCO is interested in all solutions that meet the programmatic and performance requirements for the Disruptor Days.

14. For LOE2, do you have a notional signature magnitude or target size that you're trying to replicate during the demonstration?

All materials related to Disruptor Days are limited to information that is approved for public release with unlimited distribution (DoD Distribution Statement A). As such, DONRCO will not publish a notional signature magnitude or target size.

15. Is there a place for subsuppliers to EO/IR firms in this?

While DONRCO is more interested in complete systems than subsuppliers for this event, we may consider submissions from subsuppliers that can show capability against the use cases.

16. Are target unit acquisition costs available for the LOE1 decoy?

There are no “target unit acquisition costs” available at this time. Please include your cost data in your submittal.

17. Will a transcript of this meeting be available after the call?

A link to the recorded video has been provided on SAM.gov

18. What if a company has a capability like cybersecurity to secure the platform and that is critical to the protection of these mission critical systems? Could that company partner with another company to provide a more comprehensive solution?

This call is for a targeted Disruptor Day event. DONRCO will continue to review and consider all submissions. Vulcan is still a valid submission method for data on any projects in DONRCO, but submittals for the EO/IR and PD Disruptor Days must comply with submission instructions posted on SAM.gov.

19. Will there be details published on tracking evaluation metrics before Disruptor Day?

Disruptor Days are intended for information exchange only and are not vendor evaluation events. Vendors who are selected to participate in Disruptor Days will be provided with more details as event designs are finalized.

20. Is DONRCO planning to reproduce the characteristics (i.e., SAM announcement, white paper submissions, test range time) of this Disruptor Day for future ones?

Each Disruptor Day will feature a unique topic and follow a similar format for announcements and calls for white papers. Industry is encouraged to continuously browse to SAM.gov for positing of such opportunities.

21. Will today’s slide deck be shared?

A copy of the presentation and a link to the recorded video has been provided on SAM.gov

22. Will you provide the attendee list so we can partner with those on the call?

Only those attendees who agree to sharing their contact details in the post-event survey will be shared.

23. For the decoy solution, are there existing suppliers, and if so, are you looking for solutions that encompass their technology but also advance the capabilities?

Solutions can include elements from existing or new suppliers.

24. Can we work with DONRCO to determine candidates for partnership?

While the Government cannot recommend specific teams or partnerships, this call is open to proposed Industry teaming and partnerships. White papers should indicate such plans.

25. Could DONRCO set up a list where people can post capabilities? I have a platform for systems and am seeking a partner.

While the Government cannot recommend specific teams or partnerships, this call is open to proposed Industry teaming and partnerships. White papers should indicate such plans.

26. How does DONRCO prefer companies to demonstrate performance validation—MIL‑STD testing, operational prototypes, or mission‑scenario modeling?

For Disruptor Days, DONRCO expects operational prototypes at the ranges for demonstration. Performance validation metrics and other relevant data can be provided in white papers. Disruptor Days are information exchange sessions only, and metrics are not provided or required.