A -- Rotary Wing Brownout Sensors Technologies

This contract request for information seeks to gather industry expertise and interest in developing sensor technologies to address operational challenges associated with rotary wing aircraft brownout conditions, as identified by the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rotary Wing Brownout Integrated Solution Study. The study has used systems engineering to establish key requirements and evaluate potential technological options, focusing on critical operational tasks such as maintaining accurate geospatial awareness of the landing site, verifying the suitability and safety of the landing zone, assessing surface conditions including slope and hazards, monitoring surrounding obstacles and terrain during landing and takeoff, and enabling safe, precise aircraft maneuvers from cruise flight to hover and landing. The contract is managed by the Department of Defense, specifically the Air Force Materiel Command’s AFRL/PZL office located at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The solicitation was posted in April 2006 and is identified by the number PKV-RFI-06-02. The point of contact for this contract is Douglas A. Harris, the contracting officer, who can be reached via email or phone. The primary goal is to advance sensor solutions that improve rotary wing aircraft safety and operational effectiveness in brownout environments by providing reliable data to pilots to mitigate the risks posed by dust and debris during landing and takeoff maneuvers.