SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) - Alternatives and Designs for an Advanced Special Operations Forces (SOF) Air Mobility (M-X) Platform SUSPENSE: Submit written responses by 4:00 p.m. CST on 29 Aug 2003. GENERAL INFORMATION: In May 2003, HQ AFSOC awarded a contract to the Unified and Special Operations Group of Jacobs Sverdrup Technology, Inc., to conduct an Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) for an Advanced Special Operations Forces (SOF) Air Mobility Platform, herein called the M-X. To facilitate an exhaustive evaluation of all possible alternatives to fill the M-X requirement, this Request for Information (RFI) solicits information from all companies who believe they could perform as a prime contractor to design, develop, build prototype(s), conduct developmental and operational testing, and produce end items to meet an Initial Operational Capability (IOC) of 2018. DATA/INFORMATION REQUESTED. Private sector industry is invited to submit written design, performance, and cost information regarding the requirements below. The written response should contain a point of contact for follow-up communication. Please indicate any willingness for follow-up briefings at your facility or a Government facility. We are asking that each potential prime contractor provide us, and our AoA contractor, with detailed information on all alternatives they believe to be viable. It is the Government’s intention to provide all information obtained via this RFI to the AoA contractor who will be responsible for conducting appropriate AoA-related performance, survivability, and cost modeling; and to document the analysis and recommendations in an AoA final report. Background information and security clearance information concerning our AoA contractor is available upon request and non-disclosure agreements will be executed as required. The Government requests each respondent provide sufficient technical and cost related information so the viability of each alternative or design can be fully considered. Technical information should include shape, weight, range, speed, payload (weight and cube), offensive and defensive avionic subsystems and their performance assessments, communication/situational awareness subsystems, detectability characteristics (Radar Cross Section (RCS), IR, visible, ultraviolet, audibility), Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) / Ultra-Short Take-off and Landing (USTOL) characteristics, landing zone performance, all estimated mission and system reliability / maintainability / human factors performance, and obsolescence projections. Identify the representative infil / exfil missions and concept of operations where the proposed design would be successful, or most successful. Identify an acquisition strategy (RDT&E, Procurement, and Military Construction) and sustainment strategy (O&S) to include cost, schedule, and technical risks to reach an IOC in 2018. For purposes of this RFI, assume four production M-X along with logistics, training, facilities, etc., constitutes IOC. Identify impacts on manpower, training, training materials, training systems, logistics/supportability, facilities and any other related category. Request cost information be provided in both Base Year FY 04 and in Then Year. For this RFI only, calculate development costs, production costs (to include learning curves and first units), operating and support costs, disposition costs, and other costs in terms of a 20 year operational life and the following total quantities: 10, 25, 50, 100. In addition, provide the ground rules, assumptions, and program schedule used to calculate the costs. The Government along with its AoA Contractor will acknowledge receipt of all information, and will notify each provider regarding which alternative/design provided is of interest. For those designs of interest, the Government and its AoA contractor may solicit additional dialogue with that provider to flesh out details. The Government and its AoA contractor will abide with any “Proprietary” or “Other Markings” placed on information provided. THIS RFI IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NOR DOES IT CONSTITUTE A CURRENT OR FUTURE GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENT. ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE GOVERNMENT IS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY AND AT NO COST TO THE GOVERNMENT. ALL DATA PROVIDED TO, OR CONTACT WITH THE GOVERNMENT OR ITS AOA CONTRACTOR IS PURELY VOLUNTARY ON THE PART OF THE PROVIDER AND AT NO COST TO THE GOVERNMENT. BACKGROUND ON THE M-X REQUIREMENT - AFSOC has worldwide responsibility for the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Mobility mission area, which includes rapid, global airlift and recovery of personnel and equipment through hostile or denied airspace to conduct special clandestine operations. AFSOC’s capabilities must accommodate all operational and physical environments, especially at night, at low altitude, in adverse weather, and over all terrain. Historically, SOF’s niche has been to go where no one else can go, do what no one else can do, and return undetected. The exponentially increasing capabilities and arrays of threats to aircraft and ground forces will make this a difficult niche in which to maintain a robust capability in the 2018-2030 timeframe. By 2018, for instance, AFSOC believes that a new capability, the M-X, will be required to provide the President and the Secretary of Defense a full range/spectrum of options for employment of SOF. The M-X is envisioned to provide SOF with an enhanced air mobility capability in denied or hostile airspace. It should be able to conduct undetected infiltration/exfiltration (infil/exfil) penetration of sophisticated integrated air defense systems, and possess the speed/range/defensive systems to survive if detected. This enables SOF to be airlifted deep into and out of defended airspace and provides SOF the critical element of tactical surprise by reducing the time between detection, target engagement, and exfiltration. Minimizing time between detection and SOF actions is key to successful special operations and reduces the time enemy forces have to counter SOF operations. The M-X needs to have “agility in the objective area”. USTOL over a 50-foot obstacle, is desired, and VTOL, at mid-mission weights or better is highly desired. The V/USTOL capability gives SOF greater freedom of operations to take off and land in austere locations and objective areas closer to SOF targets. This also reduces the need for additional force protection assets and extended cross-country maneuver vehicles to support SOF operations. The V/USTOL capability reduces SOF’s dependence on large runways and the need for two-stage operations where troops or equipment are transferred to or from rotary-wing to fixed-wing aircraft. The future M-X should have greater speed and range than current aircraft to rapidly deploy SOF anywhere, anytime. The M-X represents new capabilities and is not intended to be a “follow-on” C-130-type aircraft. The M-X should fill the SOF niche described above by greatly exceeding the capabilities of the MC-130 and CV-22, not replacing either. It is intended that the M-X will be part of a Family of Aircraft designed to fill a variety of missions requiring low detectability and/or high survivability such as advanced cargo transport, advanced tanker, and future gunship. By the proposed M-X IOC date of 2018, the assumption is all MH-53 aircraft are retired and the existing fleet of MC-130 and CV-22 aircraft will be supplemented by a TBD number of M-X aircraft. In general, the MC-130/CV-22 aircraft will accomplish operations in lightly defended and/or permissive airspace, and the M-X aircraft will accomplish operations in moderate to highly defended and/or non-permissive airspace. Key M-X design considerations include: 1) In-flight refuel capability so it can conduct operations anywhere in the world within 48 hours when staged from bases in the US; 2) Maximize payload size and weight; 3) high probability of zero detection by an Integrated Air Defense System (IADS) for both airland and airdrop missions; 4) high probability of surviving threat system engagements if detected; 5) high reliability to insure mission completion without intermediate stops for maintenance; 6) high cruise speeds at altitude and low level, MC-130H speeds at the minimum, airliner speeds preferred; 7) high probability of successful take-off and landing on unimproved landing areas and ability to turn around on the ground in minimum distance; 8) fully interoperable with Integrated Broadcast Service (IBS) Command and Control Information Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C2ISR); and 9) fully compatible with current and projected National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) products and capabilities. DELIVERY INFORMATION / POINTS OF CONTACT Deliver information via hand carry, U.S. Mail, or e-mail as follows: Classified Data – Contact Lt Col Dave Shelikoff, Study Director, (850) 884-8703, unclassified e-mail:
[email protected], HQ AFSOC/XPRS, 100 Bartley Street, Hurlburt Field, FL 32544-5434. Unclassified Data - Ms Judith Smith, Contract Specialist, at (850) 884-2474, fax (850) 844-2476,
[email protected], HQ AFSOC/LGCQ, 427 Cody Avenue, Suite 214, Hurlburt Field, FL 32544-5434.