Army looks for companies able to manufacture power supply for AN/ARC-231 helicopter radio
ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md., 5 May 2013. U.S. Army helicopter avionics experts are reaching out to industry to find companies willing and able to manufacture the power supply circuit card assembly for the Raytheon AN/ARC-231 Skyfire multimode airborne communications system.
The ARC-231 is an avionics VHF and UHF line-of-sight avionics radio and satellite communications (SATCOM) system onboard the MH-60L/M and UH-60L/M Black Hawk helicopters, AH-64 Apache helicopter gunships, the Rivet Joint surveillance aircraft, and the Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System (Joint-STARS) aircraft.
The Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM) at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., has issued a source-sought notice (MARKET-SURVEY-5431-1) to find potential sources to manufacture the power electronics circuit card for the AM-7566 pre-amplifier for the ARC-231. The power supply circuit card assembly, NSN 5998-01-567-8110, is a component of the AM-7566 pre-amplifier.
The AM-7566 is a line replaceable unit of the ARC-231 multi-mode aircraft radio. Technical documentation is not available from the Army.
The ARC-231 avionics radio operates from 30 to 512 MHz, has frequency-agile modes for electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM), demand assigned multiple access (DAMA), integrated waveform (IW), and air traffic control (ATC) channel spacing selectable in 5, 8.33, 12.5, and 25 kHz steps.
The aircraft radio has embedded encryption, as well as SINCGARS and HAVE QUICK I and II frequency agile modes. UHF SATCOM and DAMA protocols provide beyond-line-of-sight SATCOM, with IP networking. The ARC-231 is a software definable radio with upgrades available via PC-based software downloads.
Companies interested in manufacturing a power supply circuit card for the ARC-231 radio should respond no later than 22 May 2013 in writing to PM-AME Field Office, ATTN: SFAE-AV-AS-AME (Beddor), 6007 Combat Drive, F3-140-122, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005.
Responses must include documentation such as drawings, test results, and other technical information demonstrating that the supplier can provide the required hardware, software and services.
For questions or concerns phone the Army's Jennifer Beddor at 443-395-1299, or Tineka Davis at 443-861-5439. More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/notices/8d091fba96f9341e67e3f9128dd69889.
John Keller | Editor
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.
