Unmanned Strategy Sources Sought.pdf

SOURCES SOUGHT

Notice Type: Sources Sought / Request for Information (RFI) Agency: Department of the Navy Office: Portfolio Acquisition Executive (Aviation) - PAE(A) Subject: Unmanned Carrier-Based Aircraft Solutions

Executive Summary

The Portfolio Acquisition Executive (Aviation), PAE Aviation, is issuing this Sources Sought notice to conduct market research and identify potential industry sources capable of designing, developing, prototyping, manufacturing, and fielding next-generation Unmanned Carrier-Based Aircraft as part of the Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) Air Wing of the Future (AWOTF) Family of Systems (FoS) strategy aligned with the Golden Fleet initiative. Existing FoS efforts include MQ-25A and Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). PAE Aviation is exploring the industrial base's capacity to deliver highly capable, autonomous platforms optimized for operations from Ford-class and Nimitz-class Nuclear Aircraft Carriers (CVN). The Government is seeking concepts, with both technical and programmatic information, for air vehicle and mission systems capable of executing FoS missions from the CVN highlighted in Section 1.0, either as a single-role platform, a multi-role platform, or a modular FoS. The information will inform future requirements, investments, and acquisition decisions aligned with the Navy unmanned strategy.

1.0 Introduction and Purpose

This Request for Information (RFI) is for planning purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a commitment by the U.S. Government.

Aligned with the 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS), the 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS) issued by the Department of War, and the Chief of Naval Operations' (CNO) Fighting Instructions, the Navy is seeking capability improvements to expedite transition from a 4th-generation-centric Carrier Air Wing (CVW) to a 5th/6th-generation manned-unmanned AWoTF.

This transition supports the Golden Fleet initiative and the Navy Warfighting Concept, which is a proactive approach leveraging global maritime maneuver to gain sea control, impose sea denial, and project power independently. Unmanned systems are critical to increasing Carrier Strike Group (CSG) strike capacity, extending CVW operational reach, and introducing advanced methods for executing Naval Aviation missions in a Highly Contested Environment (HCE). The objective is to evaluate the feasibility of fielding platforms with extended range and payload capacity, while minimizing deck footprint and integrating with established CVN infrastructure.

Naval Aviation executes missions in support of Joint Maritime Operations (Joint Publication 3- 32, 4 December 2023), which provides military guidance for the planning, execution, and assessment of maritime operations. The Universal Naval Task List (OPNAV Instruction 3500.38C, April 2022) provides the foundation to define performance and effectiveness by identifying the conditions and metrics for readiness assessment. Specific missions where unmanned systems will be employed include:

• Surface Warfare (SUW). Missions to destroy or neutralize enemy naval surface forces and merchant vessels.

• Strike Warfare (STW). Missions to deliver fires against enemy forces ashore.

• Anti-Submarine Wafare (ASW). Missions to destroy or neutralize enemy submarines.

• Air Warfare (AW). Missions to control the air with the intention to destroy or neutralize enemy aircraft or missiles.

• Electronic Warfare (EW). Missions involving the delivery of electromagnetic or directed energy to control the electromagnetic spectrum or to attack the enemy.

• Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Targeting (ISR&T). Missions and assets perform ISR&T to identify high-value enemy targets withing the joint operational area in support of the JFC.

• Mobility (MOB). Mobility enables naval forces to operate forward and maneuver freely. Airborne aerial refueling is a key contributor to CVW mobility.

• Logistics (LOG). Self-sufficiency and sustainment enables naval forces to maintain maritime operations as long as circumstances require. By remaining on station for indefinite periods of time outside territorial waters, naval forces communicate a capability for action independent of access, basing, and overflight.

This RFI solicits industry expertise to identify a mix of platforms that can provide affordable mass, risk-tolerant platforms that can perform the above missions to counter current and emerging threats.

2.0 Technical Requirements

Respondents are requested to outline how their proposed solutions perform according to the following technical attributes:

Technical Attribute

Description & Threshold Target

Platform Compatibility

Fully compatible with both Nimitz-class and Ford-class CVN launch and recovery systems.

Note: The Navy is interested in novel concepts that can operate from any air capable platform in addition to the CVN (e.g., DDG, ESB) using Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL).

Combat Radius

For missions involving attacking the enemy, the system must be capable of delivering effects a minimum of 1,000 NM from the CVN without refueling.

Size The system must demonstrate increased combat effectiveness over current 4th generation platforms at a given spot factor.

C2 Capable of integration into existing U.S. Navy Unmanned Carrier Aviation (UCA) control systems.

Autonomy Must address flight autonomy (e.g., carrier pattern, taxiing) and mission autonomy (e.g., dynamic tasking / retasking, threat evasion, automated aerial refueling) maturity.

Flexibility Respondents must indicate if their solution is single-role, multi-role, or a modular/variant-based approach.

3.0 Programmatic Information Requested

To support PAE(A) business case analysis and acquisition strategy development, respondents should provide detailed programmatic models and operational concepts.

Programmatic Element

Requested Information & Rationale

Development Schedule

Provide an estimated critical path schedule highlighting key milestones, specifically the timeline to First Flight, "First Trap" (land based and initial carrier landing) and Initial Operational Capability (IOC).

Manufacturing & Scale

Describe Design for Manufacturing (DFM) methodologies. Detail how your production approach supports rapid scaling and elasticity in a surge scenario.

Cost Engineering Detail your Design to Cost (DTC) methodologies and how they will be employed to keep unit recurring flyaway (URF) and sustainment costs within sustainable limits.

Open Architecture Explain the extensibility of the proposed system architecture. Detail alignment with modern Open Mission Systems (OMS) standards and government-owned interfaces.

Sustainment & Logistics

Provide a high-level sustainment plan, emphasizing how the design minimizes maintenance man-hours per flight hour (MMH/FH) and integrates into existing naval aviation supply chains.

Cost Sharing & Investment

Proposed Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) cost-sharing ratios.

Outline your firm’s planned capital investments (CAPX) or Internal Research and Development (IRAD) commitments to mature the solution.

4.0 Submission Instructions

Responses shall be submitted electronically to the USN NAS Patuxent Mailbox at usn.patuxent.comnavairsyscompax.mbx.fcdi-marketplace@us.navy.mil, carbon copying (CC) the designated Contract Specialist, Samantha Moore, samantha.c.moore11.civ@us.navy.mil. All responses shall be submitted no later than 5:00 PM EST, 13 August 2026. The submission is limited to 10 pages, using Times New Roman 12-point font and single spacing. Accompanying PowerPoint presentations are welcome, not to exceed 20 slides with no videos. All information submitted should be unclassified.