Purpose-Built Attritable Systems (PBAS), Bomber Family of Systems Expansion

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) FOR DESCRIPTION FOR SERVICES
Purpose-Built Attritable Systems (PBAS)
Bomber Family of Systems Expansion

1. INTRODUCTION

The U.S. Army Contracting Command – Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to conduct market research and assess industry capability and technology maturity to support the Purpose-Built Attritable Systems (PBAS) program.

PBAS is focused on delivering small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (sUAS) capable of employing lethal and non-lethal effects at the lowest tactical level. The Government is interested in expanding the scope of PBAS to include a family of systems, incorporating both small and larger air vehicles capable of conducting One-Way-Attack (OWA), droppable munition delivery, Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) and marsupial operations.  The larger variants are commonly referred to as bombers or bombardier.

This RFI seeks information from industry on existing or emerging capabilities that support these mission sets.

The U.S. Government may use the results of this market research to inform future solicitations under authorities including, but not limited to, 10 U.S.C. §4022 (Other Transaction Authority) and 10 U.S.C. §4023 (Procurement for Experimental Purposes). Multiple award strategies may be considered.

This RFI is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation.

2. PROGRAM BACKGROUND

The employment of Small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (sUAS) provides maneuver leaders increased situational awareness and extends the range of both lethal and non-lethal effects at the tactical edge.

Current ISR/RSTA-focused sUAS lack the ability to:
- Provide scalable, low-cost, and attritable strike capability  that delivers to the operational force necessary organic Hunter-Killer capability at scale.

PBAS addresses this gap by enabling:
- Droppable and integrated lethality 
- Improved maneuverability and concealability 
- Low-cost, scalable employment at the platoon level and below 

The Government is looking to expand PBAS to include larger bomber-class air vehicles capable of extending range, payload capacity, and mission flexibility.

3. REQUIRED CAPABILITY

The U.S. Army has an immediate need for PBAS to integrate droppable lethality into air vehicles to achieve and maintain overmatch capability. Common Lethality Integration Kit (CLIK) or Mallet interface compliance is desired. 

Mallet is a fuze conversion kit that enables existing munitions to be safely and effectively employed as sUAS-delivered drop munitions without modifying the original munition.  It is the munitions adapter/fuze layer that enables legacy munitions for drone-delivered effects.
Desired engagement capabilities include:

• Personnel targets – Effects intended to incapacitate or eliminate individual or grouped personnel.
• Light to medium materiel targets – Effects designed to damage or disable equipment such as unarmored or lightly armored vehicles, sensors, and infrastructure.
• Neutralization, obscuration, and deception effects – Effects that degrade enemy capability by suppressing activity, limiting visibility and preventing or delaying enemy movement.
• Hardened structures – Effects capable of penetrating, damaging, or destroying fortified or reinforced positions such as bunkers or hardened facilities.

Multiple (2 or more) munitions are desired for payload capacity. Munition examples include, but are not limited to:

• 60mm mortars
• 81mm mortars
• MK118 cluster munitions
• M67 Grenade

Air vehicles shall demonstrate the ability to:

• Deploy droppable munitions against enemy targets during night/low-light conditions in addition to thermal capability
• Maintain stable flight during payload release 

Cost of platform is meant to be attritable. This platform will drop payloads and return-to-home, but the useful life of the platform in an operating environment will be low (measured in no more than 20 successful mission). Due to low cost and high performance, the system will allow soldiers to take on more risk with employment, and the program office will be able to replenish systems affordably.

• Return to the operator or designated recovery point for reloading and re-employment
• Have a damaged airframe repaired forward by Soldiers with readily available components, rapidly designed and printed repair parts, while forward in the field, and returned to operators with minimal downtime.

The ability to process and share the video and/or metadata output in an open format, without vendor permission or proprietary tooling.

Air vehicles within Group 1 and Group 2 categories (up to 55 lbs.) are desired. Group 3 (greater than 55 lbs,) or larger systems should not be submitted. The weight classification specifically refers to the Maximum Gross Takeoff Weight (MGTOW), which includes the weight of the air vehicle, its fuel, and its payload.

4. ADDITIONAL REQUIRED CAPABILITY – BOMBER FAMILY OF SYSTEMS

The Government is specifically interested in industry capabilities that support expansion of PBAS into a family of systems, to include larger “bomber” variants.

Respondents should address one or more of the following mission areas:
a. Droppable Munition Delivery 
Air vehicles capable of carrying and deploying one or more droppable munitions against designated targets.

b. Reusable Strike Capability 
Ability to conduct munition delivery and return for rapid reloading and re-employment.

c. Marsupial Operations 
Air vehicles capable of carrying and deploying smaller UAS (e.g., 5-inch class systems) to extend operational reach and enable distributed effects.

d. RSTA Integration
Persistent RSTA capability to support target identification, tracking, and battle damage assessment (BDA).

e. Aiming and targeting software to reduce cognitive load on soldiers and assist in executing targets.

5. SYSTEM ATTRIBUTES AND CONSTRAINTS

Respondents should address system performance against the following parameters:

• Maximum System Weight: The weight classification specifically refers to the Maximum Gross Takeoff Weight (MGTOW), which includes the weight of the air vehicle and its payload(s).
• Operational Range: Desired range of 20–40 km 
• System Classes of Interest:
  • Group 1 / Group 2 bomber-class systems 
• Payload Modularity: Systems should support modular payload integration (e.g., CLIK and Mallet or equivalent MOSA approach)
• Autonomy & Control:
  • Operator-in-the-loop or supervised autonomy 
  • Waypoint navigation and return-to-home capability 
  • Operation in contested/degraded environments preferred
  • MOSA compliant avionics
  • The capacity to run ATR day and night and to update ATR models, including using 3rd part models, according to mission needs

6. AREAS OF INTEREST FOR INDUSTRY RESPONSE

Respondents are encouraged to provide description of:

• Existing or prototype bomber-style sUAS platforms 
• Payload capacity and types/quantity of droppable munitions supported 
• Marsupial capabilities (deployment of smaller UAS) 
• Target acquisition and aiming software (payload on platform and on shooter’s GCS)
• RSTA payload capabilities and sensor integration 
• Demonstrated range, endurance, and mission profiles 
• Launch methods (Eg. Rails, catapult, launch tube, Vertical Take-Off and Landing, Conventional Take Off and Landing)
• Recovery methods (Eg. Vertical Take-Off and Landing, Conventional Take Off and Landing)
• Interface approach (CLIK/MALLET) or other MOSA-compliant solution) 
• Manufacturing readiness and scalability
• Price
  • 100 complete systems
  • 1000 complete systems
  • 10000 complete systems
• MOSA architecture
• NDAA/DCMA Compliance.  If not compliant, current plan to achieve requirement.
• Bill of Materials (BOM) with prices

7. ELIGIBILITY

The applicable NAICS code for this requirement is 541715 with a Small Business Size Standard of 1,000 employees. The Product Service Code is AJ11.

Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to respond. Respondents must clearly identify their business size in their submission. Also include, if applicable, the company’s status as a Nontraditional Defense Contractor, as defined at 10 U.S.C. 3014 and in compliance with updated thresholds in Section 1806 of 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). 

8. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Interested parties shall submit a capabilities statement that:
- Is no more than 20 pages (8.5 x 11) 
- Uses font no smaller than 10-point 
- May include images, diagrams, or system descriptions 

Submissions shall include:
- Organization name and address 
- Technical point of contact 
- Phone number and email address 
- CAGE Code and UEI 
- Business size and ownership type

9. SUBMISSION DEADLINE

Responses are due no later than 1000 EDT on 22 May 2026.

All responses shall be submitted via email to the designated Government points of contact.

No phone calls will be accepted.

10. QUESTIONS

All questions must be submitted via email to the points of contact listed above.
The Government is not obligated to respond to inquiries or provide feedback on submissions.

11. DISCLAIMER

This RFI is issued for informational purposes only and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP).
- This is not a solicitation 
- The Government is not obligated to award a contract 
- No funds are available for response preparation 
- All submissions are voluntary