Request for Information - Small Uncrewed Aerial System (sUAS) Capabilities

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) has issued a Request for Information seeking market research on Small Uncrewed Aerial Systems (sUAS) capabilities across five specific lines of effort: Hardware, Software, Communications, Sensors, and Kinetics. These capabilities are intended to support five distinct mission types including Long Range One Way Attack, Air Interdiction, Medium Range One Way Attack, Air Launched Effects, and Medium Range Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance. The government requires production-ready solutions deliverable within 6 months of contract award, with all systems and critical components complying with section 848 of the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act requiring domestic production. Interested vendors must submit unclassified 3-5 page capability papers and technical descriptions by October 10, 2025, with potential follow-up oral presentations scheduled between October 27 and November 7, 2025. Responses will be evaluated at the government's discretion based on detailed technical capabilities, manufacturing origins, integration experiences, production capacities, and contractor qualifications including small business status and previous DoD experience.

This opportunity does not utilize any set-aside designation and represents strictly a market research effort rather than a formal solicitation. The RFI encompasses three sUAS weight groups: Group 1 (up to 20 pounds), Group 2 (20-55 pounds), and Group 3 (55-1,320 pounds), with vendors expected to demonstrate capabilities across these classifications. No specific award values or budget ranges have been disclosed in this pre-solicitation phase, and no current contractors or incumbents are identified. The market research will be conducted in the Greater Dayton, Ohio area, with the government emphasizing that participants will not be compensated for their submissions. The initiative seeks to identify potential methodologies and available capabilities for examination across all five lines of effort, with particular emphasis on systems that offer robust security, cybersecurity resilience, autonomous capabilities, and potential exportability to approved foreign partners.