Airborne ISR and Target Custody Platforms

The contract seeks airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms or payloads designed to deliver persistent target custody in highly dynamic, contested, and degraded operational environments. The requirement emphasizes capabilities that can operate reliably under extreme conditions, including electronic warfare interference, denial of satellite or communication links, and hostile counter-surveillance measures. Solutions must ensure continuous tracking and identification of targets without reliance on conventional infrastructure, leveraging advanced sensors, autonomous systems, and resilient data transmission methods. This subcontract opportunity falls under NAICS code 334516, indicating it targets the manufacturing of aviation and defense electronics, and is sponsored by the Immediate Office of the Secretary of Defense under the Department of Defense. Responses are due by May 8, 2026, at 6:00 PM, with performance expected to center in Phoenix, though the exact spatial scope remains unspecified. The project aims to accelerate deployment of next-generation ISR systems capable of sustaining custody beyond traditional platform limitations, requiring proposers to demonstrate proven experience in contested-domain operations, rapid adaptation to evolving threats, and integration with existing DoD command and control architectures.