Platoon Level Small Uncrewed Aircraft System (SUAS)

The Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal seeks innovative commercial Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Uncrewed Aircraft Systems in the Platoon Level Small UAS (SUAS) classification through a Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO W58RGZ-26-S-C001), with an initial whitepaper submission cutoff of May 15, 2026 and continuous rolling evaluation thereafter.

This is an unrestricted, multi-award procurement. Place of performance is Huntsville, Alabama. The Army intends to procure systems from multiple offerors with no minimum or maximum purchase quantities guaranteed.

Mandatory system capabilities include 30-minute on-station endurance at 3-kilometer range with Electro-Optical/Infrared payload; 3–8 kilometer line-of-sight data link range without relay; GPS-denied environment operation via Assured Position, Navigation, and Timing solutions such as Visual Based Navigation; obstacle avoidance; operation in winds up to 15 knots; maximum weight of 19 pounds including two air vehicles, ground control station, batteries, and charger; assembly and disassembly in 2 minutes or less each; all-weather capability including 0.5 inch/hour rain; encrypted digital data link with AES-256 or better; operation across specified frequency bands (1625–1725, 1780–1850, 2025–2110, 2200–2290, 2310–2390, and 2400–2500 MHz); automatic launch and land modes; single-operator capability; 48-hour sustained operations; and interoperability with Integrated Tactical Network, Tactical Assault Kit, and Net Warrior Control. All systems must comply with 2020 NDAA Section 848 (restricting use of components manufactured in covered foreign countries including China), 2023 NDAA Section 817, and the American Security Drone Act of 2023. Desired capabilities include real-time HD EO/IR video in H.264/MPEG2 format, sub-250-millisecond video latency, MOLLE rucksack compatibility (3,000 cubic inches or less), modular payload design, battery swap and relaunch within 30 seconds, and laser illumination for night operations.

Offerors must submit a 10-page whitepaper (not including cover page, OCI analysis, NDAA compliance reports, or cyber assessment documentation), completed system characteristics spreadsheet, and spectrum-related information (operating frequencies, bandwidth, radio supplier, and RF equipment details). Award eligibility requires active SAM.gov registration with Unique Entity ID and approved CAGE code, current NIST SP 800-171 DoD assessment, and DFARS cybersecurity compliance. The Government seeks Government Purpose Rights for data and software related to key external interfaces to support modular open systems and competitive upgrades, and commercial license rights for technical documentation to support organic field-level sustainment. Evaluation will occur over three weeks through whitepaper assessment, flight demonstration on a pass/fail basis, and Manufacturing Readiness Assessment. The earliest system delivery is anticipated in August 2026. The NAICS code is 336411, Aircraft Manufacturing; PSC is 1550, Unmanned Aircraft.