Fighter Engine Re-competition RFI.pdf

Request for Information (RFI) / Sources Sought Notice

Title: Fighter Engine Re-competition: Advanced Propulsion, Technology Insertion, and

Industrial Base Expansion Agency: Department of War (DoW)

Notice Type: Request for Information (RFI)

1.0 Purpose and Background

Section Description

Purpose THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY to identify qualified and capable industry partners to participate in a competitive, long-term engine production and sustainment strategy for USAF/FMS aircraft (e.g. F-15EX and F-16 aircraft platforms).

This RFI seeks to obtain industry insights and input on innovative solutions aligned with the government's strategic shift away from legacy procurement toward incentivizing industry-led technological evolution and capacity expansion. This RFI is issued solely for market research, information, and planning purposes, as well as to identify potential capable sources. It does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Quote (RFQ), or a promise to issue a formal solicitation in the future. This RFI does not commit the U.S. Government to contract for any supply or service, and responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information, documentation, or administrative costs incurred in responding to this notice, all of which shall be borne solely at the interested party's expense

Proprietary information, if any, MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for any proprietary information not properly identified. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. All information received in response to this RFI that is properly marked as “proprietary” will be handled accordingly.

Respondents are advised that employees under contract with the Government will be used to process submissions and provide technical support to the project team. All members of the team will be reminded of their obligation to protect such information to the maximum extent permitted or required by the Economic Espionage Act, 18 U.S.C. 1831 et seq., and other applicable statutes or regulations. In addition, Government members will be reminded of their obligations to afford protection under the Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. 1905. All contractor members are required to protect the information by the terms of their contracts.

These support contracts include non-disclosure agreements (NDA) prohibiting contractor employees from disclosing any information submitted by other contractors or using such information for any purpose other than that for which it was furnished.

Background The USAF is embarking on a multi-year procurement of engines for its fighter fleet, with a projected peak demand of over 180 engines per year by FY2034. The current industrial base has demonstrated significant challenges, including production delays, quality control issues, and critical obsolescence (i.e. Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material

Shortages) across key engine components.

Strategic Vision

The Government will pursue a strategic competition requiring industry to innovate manufacturing and guarantee supply chain resiliency. This approach is intended to keep pace with engine deliveries required by the DoW.

To deliver and sustain a decisive edge in airpower by fielding an advanced, reliable, and affordable propulsion enterprise for USAF/FMS aircraft (e.g. F-15EX and F-16). We will achieve this through a revolutionary, performance-based competition that harnesses industry innovation, secures our industrial base, and guarantees unrivaled flightline readiness for the warfighter.

Our strategy is built on five foundational pillars designed to drive a paradigm shift in engine procurement and sustainment:

1. Performance: Higher Capability at a Lower Cost

We will acquire a new engine solution that delivers a decisive leap in warfighting capability without compromising fiscal responsibility. This effort mandates enhanced performance to increase mission capable rates and improve aircraft availability metrics. By holding vendors accountable for delivering superior capability at a lower cost, we ensure our investment provides the warfighter with a tactical advantage while driving down the acquisition price, guaranteeing maximum return for the taxpayer.

2. Affordability: Reduced Long-Term Ownership Costs

Our strategy fundamentally redefines affordability by focusing on the total lifecycle cost of the engine, not just the initial purchase price. This acquisition will drive down long-term ownership costs by requiring vendors to deliver engines that decrease supply chain problems (MICAPs) and reduce the need for costly, intensive maintenance. This focus on long-term sustainment will generate significant savings across the fleet, ensuring the

USAF/FMS aircraft (e.g. F-15EX and F-16) programs remain financially sustainable for decades to come.

3. Reliability: Ensuring Aircraft are Ready at the Moment of Need

The cornerstone of this acquisition is a steadfast commitment to improving fleet readiness.

We will field a highly reliable engine designed to increase aircraft availability, ensuring that more USAF/FMS (e.g. F-15EX and F-16) aircraft are ready to fly at a moment's notice.

By prioritizing solutions that improve maintainability and lower workload and man-hours, this strategy directly translates to higher mission capable rates and guarantees the warfighter has the assets required to meet any threat, any time.

4. Supportability: Ease of Maintenance and a Sustainable Supply Chain

We will implement an acquisition strategy that prioritizes ease of maintenance and establishes a resilient, sustainable supply chain from day one. This effort is designed to solve key fleet-level issues by requiring a newer engine with improved supportability, directly addressing and decreasing supply MICAPs. The result is a streamlined logistics footprint that reduces downtime, lowers the burden on our maintainers, and ensures the continuous flow of parts and support to maximize flightline readiness.

5. Producibility: Meeting Warfighter Engine Demands

To ensure the defense industrial base can meet the operational demands of the warfighter, this strategy will enforce stringent producibility requirements. We will select a partner capable of scaling production to meet surge requirements, guaranteeing a steady and uninterrupted supply of engines for USAF/FMS aircraft (e.g. F-15EX and F-16) programs.

This focus on manufacturing readiness prevents production bottlenecks and ensures our ability to field and sustain critical airpower is never compromised.

2.0 Requested Vendor Information

Please provide a capability statement and detailed responses to the following sections.

Submissions should be clear, concise, and directly address each inquiry.

Item Inquiry / Information Requested

2.1 Company Profile Provide your company name, Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code, Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), point of contact, business size/socioeconomic status, and relevant experience in designing, producing, and sustaining fighter-class propulsion systems.

2.2 Engine Qualification

& Airframe Integration

Detail the milestone schedule, testing gates, and projected timelines to develop the propulsion related artifacts for airworthiness for both a propulsion-military type certificate for your potential engine into the F-15EX and F-16, and the military type certificate update for the F-15EX and F-16.

2.3 Production Capacity

& Scalability

Describe how your stepped-quantity pricing matrices scale at production levels ranging from 1-12, 13-48, 49-96, and 96-180 engines annually.

Identify the specific annual production quantity thresholds (for both your prime facility and critical sub-tier suppliers, e.g., castings/forgings) that transition your operations from "sustainment/status quo" to "capital investment capacity" (e.g. production levels ranging from 1-12, 13-48, 49-96, and 96-180 engines annually”).

Specifically detail at what minimum volume your supply chain can justify private capital investments (such as facility expansion, tooling modernization, or advanced automation) and how those investments will structurally lower your long-term unit costs.

2.4 Quality and Delivery

Reliability

How will your organization guarantee on-time delivery and prevent the systemic quality failures and production shortfalls often experienced in today’s acquisition environment? Detail your approach to quality management, including statistical process control, and how you will provide the government with transparent real-time in-process metrics to track manufacturing progress, well before final engine delivery.

2.5 Obsolescence and

Supply Chain Risk Mitigation

Describe your standard corporate processes for identifying, tracking, and mitigating Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS) within your proposed engine configuration. How does your company typically manage the engineering redesign of obsolete components over a long-term production run?

From your company's market perspective, what are the primary raw material constraints (e.g., specialized titanium/nickel alloys) or manufacturing process bottlenecks (e.g., advanced casting or forging capacity) that pose the highest risk to scaling up fighter engine production?

Describe your standard risk-mitigation strategies for managing single-source or foreign-source suppliers within your engine's Bill of Materials (BOM) to ensure a stable, uninterrupted flow of production parts.

2.6 Incentive Alignment

& Performance

The government is considering implementation of a performance-based incentive structure where annual quantities are adjusted based on vendor performance. How should the government structure incentives to motivate on-time delivery, quality, and responsiveness to warfighter needs?

2.7 Digital Engineering

approach to sustainment and modernization efforts

The government is interested in understanding contractors' approach and recommendations for incorporation of Digital Engineering practices that will increase speed of integration of new modifications and improvement of sustainment activities.

3.0 Response Guidelines

Requirement Instruction

Page Limit The Government is interested in industry’s feedback and therefore is not prescribing a page limit for this RFI response.

Format Submit responses in a standard electronic format (e.g., PDF or DOCX).

Classification All submissions must be UNCLASSIFIED. Proprietary information should be clearly marked.

Submission Deadline

28 Aug 26/1400

Point of Contact Submit all responses and questions to Capt Dustin Herridge, dustin.herridge@us.af.mil.