FY26 RTI RFI Warden CsUAS_20260112.docx

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

Warden Dismounted Soldier Counter - Small Unmanned Aircraft System (C-sUAS) Request for Information (RFI)

Background:

The United States Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C5ISR) Center Research and Technology Integration (RTI) Directorate seeks Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5+ capabilities for Counter small Unmanned Aircraft System (C-sUAS) applicable to dismounted mobile infantry squads. This is a Request for Information (RFI). This is not a solicitation for proposals. The purpose of this RFI is to support research and development planning, and to lead to a Government and industry collaboration at the first Warden C-sUAS event, in Q3FY26. This event will be a venue for data collection, demonstration and evaluation of TRL 5+ capabilities against Group 1 and 2 sUAS threat representative platforms. The event will include Government and industry partners invited to the event participating side by side. The event will take place at a military test range.

These capabilities should be designed for countering (sense, decide or act) Group 1 small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) to include First Person View (FPV) drones. The C-sUAS capabilities’ size, weight, and power (SWaP) should be compatible with a mobile dismounted squad – personnel carried, held, borne, or rifle mounted. At a maximum a SWaP suitable for a squad dismounted robotic asset. If not currently in a suitable SWaP there should be a clear attainable path to that SWaP. Capabilities should be designed to be integrated with existing Soldier equipment.

The Government invites readers of this RFI to submit capability white papers and a single quad chart in the provided formats that will aid squads in their defense against sUAS threats.

Technology focus areas include:

· Rifle mounted kinetic/non-kinetic defeat

· Emphasis on the detection & tracking capability

· Passive detection/location

· Acoustic sensors

· Electro-optical/infrared

· Radiofrequency

· Other

· Enhancement of existing Soldier equipment for C-sUAS

· Considerable sensor and situational awareness equipment is fielded to Soldiers

· Active detection/location capabilities

· Emphasis on covertness

· Laser jamming, dazzling & defeat

· sUAS detection, tracking & interoperability

· Novel solutions

· Sensor fusion

After reviewing the technology submissions, the Government may invite responders of this RFI to participate in a data collection/assessment which evaluates the capability and/or provides a venue for data collection against representative threats. This event is collaborative – TRL5+ technologies are desired, and perfection is not expected.

sUAS may be available for destructive defeat. The information provided by you will inform planning for the event.

The event is expected to take place at a military range during Q3FY26. The event will be conducted with day and night flight operations with a variety of sUAS assets to be flown. Range location and detailed timeframes to be provided after planning is completed.

Requested Information:

The C5ISR Center requests the following information:

Company Information

· Company Name

· Company Address

· RFI Technical POC Name, Email Address, and Phone number

· RFI Business/Contract POC Name, Email Address, and Phone number

· CAGE Code

· Facility Clearance Level

· Joint Certification Program (JCP) DD Form 2345 (JCP Home (dla.mil))

Technical Information

Please fill out the attached quad chart template that includes the name, graphic, capability description, and contact information.

Please fill out the attached white paper template. Information in the white paper should include:

· Capability Name

· Capability Description

· Concept of use, how will this be used during a test event, at an Army range

· Operational requirement(s), personnel, fuel, power, physical footprint, etc.

· Technology maturity, what level of testing has occurred?

· Equipment needs, is the capability self-contained, or does it require anything?

· Is the Army expected to provide anything?

· Radio network, TAK server, Wi-Fi, commercial communications, etc.

· Information necessary for a risk assessment / range access

· Emission details (spectrum, power, frequency, etc.)

· Distinguished visitor day participation

· What are your infrastructure requirements to participate in an event, at a military range?

· Quantity

· Objectives for your participation

· What is or is not proprietary?

· Multiple Government & industry partners will be present at the range together.

· Storage requirements

· If weapon or ammunition are proposed, information related to secure storage

Submission Requirements:

This RFI provides general public release requirements ONLY.

All documents shall be portion marked IAW DoDM 5200.01-V2. Submission of proprietary and other sensitive information shall be marked and identified with disposition instructions (submitted material will not be returned).

· Subject line should be: Warden C-sUAS event

· Unclassified responses must be to: usarmy.apg.devcom-c5isr.mbx.rti-industry-engagement@army.mil.

· Responses with CUI must be sent encrypted via DoD SAFE submitted via DoD SAFE (https://safe.apps.mil/). If you require a DoD SAFE drop link, please contact usarmy.apg.devcom-c5isr.mbx.rti-industry-engagement@army.mil.

· For submission of SECRET or higher classification material to C5ISR Center, please contact usarmy.apg.devcom-c5-isr.mbx.rti-industry-engagement@mail.smil.mil.

· Responses submitted by contractors that contain U.S. classified military information (CMI) generated in conjunction with a DOD program should be classified in accordance with the applicable Security Classification Guide (SCG). Please include a copy of the SCG with the submission. Only U.S. citizens are authorized to respond to this RFI.

Questions and requests for clarification:

Questions and requests for clarification of information must be submitted to: usarmy.apg.devcom-c5isr.mbx.rti-industry-engagement@army.mil (UNCLASSIFIED) or usarmy.apg.devcom-c5-isr.mbx.rti-industry-engagement@mail.smil.mil (CLASSIFIED) no later than 30 calendar days following RFI posting. NOTE: If you are sending a CLASSIFIED question, please send a courtesy email to the UNCLASSIFIED mailbox to notify of the request on the Classified side.

Questions with CUI shall be submitted via DOD SAFE. If you require a drop link, please contact usarmy.apg.devcom-c5isr.mbx.rti-industry-engagement@army.mil. Questions and requests will only be accepted in writing; phone calls will not be accepted.

Requests shall be submitted only to the email address specified above. Any other forms of request for additional information will not be honored.

Response Due Date: 30 days after published date

Disclaimer:

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. In accordance with FAR 15.202 (e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. No award is intended as a result of this notice. The Government will not reimburse costs incurred by respondents in response to this RFI, or for participating in information exchange regarding details of the RFI.

Any information submitted by respondents to this sources sought synopsis is voluntary. The Army does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this notice or to otherwise pay for the information solicited. Respondents should not construe this synopsis as a commitment for any purpose. Respondents will not individually be notified of the results of any government assessments. The Government's evaluation of the capability statements received will factor into whether any forthcoming solicitation will be conducted as a full and open competition or as a set-aside for small businesses, or any particular small business designation (e.g. SDVOSB, HUBZone, 8(a), WOSB, EDWOSB.).

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE