Squad Mission Equipment Transporter Robotic Recovery System and Squad payload carrier

DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND: TARDEC, US Army Warren, Michigan The Government seeks to identify sources capable of designing and building Robotic Platforms that can retrieve other robots in the weight class of small (0 to 3000 pounds) to large unmanned ground systems (3000 to 6000 pounds). Market Survey Request: The Government seeks to determine industry capacity to provide robotic platforms that in effect would be considered semi-autonomous or RF controlled ( from a platform) to meet the needs of the Infantry Squad to retrieve its robots in the following situational scenarios. Operational Scenario: The Army envisions utilizing small to medium robotic platforms for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition missions in peacekeeping and full spectrum combat operations. During these operations robotic platforms once employed will encounter various obstacles including sunken roads, negative terrain (depressions and holes), mudded swamps, streams and man- made traps. There is a high likelihood that these platforms if downed, mired or overturned will require external assistance to effect a retrieval and recovery in order to continue operations. Current Method of Recovery: Currently, the Army employs soldiers to retrieve robots requiring a soldier to expose themselves while employing a cable, rope or other means and assisted by other soldiers or a conventional military wrecker with a winch. A rope or winch line is manhandled by a soldier to the downed robot, connected at some attachment point on the robot and then winched to a location where it can be maintained and/or lifted onto a hauling platform. The Capability Gap: The Army seeks sources that can produce recovery robots weighing not more than 7000 pounds and that have the ability to winch, tow and/or carry as a piggyback a downed robots and if required evacuate it to a maintenance point approximately two miles from the retrieval location. Respondents should address the following questions: 1- Does your company have experience in building robotic platforms and can you describe that experience to include current efforts? 2- If provided a draft capability Design Document today, how long would it take for you to develop a capability as previously described- provide response in weeks, months or quarters. 3- Is your company considered a domestic vendor source with a DLA Cage Code and DUNS number? If yes, please provide. 4- Has your company participated in any US Army Warfighting Assessments, research experiments, tests or evaluations that would serve as evidence to support your ability to design, build and test robotic platforms? If so, please describe and provide locations and government points of contact that can verify your experiences. 5- Describe your current/ past robotic platform products to include mass properties information such as size, weight, height, length, method of propulsion, engine technology ( diesel, mogas, other) recovery capability, ability to winch, tow, and carry payloads, improved road surface speed, cross country speed. 6- Describe any leading edge technology (other than IP) that would provide a disruptive capability relative to current capabilities? Examples: In Hub motors, all electric propulsion, full autonomous system, onboard localization and situational understanding capability, sensors and cameras day and night? Planned Requirements: The SMET Recovery platform should be able to tow other vehicles The current supposition is for one SMET system to recover another, however this will not meet all the scenarios for recovery. There is also a requirement for the SMETs to be capable of moving with a military convoy at steady speeds of 45MPH over unimproved roads. We do not expect any small or large variants to meet this objective due to disabling design limitations when faced with a broken track or suspension component. There is a need for a highly mobile purpose built recovery platform that possess equal or better mobility similar to an SMET is imperative to reach the asset. Currently all the SMET surrogates are teloped, The objective for the Recovery system is to autonomously go to a way point and employ on board cameras and a remote GUI to help the operator latch onto a robot for extraction. The SMETs have a 72 hour mission requirement with an operational range of 96km for SMET Large and 48km for SMET Small. They should operate day and night for all weather operations. This recovery platform must be capable of laterally traversing, in forward and reverse, on dry hard surface slopes of 30% and must be capable of climbing and descending, in forward and reverse, on dry hard surface slopes of 60%. As a threshold, the SMET recovery system must also be capable of laterally traversing all slopes with <25% degradation in capability. The recovery system must carry a fully loaded SMET L/S while laterally traversing, in forward and reverse, on slopes of 40% and must be capable of climbing and descending, in forward and reverse, o666n slopes of 70%. The recovery system shall extract a fully loaded SMET L/S which can weight up to 4000lbs. A mechanism to load a disabled SMET on top of the recovery platform is anticipated. This will call for a recovery system that is likely 3x the weight of a loaded SMET. The estimated power needed is 70-120 HP. On board capabilities such as a 10k winch, and a manipulator arm are required to extract a disabled SMET from a ditch, mire or overturned scenario. The minimum lifting capacity of the manipulator arm at full extension shall be 500lbs. During tow and transport the SMET Recovery platform shall maintain a minimum speed of 15 MPH over unimproved surfaces. The power and weight ratios described will enable the recovery system to perform the operation safely while maintaining critical mass and low center of gravity when in motion. POC at TARDEC, Warren, Michigan is Mr. Joe Alexander at +1 (555) 000-0000 and Pete Marrero, +1 (555) 000-0000 in the Business Development Office. TARDEC, Detroit Arsenal 6501 East 11Mile Road Bldg. 200 A Room A1145 Warren, MI 48397