Amendment 01 - Attritable ISR Aircraft Request for Information

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance & Special Operations Forces Directorate is conducting market research through a Request for Information (RFI) to identify industry capabilities for low-cost, attritable unmanned airborne platforms capable of performing ISR missions. The RFI, identified as FA8629-26-RFI-4ISR, is strictly for informational purposes and will not result in a contract award at this stage. The government seeks innovative solutions that deliver mass ISR capability rapidly and affordably, with an emphasis on range, loiter time, cost per unit, and sensor performance. Systems must operate in austere environments without reliance on runways, integrate with secure government networks and C3 architectures, comply with Modular Open Systems Approach standards, and align with domestic sourcing policies under the “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” initiative. Respondents are required to submit a single presentation file of no more than 21 slides total, including one cover slide, with all technical data, past performance references, cost estimates, and production capacity outlines embedded within the deck. All submissions become U.S. Government property, must be labeled as proprietary where applicable, and require SAM.gov registration for future consideration. Amendment 01 updates the original RFI by releasing a consolidated Q&A document addressing industry inquiries and extending the submission deadline to 4:00 PM EST on May 5, 2026. No formal contract clauses, pricing line items, or delivery schedules are included, as this is a pre-solicitation market research effort. The government has not established evaluation weights or award criteria, but future selection will be based on a trade-off approach weighing total ownership cost against mission effect and overall value proposition. Respondents must provide Rough Order of Magnitude pricing, sustainment support plans, and details on cybersecurity authorizations and supply chain risk. Technical performance is defined through Key Performance Parameters and Key System Attributes, with thresholds specifying mission-essential capabilities such as 1,500 km range, environmental resilience per MIL-STD-810 guidance, and interoperability with Link-16 and BLOS comms. Classified responses require prior coordination with the designated unclassified point of contact, and all submissions must be sent via email with the correct subject line format. The place of initial delivery is anticipated to be Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, while actual operational performance must occur at least 200 km from U.S. ground support infrastructure.