Man-Portable Electronically-Scanned TACAN Antenna Prototype

Solicitation Number: ACI-OTA-21-XXXX Notice Type: Special Notice Synopsis: Added: 20 Aug 2021 Project Title: Man-Portable Electronically-Scanned TACAN Antenna Prototype Announcement Type: Request for Information (RFI) Project Announcement Number: ACI-OTA-21-XXXX Dates o Posting Date: 20 Aug 2021 o Closing Date: 20 Sept 2021, 1:00 PM ET* *Must be a SOSSEC Consortium Member to respond Anticipated Individual Awards: If after the RFI the Government determines to pursue a project under the SOSSEC Consortium OTA, a single award is anticipated, but the government may award to a single, multiple or no offerors, dependent upon the budget, technical merit, and schedule. The Government reserves the right to select all, part, or none of the proposals received, subject to the availability of funds. All potential Offerors should be aware that due to unanticipated budget fluctuations, funding in any or all areas may change with little or no notice. In accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2371b(f), this prototype project contemplates the award of follow-on production contracts to a single awardee without further competitive procedures. A follow-on production contract will only occur after a prototype is deemed successful. Types of Instruments that May be Awarded: Firm Fixed Price Project-Level Agreement. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION: Participation in this RFI, and to receive any potential future award under this PA, will require a membership in the SOSSEC Consortium. SOSSEC, Inc., is the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Consortium Initiative (ACI) Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) awardee/recipient. Joining the SOSSEC Consortium is a very quick process. New members will be asked to review the Consortium membership agreement and pay a membership fee. The ACI OTA is an Agreement between the Government (AFLCMC) and SOSSEC, Inc. SOSSEC, Inc., acts as a mentor and intermediary, supporting companies that bid solutions. For further information about SOSSEC or how to join, please contact Linda Sasser, (603) 458-5529, lsasser@sossecinc.com. NOTE: The below paragraphs are only excerpts from the full Project Announcement. For the full Project Announcement, please contact Linda Sasser, SOSSEC, Inc, (603) 458-5529, lsasser@sossecinc.com. All inquiries must reference the above Project Number and Project Title. Introduction: This Project Announcement (PA) is a Request for Information (RFI) only. This RFI is issued as part of market research. This is not a Request for Whitepaper (RFWP) or a Request for Project Proposal (RFPP) or a promise to issue a RFWP or RFPP and/or to award an agreement for a prototype project as a result of this RFI. The Government and/or SOSSEC, Inc., will not pay respondents for information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party's expense. The Air Traffic Control & Landing Systems (ATCALS) program office located at Tinker AFB through SOSSEC, Inc., is requesting information from SOSSEC Consortium Members to assist in the planning for the acquisition of a Man-Portable (MP) Electronically-Scanned (E-Scanned) Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) Antenna. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFWP or RFPP, if any is issued. Description The MP E-Scanned TACAN Antenna shall be compatible with existing AN/TRN-41 TACAN systems as well as potential MP TACAN systems which may be procured to replace the AN/TRN-41. In order for the antenna to support the emerging Adaptive Operations in Contested Environments (AOiCE) Concept of Operations (CONOPs), it shall be capable of withstanding world-wide deployable environmental conditions and the unique rigors of repeated world-wide deployable cycles in a reliable and sustainable manner. Prototype Requirements EXPECTED MINIMUM PARAMETERS: Compatibility with Airborne TACAN Equipment: The antenna shall allow the TACAN system to provide a signal that is compatible with all airborne TACAN interrogators/transponders currently in use. Performance: The antenna shall have the following minimum performance characteristics: Function Capabilities/Limitations Signal-in-Space When connected to a MP TACAN, provided equipment, as a minimum, emits the appropriate TACAN signal per MIL-STD-291C signal as verified by a FAA flight check per FAA Order 8200.1C. This FAA flight check requirement will pass with a satisfactory rating. Frequency 962 to 1213 MHz (transmit); 1025 to 1150 MHz (receive) Channels 1X through 126X; 1Y through 126Y Impedance 50 ? nominal Gain (peak) Main lobe: +3.0 dBi Horizon: -1 dBi Average radiated antenna carrier pattern Circular to within - 10 from -2 to +45 elevation Azimuth error 15 Hz: less than 4 RMS on any radial 135 Hz: less than - 0.7 on any radial Occurrence of maximum carrier energy Between +5 and +30 elevation (main lobe) Slope > 0.01 volt between -5 and +5 elevation Carrier energy radiated below the horizon < 25% of total radiated energy; > 8 dB below peak energy of main lobe Power Spectrum When connected to a MP TACAN, the output power spectrum meets both FAA and ICAO requirements at maximum output per FAA Advisory Circular 00-31A E-Scanned Antenna: The antenna shall be an electronically scanned antenna that requires no mechanical rotation and shall scan at a speed of 900 RPM - 0.015%. RF Power Capacity: The antenna shall be capable of handling up to at least 1 kW peak RF power. Monitoring: The antenna shall provide continuous monitoring of critical parameters and cause shut down of the system in the event any one of the parameters fall outside of its specified tolerance as well as providing an indication to the operator of the malfunction that identifies the defective major components. Weight and Size: The antenna shall weigh no more than 29 lbs and shall be no bigger in size than the existing AS-4502/T antenna (30 inches in diameter and 11 inches in height). Remote Status and Maintenance: The TACAN system will come with a control panel that is physically part of the system and it monitors and controls all the functionality of the system. It may also come with a separate Remote Control and maintenance Status Unit (RCSU) that provides for the same functionality but can be operated from a remote location. The antenna shall be compatible with the panel that is physically part of the TACAN system as well as the RCSU, if available; and the antenna shall be able to be monitored and controlled from both the TACAN itself and the RCSU (if available). Assembly and Installation: The design and construction shall be compatible with the AN/TRN-41 tripod as well as that of any potential replacement MP TACAN systems which may be procured. The target time for setup and alignment of the entire TACAN system (transponder, power, antenna, etc.) is under 30 minutes. The proposed antenna shall be capable of setup and alignment to support this constraint. Electrical Interface: The electrical interface of the antenna shall be compatible with the AN/TRN-41 as well as that of any potential replacement MP TACAN system which may be procured. Power provided to the TACAN system is 100-250 VAC, 48-62Hz, single phase. Adjustments: The antenna shall require no adjustments subsequent to being placed in operation and all tuning controls utilized prior to deployment will include locking devices to hold the control firmly in place once it is set. Environmental Conditions: The antenna shall be operable in all parts of the world and in most operating conditions. Some of the more extreme operating conditions include -54'C to +71'C, 5 to 100% humidity, rapid decompression (8,000 ft to 40,000 in less than 15 seconds), solar radiation, blowing sand and dust, salt atmosphere, rain/snow/ice, fungus, shock and vibration, sea level to 13,100 foot altitude and 50 mile per hour winds with 71 mile per hour gust. It is expected to be transported via fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, ocean-going ship, rail and ground vehicle so shall withstand this transport without damage. Environmental, Safety and Operation Health (ESOH): The antenna shall meet the following ESOH requirements: The use of toxic chemicals, hazardous substances, or ozone depleting chemicals (ODCs) shall be avoided, whenever feasible. EPA Title III, List of Lists, EPA 550-B-01-003, provides a listing of toxic chemicals to be avoided. Recycled, recovered, or environmentally preferable materials shall be used to the maximum extent possible provided that the material meets or exceeds the operational and maintenance requirements, and promotes economically advantageous life cycle costs. Comply with all OSHA requirements per AFMAN 91-203. All electrical systems shall comply with the National Electrical Code (NEC). Meet the requirements of MIL-STD-188-124B for grounding, bonding and shielding. Meet the requirements of NFPA-77 for static electricity. A ground terminal or equivalent function shall be provided on all Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) within the equipment. The ground terminal shall be located on the input power connector or on the equipment terminal board and shall connect to the internal chassis by means of conductors at least equal in size to one of the power input conductors. Safety grounding within the equipment shall terminate on the ground terminal. Grounds and AC return lines shall be separated. Protective shields shall be provided to protect personnel from accidental contact with parts in excess of 30V RMS or 30V DC during operation or maintenance actions. Marking: The antenna shall meet the following marking requirements: Identification markings including ESD warning labels shall be affixed on all ESD-sensitive subassemblies to be visible to maintenance personnel prior to maintenance handling of the equipment. Enclosures, assemblies, and subassemblies containing class 1 or class 2 ESD sensitive components (as defined by MIL-STD-1686C), shall be appropriately marked using the documentation in MIL-STD-1686C as an example. To the maximum extent possible, all multi-conductor wiring and cable design shall follow the guidelines of MIL-HDBK-454B, Guideline 66. Identification plates, labels or markings shall be located in conspicuous spaces on all assemblies, LRUs, external cables and all other components, when space allows. Plates/labels/markings shall provide the necessary information to uniquely identify the unit or subassembly and IAW MIL-STD-130N. I.D. marking plates/labels/markings shall be durable and legible over the intended service life of the equipment. Workmanship: General workmanship acceptance criteria shall be based on best commercial practice. The contractor's workmanship practices will be evaluated based on MIL-HDBK-454B, Guidelines 1, 5, 9 and 15 and USAF Technical Manual T.O. 00-25-234. Controls and Indicators: Equipment controls and indicators shall be designed in accordance with MIL-STD-1472H. Electromagnetic Environment (EME): The antenna shall meet its operational performance requirements in its intended operational Electromagnetic Environment (EME) without causing or suffering any unacceptable performance degradation due to unintentional Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) to or from other equipment in the same environment. CBRNE Survivability, Decontamination: Decontamination of the antenna shall not cause the antenna to become inoperable (system is assumed to be off air during decontamination) and shall not induce any safety hazards. The antenna shall be capable of operating in an environment of chemical and biological contamination. Operational Reliability and Maintainability: The antenna shall provide the following Reliability and Maintainability performance: Operational Availability: ?98% Mean-Time-To-Repair: 30 minutes or less Maximum Time to Repair: ?1.5 hours Mean-Time-Between Critical Failure: ?3000 hours Mean-Time-Between-Maintenance: ?672 hours Service Life: All requirements stated within this specification will be maintainable over the minimum expected service life of 20 years. Support/Test Equipment: Unique support and test equipment shall not be required unless analysis determines that no common equipment exists that can perform the function. Any such unique equipment that is to be used for field level maintenance shall be identified. Spectrum: The antenna shall meet and/or support the TACAN system so it can meet the following requirements: Spectrum management and use shall be in accordance with DoD 4650.01, Policy and Procedures for Management and Use of the Electromagnetic Spectrum. Emission spectra shall conform to the applicable sections of the National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA) Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency Management (Redbook). Spectrum dependent system equipment shall be capable of: Receiving an approved stage 3 Defense Department (DD) Form 1494 thru the NTIA spectrum supportability certification process in support of system testing. Receiving a frequency assignment, in support of system testing, thru the NTIA spectrum supportability certification process. Receiving an approved stage 4 DD Form 1494 thru the NTIA spectrum supportability certification process in support of operational activities. Receiving a frequency assignment, in support of operational activities, thru the NTIA spectrum supportability certification process. EMI/EMC Compliance: The antenna shall be certified to applicable EMI/Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) requirements of either MIL-STD-461F, EN55022/EN55024, or equivalent commercial EMI/EMC standard. PROTOTYPE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES: In addition to the expected minimum parameters shown above, there are goals and objectives which the government are seeking from the MP E-Scanned TACAN Antenna that go beyond the mechanically-rotating AS-4502/T antenna that currently accompanies the AN/TRN-41 system. These include: Power: Uses less power than the AS-4502/T. Gain/Range: Provides for higher gain at low elevation angles and lower gain below horizon than the AS-4502/T so that an increase in range is realized. Weight: Achieve a significant weight savings over the AS-4502/T with the goal that it is 20 lbs lighter and allows for one person to lift and setup per Sections 5.20.2, 5.20.3 and 5.20.4 of Mil-Std-1472H. Reliability/Maintainability: Increased reliability compared to the AS-4502/T as well as easier maintenance. Air-droppable Configuration: When packaged for transport, withstand Low Velocity Airdrop from an altitude not to exceed 1000 feet and operate without malfunction or performance degradation in accordance with AFI 11-231. Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP): Able to be set up, maintained in the field, and operated by personnel donning MOPP Level 4 attire. Period of Performance: The period of performance is estimated to be approximately three (3) years from project award. Funding: TBD RFI RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS: See full RFI Project Announcement for details. Primary Point of Contact.: Linda Sasser, SOSSEC POC lsasser@sossecinc.com Phone: 603-458-5529 Secondary Point of Contact: Jeff Carstairs, SOSSEC POC jcarstairs@sossecinc.com Phone: 603-458-5529