SAM #RFI_MBMTRS_FA2330_Phase3

Air Force Seeks Industry Input for Multi-Band Multifunction Tactical Radar System (MB-MTRS) Solutions

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), Electronic Systems Directorate, Aerospace Management Systems Division (ESA), Air Traffic System Branch (ESAA) Program Management Office (PMO) at Hanscom Air Force Base is seeking industry input on solutions for a Multi-Band Multifunction Tactical Radar System (MB-MTRS). - Government Buyer: - Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), Electronic Systems Directorate, Aerospace Management Systems Division (ESA), Air Traffic System Branch (ESAA) PMO - Located at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts - OEMs and Vendors: - No specific OEMs or vendors are named in the request - Products/Services Requested: - Multi-Band Multifunction Tactical Radar System (MB-MTRS) solutions - Must support four mission functions: - Air Traffic Control (ATC) surveillance - Battle Management Command and Control (BMC2) - Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) surveillance - Weather Sensing - Vendors are asked to identify existing systems, subsystems, or major components (e.g., AESA panels, T/R modules, resource managers) that meet requirements - Preference for Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solutions, but developmental options considered - Vendors should provide technical descriptions, readiness levels, limitations, and cost estimates - Unique or Notable Requirements: - Simultaneous support for multiple mission functions - Highly configurable and transportable by military means (e.g., C-130, C-17, HMMWV, JLTV) - Operable in extreme environmental conditions - Rapid setup and reliable operation - Compliance with open architecture standards - Focus on fit, form, and function for integration into Air Force operations

Description

This is a Request for Information (RFI) only, which, as part of market research, is being issued in accordance with (IAW) Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul (RFO) part 10. This is not a solicitation or Request for Proposal, a Request for Quotation, an Invitation for Bids, or a solicitation, and no contract shall result from this synopsis. Aerospace Management Systems Division (AFLCMC/ESA) will not pay respondents for information provided in response to this RFI.

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's (AFLCMC) Electronic Systems Directorate, Aerospace Management Systems Division (ESA), Air Traffic System Branch (ESAA) Program Management Office (PMO), as a Technology Project on the investment master list (IML), located at Hanscom Air Force Base (AFB), Massachusetts, is requesting information from industry to assist in the planning for the future acquisition of a Multifunction Tactical Radar System (MTRS).

Phase 1 of the Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) for MTRS, awarded on 23 February 2024, was completed during February 2025. Currently, Phase II is underway with planning to end in FY Q4 2026. This RFI continues ongoing market research to understand and maintain contact with industry. MTRS is being developed to execute four missions: (1) ATC surveillance, (2) Battle Management Command and Control (BMC2), (3) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), and (4) Weather Sensing.

The Government encourages industry partners to supplement their formal responses by identifying any existing system, subsystems, and/or major components (e.g., AESA panels, T/R modules, resource manager) that are representative of their proposed design and meet MTRS packaging and transport requirements (e.g., fit, form, and function). Please provide this information within five working days of receiving this RFI to facilitate further discussions on component applicability and next steps.

The Government seeks responses to the questions below for potential complete or partial system solutions or enabling technologies. Please respond to as many questions as possible, focusing on solutions actionable within FY2027. Also, address your ability to manufacture and deliver initial pre-production units (PPUs) within 29 months after award.

DESCRIPTION: The Department of War (DoW) transformation vision emphasizes more expeditionary and agile joint forces, increasing reliance on aviation assets for deployment, employment, sustainment, and redeployment. To support this, the Air Force requires the ability to launch and recover sorties from an agile network of airbases with varied capabilities in all weather conditions, while providing localized situational awareness for airbase protection. Future ATC systems must be adaptable to meet short and long-term missions. The MTRS shall detect airborne targets and produce data to enable timely BMC2 actions and defensive decisions. It shall also provide real-time Doppler weather information, including Next Generation Weather Radar (NEXRAD) Level II products (reflectivity, mean radial velocity, spectrum width) crucial for meteorological analysis. The sensors shall support all four mission functions individually and simultaneously, providing scalable coverage for rapid decision-making and improved situational awareness to support Adaptive Operations in Contested Environments (AOiCE). The MTRS must withstand worldwide deployable environmental conditions and the rigors of repeated deployment cycles reliably and sustainably.

EXPECTED MINIMUM PERFORMANCE: The Air Force requires the ability to launch and recover sorties from an agile network of airbases with varied capabilities in all weather conditions, providing localized situational awareness for base protection. To execute Agile Combat Employment (ACE) and contribute to the theater sensing grid supporting the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), lightweight multifunctional sensors are needed. These sensors must enable effective terminal ATC, airspace warning, weather processing, BMC2, and threat response operations, supporting maneuverability and survivability. As a multifunction platform, the MTRS aims to reduce logistical support volume, support inter/intra theater airlift, supply chains, support personnel, and minimize electromagnetic interference from disconnected systems.

The MTRS must be highly configurable and capable of performing the following mission functions simultaneously: ATC Surveillance: Aircraft identification, separation, and sequencing in terminal environments during IFR/VFR operations. BMC2 Surveillance: Detection, identification, classification, and tracking of hostile manned and unmanned aircraft. UAS Surveillance: Detection of Group 1 (0-20 lbs.), Group 2 (21-55 lbs.), and Group 3 (1,320 lbs.). Weather Sensing: Real-time Doppler weather data, including reflectivity, radial velocity, and spectrum width.

Key Radar Performance Requirements: Please see attachment for requirement tables.

Definitions: “Elevation Coverage”: Referenced to the horizontal plane of the radar site horizon. “Target RCS”: The smallest target size detectable and reportable by the MTRS; the system shall also detect and report larger targets as required. “Target Capacity”: Ability to detect and report plot or track reports of real target returns per scan, in clear or cluttered environments. Accuracy (range, azimuth, elevation): Based on measured position data, not smoothed track updates. “Latency”: Time from target reply signals at the antenna to plot report availability for transmission.

Transport: The MTRS, when configured for transport, shall be capable of being transported via military cargo aircraft, ground transport (semi-trailer trucks, military trailers, railcar), military sea-going vessels, and sling load via military helicopters (CH-47). It must withstand transport conditions such as rapid decompression, shock, vibration, sea level to 45,900 ft altitude, and others. The system shall support roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) from large ships and C-130J-30 aircraft, with a footprint not exceeding ten 463L pallet positions. The total weight, including personnel and gear, shall not exceed the C-130J-30 payload limit of 34,000 lbs. The system shall tolerate vibration and shock during all transport modes, including rail impact and ground mobility.

Setup and Configuration: Setup time with four technicians shall not exceed four hours once equipment is emplaced.

Power: The MTRS shall operate using external power at nominal frequencies of 50 and 60 Hz, with voltages ranging from 100 to 130 VAC and 200 to 260 VAC.

Environmental Conditions: The system shall operate in diverse environmental conditions, including temperatures from -54°C to +71°C, humidity from 5% to 100%, solar radiation, blowing sand and dust, salt atmosphere, rain, snow, ice, fungus, altitudes up to 13,100 ft, and wind speeds up to 50 mph with gusts of 71 mph, with or without ice.

Operational Reliability and Maintainability: Mean-Time-To-Repair (MTTR): 30 minutes or less. Maximum Time to Repair (MaxTTR): ≤1.5 hours. Mean-Time-Between Critical Failures (MTBCF): ≥3000 hours.

Request for Solutions: Vendors are invited to provide potential MTRS solutions aligning with the above criteria. While a Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solution is preferred, some development may be necessary. Please address capabilities for parts or all tasks listed below, highlighting relevant past experience within the last five years.

Briefly describe your company's expertise in mobile or deployable radar systems. Describe your capability to provide an MTRS solution meeting the minimum performance requirements. Provide details of existing systems or equipment suitable for these capabilities, including: Necessary modifications, development effort, risks, and mitigation strategies. Include pictures or illustrations if possible. Assessment of current Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL), supported by test reports or documentation. Limitations or challenges in meeting requirements, including unachievable aspects or cost drivers. Surveillance capabilities for detecting and reporting airborne objects across mission volumes. Maximum targets detectable and throughput limitations. Detection capabilities for various aircraft velocities, environmental clutter processing, and environmental challenges. Electronic interference detection, mitigation, data products, formats, interfaces, and available documentation. Ability to provide plot and track reports compatible with command and control systems, including definitions and external interface details. Compliance with ATC azimuth accuracy requirements. Transportable design considerations and limitations. Scalability for alternative acquisition strategies, including design, fabrication, schedule, and cost considerations. Target classification approaches and expected accuracy for BMC2 and UAS identification. Discuss advantages or disadvantages of your solution in: Contested environments (electronic protection, GPS degradation). Worldwide agile deployment with self-optimization and adaptive operations. AI/ML applications to enhance surveillance. Indicate if your system has been verified for open architecture compliance, describing standards and certification processes. Describe hardware and software open standards used or supported, including verification activities. Provide rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost and schedule estimates for feasibility analysis, referencing the attached PDF. Include any additional relevant information for a MTRS solution. Provide your capability statement, including NAICS codes, Small Business Certifications, and details on non-traditional or multiple award contracts, or OT consortium memberships.

Submissions should be sent via DoW’s Safe Access File Exchange (SAFE) at https://safe.apps.mil/. Notify the Contracting Officer/Agreements Officer, Ms. Tiffany N. Hinson, at tiffany.hinson.1@us.af.mil, of your intent to respond. You will receive a “Drop-off Request” valid for 14 days to submit your files. For guidance, visit the SAFE website.

Responses are due by close of business on 29 April 2026. All responses should be unclassified and consider operational sensitivities. Please submit nonproprietary information where possible; proprietary data must be clearly marked and will be protected accordingly. Submitting a response constitutes consent for review by government personnel and contractors with NDAs, unless explicitly objected to in writing. Correspondence should be directed to:

Contracting Office Address: AFLCMC/ESAK 75 Vandenberg Drive Hanscom AFB, MA 01731-2103, United States

Primary Contracting Point of Contact: Tiffany Hinson, Contracting Officer Email: tiffany.hinson.1@us.af.mil Phone: 1-380-456-6643 (TEAMS)

Secondary Contracting Point of Contact: Robert Sullivan, Contract Specialist Email: Robert.Sullivan.39@us.af.mil

Primary PM Point of Contact: Mike Robblee, Program Manager Email: Michael.robblee.3@us.af.mil Phone: 1-380-456-4925 (TEAMS)

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