Navy presses industry for ideas about unmanned rotorcraft sensors and avionics of the future to craft VTUAV roadmap

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J., 18 Feb. 2013. U.S. Navy unmanned helicopter experts are surveying industry for current and future technologies that will be necessary to operate today's and tomorrow's unmanned rotorcraft.

Officials of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., issued a sources-sought notice (N00019-13-VTUAV-RFI) this past week for the VTUAV Sensors and Avionics Technologies - Package #1 program, which seeks information from industry on technologies for current and future vertical-takeoff unmanned aerial vehicle (VTUAV) applications.

Navy officials are asking industry for information on enhanced precision navigation, communications, weapon systems, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and information handling for the Northrop Grumman MQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned helicopter, as well as in future vertical-takeoff unmanned aerial system (UAS) aircraft.

The Navy is conducting the survey to gain insight into existing VTUAV products, the ability of industry to modify existing products, industry's ability to develop new items.

The program also should give industry a better understanding of what officials from the Navy and Marine Corps Tactical Multi-Mission UAS office (PMA-266) are considering for the Navy and Special Operations Command (SOCOM) for the future, Navy officials say.

Technical details of this request for information are in a separate document available to defense vendors on request. To request details email the Navy's Linda Johnson at [email protected], and include the company's cage code. Details will be sent after verification of company cage codes.

A classified (secret level) electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) technical requirements data package is available on request, pending verification of the vendor's cage code, by sending an email to the Navy's Karen Abell at [email protected].

Companies interested should respond with unclassified documents no later than 13 March 2013, and with classified documents no later than 28 March 2013.

Those responding should send unclassified responses in electronic format on CD by post of hand-carried to the Navy's Linda Johnson at 22707 Cedar Point Road, Building 3261, Floor 1, Room 100, Patuxent River, Md. 20670. For questions or concerns phone Johnson at 301-757-5867.

Send classified responses via U.S. Postal Service registered mail or through Federal Express carrier with the outer wrapper marked Department Of The Navy, Commander Naval Air Systems Command, 47561 Ranch Road Bldg 4023, Patuxent River Md 20670 1469. The inner wrapper should be marked Department Of The Navy, Commander Naval Air Systems Command, 47561 Ranch Road Bldg 4023, Patuxent River Md 20670 1469, Attention UAS Security.

More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DON/NAVAIR/N68335/N00019-13-VTUAV-RFI/listing.html.