Air to Air Dual Mode

Background
The contract is issued by the Air Force Materiel Command, specifically the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Armament Directorate, Attack Division (AFLCMC/EBD) located at Eglin AFB, FL. The purpose of this contract is to address a Joint Urgent Operational Need (JUON) for a counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) weapon system that can be deployed from various platforms including helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.

The goal is to develop a solution capable of countering the growing threat posed by Group 3 mass attacks within a 24-month timeframe.

Work Details
The contract involves the development, manufacturing, and delivery of components for the Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) seeker, mid-body warhead with dual safe proximity fuze, and modified guidance sections. Specifically, it includes:
- Building 300 prototype All Up Rounds (AUR) to fulfill the JUON for an Air-to-Air (A2A) solution.
- Components include:
- Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) seeker
- Mid-body warhead with dual safe proximity fuze
- APKWS guidance sections provided as Government Furnished Material (GFM).
- The contractor will mature designs to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 and ensure production representative processes are in place.

The estimated total cost for this acquisition is $145 million, which includes $62 million for component development, $56 million for testing and qualifications of operational leave-behinds, and $27 million to cover technical risks and U.S. Navy qualification efforts.

Place of Performance
The work will be performed at BAE Systems in Hudson, NH and other locations as necessary for testing and integration.