Air Force to brief industry on infrared surveillance sensor for commercial satellite
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., 10 Feb. 2013. U.S. Air Force officials will brief industry on 12 March to present an overview of the upcoming Wide Field of View (WFOV) Hosted Payload (HP) project and get industry feedback on objectives, requirements, definitions, and costs.
The WFOV HP project involves developing a future infrared sensor payload for a commercial satellite as part of the Space and Missile Systems Center's Space-Based Infrared Systems Directorate Space Modernization Initiative (SMI).
Industry briefings will be form 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on 12 March 2013 at the Gordon Conference Center, Area 2 in Building 270 at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo, Calif. Sponsoring the briefings are officials of the Air Force Space Command's Space and Missile Systems Center.
In late 2011 the Air Force issued a pre-solicitation notice to identify qualified infrared payload providers for a future WFOV payload procurement. Despite delays, this industry day notice is a continuation of that pre-solicitation.
This procurement will develop a staring overhead persistent infrared (OPIR) WFOV payload to be hosted on a commercial satellite, which is not part of this acquisition.
The Air Force still is conducting market research to determine if a contractor can build and deliver the WFOV HP within cost and schedule targets. The Air Force wants the infrared sensor payload finished within two and a half years at a cost of $40 million.
After the industry briefing's general session on 12 March, Air Force officials will schedule individual sessions with interested companies. As many as five representatives from each contractor team will be allowed to attend.
Those attending must be U.S. citizens or legal residents. Those interested in attending must have their companies e-mail visit requests for each attendee to Air Force 1st Lt. Stephen Hendershot at [email protected].
E-mail questions or concerns to Hendershot at [email protected].
More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFSC/SMCSMSC/13-23/listing.html.
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.
