Air Force approaches industry for radar cross section (RCS) test and measurement for future nuclear weapons
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – U.S. Air Force nuclear weapons experts are approaching industry for companies able to build a diagnostic radar system able to identify defects, verify repairs, and assess the overall health of the Long Range Standoff (LRSO) nuclear missile.
Officials of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., issued a request for information (FA210324RLRSO1) on Wednesday for the LRSO Near-field Radar Cross Section (RCS) Measurement System project.
The LRSO is to replace the Air Force Boeing AGM-86 air-launched cruise missile, which was designed to launch from the B-52 jet bomber. The LRSO will launch from several different aircraft, including the B-52, and the future Northrop Grumman B-21. The LRSO is to have a range of about 1,500 miles.
The RTX Raytheon segment in Tucson, Ariz., won a $2 billion contract three years ago for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the LRSO weapon system. The Air Force could buy as many as 1,000 LRSO weapons. The LRSO is to replace the nuclear AGM-86B in about 2030, equipping the B-52 and B-21 bombers as one-third of the nuclear triad.
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As part of LRSO project, Air Force and industry experts need a diagnostic radar able to identify defects, verify repairs, and assess the LRSO system for maintenance, repair, and production acceptance. LRSO flight testing reportedly began in 2023.
The LRSO RCS test and measurement radar must be fieldable, and usable outside and indoors. Its software must be installable on an unlimited number of computer systems.
The LRSO RCS must operate from 2 to 18 GHz; have a near-field radar frequency imaging capability; produce high-resolution 2D and 3D measurements; collect laser cross section measurement data; and be able to measure a system under test as large as 25 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 3 feet high.
The system must have self-registration technology that records the systems precise position relative to the system under test. Its antenna array must be able operate within one-tenth of an inch from the system under test.
The LRSO RCS must require no ancillary equipment to align and register the target; control a rotator that will spin the system under test 360 degrees azimuthally; include a safety system to protect personnel and the system under test from injury; and be off-the-shelf and delivered no later than 12-months after contract award.
The system also must operate in a simplified operational collection mode for technicians or in an advanced engineering mode that provides the user with flexibility and diagnostic capabilities; and collect RCS elevation data without moving the radar antenna or system.
The system also must be self-contained and require no assembly at the test site; be reconfigured with hard drives and letters of volatility to meet security requirements; and include robust near-field transformation software.
Companies interested should email 25-page white papers no later than 26 July 2024 to the Air Force's Jolene Williams at [email protected] and Christopher Serbe at [email protected].
Email questions or concerns to Jolene Williams at [email protected] and Christopher Serbe at [email protected]. More information is online at https://sam.gov/opp/7eca42f565be4580afe3b9d85c58adc4/view.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
