Joint All Domain Operations (JADO) MQ-1C Gray Eagle Payloads

Request For Information (RFI): Joint All Domain Operations (JADO) MQ-1C Gray Eagle Payloads Introduction: Product Manager (PdM) Aerial Enhanced Radar, Optics and Sensors (AEROS) is seeking information from industry to identify potential existing sources capable of providing Aerial Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (AISR) payloads for the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) platform that meet the emerging JADO environment. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP). NO SOLICITATION IS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. JADO Gray Eagle AISR payloads include Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Moving Target Indicator (MTI), Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), Communications Intelligence (COMINT), Air Launched Effects (ALE) and Radar Warning Receiver (RWR). JADO Concept of Operations (CONOPS) demands integrated AISR capabilities, increased ranges and resolutions to support target location and Long Range Precision Fires (LRPF) without the use of traditional line of site visual equipment to include Electro Optical, Infrared (EO/IR) and Full Motion Video (FMV) required for today's Counter Insurgency (COIN) mission. Peer and near-peer adversaries will employ anti-access, area denial (A2/AD) strategies, posing a significant challenge to the current AISR fleet. Army Futures Command (AFC) has identified a future fight in an Integrated Air Defense Systems (IADS)-rich environment where platforms must be survivable, attritable, or expendable to deliver sensing capabilities effectively where 1) The MQ-1C Gray Eagle flies racetrack patterns tangential to the IADS threat, at 80 km distance, 2a) ALEs deploy from the MQ-1C Gray Eagle as the forward most element of the advanced team in areas of expected enemy contact in order to detect, identity, location and report (DILR) and attack/disrupt/decoy threat assets to initiate dis-integration of the IADS. 2b) The ELINT/COMINT sensor system detects IADS threat, gathers geo-location data, and then transfers the threat Target Location Error (TLE) ellipse coordinates to the SAR sensor system, 3) The SAR sensor system acquires SAR Spot Scan imagery using the threat coordinates, performs Automatic Target Recognition (ATR), enables threat Cursor on Target (COT) designation, and then TLE category 1 circular error at the 90th percentile (CAT 1 CE90) threat coordinates to long range fires. This market survey precedes a potential Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Gray Eagle sensor payload JADO demonstration where systems will be quantitatively compared to identify the highest performer and best value based on Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and production unit cost. Technical Capabilities: Interested respondents shall provide a quantitative response to any number of capabilities. The RFI is categorized by AISR capability. General Tech Readiness Level (TRL) minimum of 6: - a system/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in a relevant environment Available system for demonstration for a minimum duration of 60 days in or around 1Q FY22 Proposed or known production unit cost Respondent shall provide predicted or actual production cost for lot sizes of 20, 40 and 60 units Unit production lead time Respondent shall provide predicted or actual lead time for production of the first 20, 40 and 60 systems Unit production capacity leveraging existing infrastructure Respondent shall provide maximum number of units able to be produced within 1 year of contract award Respondent shall provide maximum number of units able to be produced within 2 years of contract award Respondent shall provide maximum number of units able to be produced within 3 years of contract award System operational availability (Ao) of 90% or greater Respondent shall provide predicted or actual Ao Mean Time Between System Abort (MTBSA) 125 hours or greater Respondent shall provide actual or predicted MTBSA Cue other sensors Respondent shall provide capability to output geolocation data for other sensors on the same platform Integrate electronic protection (EP) controls to prevent the degradation of performance due to combatant Electronic Warfare (EW) Respondent shall provide EP technology integrated into system Field of regard (FoR) of 270 degrees minimum Respondent shall provide maximum field of regard Revisit entire FoR once every 10 seconds maximum Respondent shall provide revisit rate Developed with the modular open systems approach (MOSA) Operator shall be able to select the false alarm rate, modifying the sensitivity level based on the mission COMINT, ELINT, SAR/MTI and any other Radio Frequency (RF) emitting or receiving systems will be interoperable with each other and electromagnetically compatible with other avionics and sensors Respondent shall provide the minimum characteristics of system to demonstrate interoperability and interference mitigation Capability 1 - SAR/MTI Comparable size, weight (125 lbs) and power (1.8 kw) and cooling (SWaP-C) capable of integration into the forward payload bay of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Respondent shall provide basic system form/fit/envelope Respondent shall provide system weight Respondent shall provide compatibility with systems which share envelopes Maximum power draw or 1.8kw from the platform Respondent shall provide operational and peak power with scalable design Minimum SAR range of 80 km at 1 m resolution Respondent shall provide maximum range at 0.3 m resolution Respondent shall provide maximum range at 1 m resolution Respondent shall provide maximum range at 3 m resolution Respondent shall provide a graph of resolution over range (resolution on y-axis, range on x-axis) If other factors are varied to tune performance (i.e. power), respondent shall provide a graph of resolution over range (resolution on y-axis, range on x-axis) at varied factors Minimum Wide Area Surveillance (WAS) mode range of 20 km range at 0.5 m resolution (detection) Respondent shall provide maximum WAS range at 0.1 m resolution Respondent shall provide maximum WAS range at 0.5 m resolution Respondent shall provide maximum WAS range at 1 m resolution Respondent shall provide a graph of resolution over range (resolution on y-axis, range on x-axis) If other factors are varied to tune performance (i.e. power), respondent shall provide a graph of resolution over range (resolution on y-axis, range on x-axis) at varied factors Minimum spot mode range of 20 km range at 0.1 m resolution (classification) Respondent shall provide maximum spot range at 0.05 m resolution Respondent shall provide maximum spot range at 0.1 m resolution Respondent shall provide maximum spot range at 0.2 m resolution Respondent shall provide a graph of resolution over range (resolution on y-axis, range on x-axis) If other factors are varied to tune performance (i.e. power), respondent shall provide a graph of resolution over range (resolution on y-axis, range on x-axis) at varied factors Minimum DMTI range of 30 km at 90% probability of detection (POD) Respondent shall provide maximum range at 85% POD Respondent shall provide maximum range at 90% POD Respondent shall provide maximum range at 95% POD Respondent shall provide a graph of POD over range (POD on y-axis, range on x-axis) If other factors are varied to tune performance (i.e. power), respondent shall provide a graph of POD over range (POD on y-axis, range on x-axis) at varied factors Minimum GMTI range of 50 km at 90% POD Respondent shall provide maximum range at 85% POD Respondent shall provide maximum range at 90% POD Respondent shall provide maximum range at 95% POD Respondent shall provide a graph of POD over range (POD on y-axis, range on x-axis) If other factors are varied to tune performance (i.e. power), respondent shall provide a graph of POD over range (POD on y-axis, range on x-axis) at varied factors Target location error (TLE) 6 m or less at 80 km range Respondent shall provide maximum range at 3 m TLE Respondent shall provide maximum range at 6 m TLE Respondent shall provide maximum range at 12 m TLE Respondent shall provide a graph of TLE over range (TLE on y-axis, range on x-axis) If other factors are varied to tune performance (i.e. power), respondent shall provide a graph of TLE over range (TLE on y-axis, range on x-axis) at varied factors SAR shall provide strip and spot imagery that supports detection, classification, recognition and identification of military targets Respondent shall provide SAR processing technology to detect, classify, recognize and identify military targets MTI mode shall be capable of selectable sector scans Detect targets moving at speeds between 4 kph to 120 kph Respondent shall provide GMTI minimum and maximum speed for detection Respondent shall provide DMTI minimum and maximum speed for detection Dual concurrent operations (e.g. SAR & MTI, DMTI & GMTI, SAR & ESM) Respondent shall provide all combinations of operations and corresponding power requirement Automatic Target Recognition (ATR), threat Cursor on Target (COT) designation, and TLE CAT 1 CE90 threat coordinates Respondent shall provide ATR and COT technology integrated into system AiTD shall post process near real time EO/IR/LD video and SAR imagery and advise the operator of potential targets Respondent shall provide AiTD technology capability Video SAR capability Respondent shall provide video SAR technology capability Video Coherent Change Detection (CCD) capability Respondent shall provide video CCD technology capability Capability 2 - ELINT Comparable size, weight (350 lbs) and power (1.5 kw) and cooling (SWaP-C) of existing unmanned sensor ELINT systems Respondent shall provide system weight Respondent shall provide operational and peak power with scalable design Capable of integration onto the fuselage, wing or payload bay of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Respondent shall provide basic system form/fit/envelope Respondent shall provide compatibility with systems which share envelope Provide capability to detect, recognize, identify, and classify low probability of intercept & low POD emitters Respondent shall provide ELINT technology integrated into system Minimum range of 300 km at 90% POD or greater Respondent shall provide maximum range at 85% POD Respondent shall provide maximum range at 90% POD Respondent shall provide maximum range at 95% POD Respondent shall provide a graph of POD over range (POD on y-axis, range on x-axis) If other factors are varied to tune performance (i.e. power), respondent shall provide a graph of POD over range (POD on y-axis, range on x-axis) at varied factors Geo-locate emitters in NRT Respondent shall provide technology that geo-locates emitters in 1 minute maximum Respondent shall provide accuracy of geo-location Respondent shall provide accuracy of bearing if geo-location is unavailable Minimum range of 300 km at Target location error (TLE) 6 m or less Respondent shall provide maximum range at 3 m TLE Respondent shall provide maximum range at 6 m TLE Respondent shall provide maximum range at 12 m TLE Respondent shall provide a graph of TLE over range (TLE on y-axis, range on x-axis) If other factors are varied to tune performance (i.e. power), respondent shall provide a graph of TLE over range (TLE on y-axis, range on x-axis) at varied factors Detect and correctly ID wide range of threats over the frequency range 0.5 to 40 GHz Response shall provide frequency range Wide instantaneous bandwidth (IBW) minimum of 2 GHz to increase probability of detection Respondent shall provide IBW frequencies Characterize emitters in near real time (NRT) Respondent shall provide technology that characterizes emitters in 1 minute maximum Automatic Target Recognition (ATR), threat Cursor on Target (COT) designation, and TLE CAT 1 CE90 threat coordinates Respondent shall provide ATR and COT technology integrated into system Raw signal data recording The respondent will provide onboard storage capacity to support file transfer, with the objective to have on-aircraft analysis capability Capability 3 - COMINT Comparable size, weight (50 lbs) and power (0.5 kw) and cooling (SWaP-C) of existing unmanned sensor COMINT systems Respondent shall provide system weight Respondent shall provide operational and peak power with scalable design Capable of integration onto the fuselage, wing or payload bay of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Respondent shall provide basic system form/fit/envelope Respondent shall provide compatibility with systems which share envelope Provide capability to detect, recognize, identify, and classify low probability of intercept & low POD emitters Respondent shall provide COMINT technology integrated into system Minimum range of 300 km at 90% POD or greater Respondent shall provide maximum range at 85% POD Respondent shall provide maximum range at 90% POD Respondent shall provide maximum range at 95% POD Respondent shall provide a graph of POD over range (POD on y-axis, range on x-axis) If other factors are varied to tune performance (i.e. power), respondent shall provide a graph of POD over range (POD on y-axis, range on x-axis) at varied factors Geo-locate emitters in NRT Respondent shall provide technology that geo-locates emitters in 1 minute maximum Respondent shall provide accuracy of geo-location Respondent shall provide accuracy of bearing if geo-location is unavailable Minimum range of 300 km at Target location error (TLE) 6 m or less Respondent shall provide maximum range at 3 m TLE Respondent shall provide maximum range at 6 m TLE Respondent shall provide maximum range at 12 m TLE Respondent shall provide a graph of TLE over range (TLE on y-axis, range on x-axis) If other factors are varied to tune performance (i.e. power), respondent shall provide a graph of TLE over range (TLE on y-axis, range on x-axis) at varied factors Detect and correctly ID wide range of threats over the frequency range 0.5 to 40 GHz Response shall provide frequency range Wide instantaneous bandwidth (IBW) minimum of 2 GHz to increase probability of detection Respondent shall provide IBW frequencies Locate modern, legacy, commercial and military emitters and signals Respondent shall provide the types of signals and emitters able to be detected Track location of moving signals Respondent shall provide capability to track signals in motion Characterize emitters in NRT Respondent shall provide technology that characterizes emitters in 1 minute maximum Automatic Target Recognition (ATR), threat Cursor on Target (COT) designation, and TLE CAT 1 CE90 threat coordinates Respondent shall provide ATR and COT technology integrated into system Raw signal data recording The respondent will provide onboard storage capacity to support file transfer, with the objective to have on-aircraft analysis capability Capability 4 - Air Launched Effects (ALE) ALE category Respondent shall provide category of ALE to include decoy, EO/IR, SAR/MTI, COMINT, ELINT or other If - other, respondent shall provide ALE purpose and rationale as to how it is applicable to MQ-1C Gray Eagle payloads and the JADO mission EW, SAR/MTI, COMINT and/or ELINT ALEs 180 lbs maximum weight Respondent shall provide weight of proposed EW, SAR/MTI, COMINT and/or ELINT Respondent shall provide SWaP-C of EW, SAR/MTI, COMINT and/or ELINT ALE's and a breakdown of components with weight per component Decoy and/or EO/IR ALEs 25 lbs maximum weight Respondent shall provide weight of proposed decoy and/or EO/IR ALEs Respondent shall provide SWaP-C of Decoy and/or EO/IR ALE's and a breakdown of components with weight per component ALE operational range minimum 300 km Respondent shall Provide maximum range of Decoy and/or EO/IR ALEs Respondent shall Provide maximum range of EW, SAR/MTI, COMINT, ELINT or other ALEs Respondent shall Provide maximum range of other ALEs Maximum payload capacity Respondent shall provide maximum payload capacity of decoy and/or EO/IR ALEs Respondent shall provide maximum payload capacity for EW, SAR/MTI, COMINT and/or ELINT ALE's Respondent shall provide maximum payload capacity for other ALEs Maximum and minimum ALE deployment Respondent shall provide maximum altitude and speed that their ALE can be successfully launched Respondent shall provide minimum altitude and speed that their ALE can be successfully launched Capability 5 - RWR/ESM Passive DILR Comparable size, weight (50 lbs), power (0.5 kw) and cooling (SWaP-C) of existing unmanned sensor RWR/ESM systems Respondent shall provide system weight Respondent shall provide operational and peak power with scalable design Capable of integration onto the fuselage, wing or payload bay of the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Respondent shall provide basic system form/fit/envelope Respondent shall provide compatibility with systems which share envelope Minimum range of 300 km at 90% POD or greater Respondent shall provide maximum range at 85% POD Respondent shall provide maximum range at 90% POD Respondent shall provide maximum range at 95% POD Respondent shall provide a graph of POD over range (POD on y-axis, range on x-axis) If other factors are varied to tune performance (i.e. power), respondent shall provide a graph of POD over range (POD on y-axis, range on x-axis) at varied factors Geo-locate emitters in NRT Respondent shall provide technology that geo-locates emitters in 1 minute maximum Respondent shall provide accuracy of geo-location Respondent shall provide accuracy of bearing if geo-location is unavailable Minimum range of 300 km at Target location error (TLE) 6 m or less Respondent shall provide maximum range at 3 m TLE Respondent shall provide maximum range at 6 m TLE Respondent shall provide maximum range at 12 m TLE Respondent shall provide a graph of TLE over range (TLE on y-axis, range on x-axis) If other factors are varied to tune performance (i.e. power), respondent shall provide a graph of TLE over range (TLE on y-axis, range on x-axis) at varied factors Detect and correctly ID wide range of threats over the frequency range 0.5 to 40 GHz Response shall provide frequency range Wide instantaneous bandwidth (IBW) minimum of 2 GHz to increase probability of detection and minimize time to correctly ID modern radar threats Respondent shall provide IBW frequencies Locate modern, legacy, commercial and military emitters and signals Respondent shall provide the types of signals and emitters able to be detected Track location of moving signals Respondent shall provide capability to track signals in motion Characterize emitters in NRT Respondent shall provide technology that characterizes emitters in 1 minute maximum Automatic Target Recognition (ATR), threat Cursor on Target (COT) designation, and TLE CAT 1 CE90 threat coordinates Respondent shall provide ATR and COT technology integrated into system Raw signal data recording The respondent will provide onboard storage capacity to support file transfer, with the objective to have on-aircraft analysis capability Document Format Requirements: All responses shall include a cover page with the following information Company Name Mailing Address and Website Pont of contact (POC), with title, phone number and email address Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code North America Industry Classification System (NAICS) number Associated Business size and eligibility under U.S. Government social-economic programs and preference (i.e., type of business - large, small, small-disadvantaged, women-owned, veteran-owned or 8(a)) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number Responses shall not exceed 4 pages per capability area for a maximum of 20 pages if all 5 capability areas are addressed. One cover page, one Table of Contents (TOC) and one EXSUM/introduction page are excluded from the page count. Responses shall be font Arial, minimum size 10, single spaced (1.0), and normal (1.0 inch) margins. Graphics, tables and other visuals shall be permitted Responses shall be in one continuous Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF document. Questions: The Government will allow respondents to submit questions regarding this announcement. Questions are due NLT 2000 EST, 31 December 2020. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after 2000 EST, 31 December 2020 will be answered. Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing via e-mail to PdM AEROS Mr. Adam Terio adam.a.terio.civ@mail.mil. Verbal questions will not be accepted. If a question was previously asked, it will need to be resubmitted for consideration. Questions shall not contain proprietary, controlled unclassified information, or classified information. Questions and answers will be posted to beta.sam.gov. Posted questions and answers will be anonymous and will not reference the respondent. Response Delivery Requirements: Responses are due NLT 2000 EST, 29 January 2021 Unclassified responses can be submitted via email to PdM AEROS Mr. Adam Terio adam.a.terio.civ@mail.mil. Unclassified responses may also be submitted via DoD SAFE https://safe.apps.mil/ to PdM AEROS Mr. Adam Terio adam.a.terio.civ@mail.mil. Responses can include a classified annex. Classified annexes count towards the 20 page limit and are subject to the same document formatting requirements. Vendors shall inform Mr. Adam Terio via unclassified email at adam.a.terio.civ@mail.mil no more than 24 hours following the submission of the classified annex. Classified annexes can be submitted via email to PdM AEROS Mr. Adam Terio adam.a.terio.civ@mail.smil.mil. Classified annex responses may also be submitted via Army Research Laboratory (ARL) utility: https://safe.arl.army.smil.mil to PdM AEROS Mr. Adam Terio adam.a.terio.civ@mail.smil.mil. Additional Information: This RFI is not an RFP and is not construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals nor will any award be made as a result of this synopsis. All information contained in the RFI is preliminary as well as subject to modification and is in no way binding on the Government. FAR clause 52.215-3, - Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes, is incorporated by reference in this RFI. The Government does not intend to pay for information received in response to this RFI. Responders to this invitation are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. This RFI will be the basis for collecting information on capabilities available. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes. Proprietary information and trade secrets, if any, must be clearly marked on all materials. All information received in this RFI that is marked - Proprietary will be handled accordingly. Please be advised that all paper submissions become Government property and will not be returned nor will receipt be confirmed. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract.