Posted: Jan. 8, 2026, 3:34 p.m. EST
Update (01/08/26)
The RSR QSL was established on 11/14/25 with the following qualified vendors:
- Indra Air Traffic, Inc.
- Raytheon Company (RTX)
- Thales USA, Inc.
RSR LOT 1 for Cooperative Surveillance Radar (CSR) and Integrated Non-Cooperative and Cooperative Surveillance Radar (NCSR, CSR) radar systems was awarded to:
- Indra Air Traffic, Inc.
- Raytheon Company (RTX)
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Update (10/28/25)
The annoucement is updated to provide answers to vendor questions under Attachment 5 - RSR QSL Questions & Answers.
In addition, companies may submit supporting documentation for the QSL eligiblity response via a Knowledge Services Network (KSN) site. If companies would like to request a KSN link, please submit the request to the FAA Contracting Officer by 12:00 PM EDT October 30, 2025.
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I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this announcement is to inform industry of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)'s plans for acquiring and providing a new surveillance radar system and establish a Qualified System List (QSL).
In alignment with the Secretary of Transportation's vision and plan for a next-generation Brand-New Air Traffic Control System, the FAA is seeking industry partners to provide fully functional, Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS)-based radar solutions that can be rapidly deployed, contractor-maintained and sustained, with the option to transition to Government-maintained over time. The solution is intended to replace all the legacy radar electronics in the radar shelter and connect to the existing antenna subsystems by June 2028.
II. BACKGROUND
The FAA is undertaking a generational modernization of the National Airspace System (NAS) to meet current and future demands. The Radar System Replacement (RSR) program is a key component of this effort, ensuring the replacement of aging cooperative ( primary ) and non-cooperative ( secondary ) surveillance radars with modern, reliable, and interoperable systems.
The FAA operates and maintains several surveillance radar systems that support both terminal and en route air traffic control operations across the National Airspace System (NAS). The terminal environment is generally defined as zero to 60 nautical miles (nm) from the airport reference point and from the surface to 24,000 feet (ft) in elevation. In contrast, the en route environment typically spans from 24,000 ft to 60,000 ft and covers broader geographic regions between terminal airspaces.
Non-Cooperative aircraft surveillance from these radars is based on reflections from an airframe and does not require any equipment on-board the aircraft. Conversely, Cooperative Surveillance Radars (CSR) interrogate transponder equipped aircraft through an antenna, mounted above the primary radar's sail antenna to obtain International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) address, aircraft identification (Mode 3/A), and Aircraft Altitude (Mode C) information from the transponder to generate beacon target reports. The surveillance data, including aircraft range and azimuth, generated by the ASRs are used to reinforce beacon target reports generated by the collocated CSR. The final output of the radar system includes reinforced target reports, CSR only Target Reports and Non-Cooperative Surveillance Radar (NCSR) only target reports that are delivered to FAA automation systems.
The FAA currently operates independent baselines of non-cooperative and cooperative surveillance radars in the en-route and terminal domains and these systems are reaching, or have already reached, the end of their service life and require technology upgrades or replacement to maintain NAS surveillance capabilities. The Airport Surveillance Radar Model 8 (ASR-8) and Air Traffic Control Beacon Interrogator - Model 5 (ATCBI-5) were first deployed in 1975, ASR-9 in 1985, legacy Mode S in 1989, ATCBI-6 in 2002 and ASR-11 in 2003. The Radar Replacement program scope also includes the CSR systems co-located with the NAS Defense Program (NDP) consisting of the Air Route Surveillance Radar (ARSR) Model 4 (ARSR-4) and Common Air Route Surveillance Radar (CARSR).
The FAA currently maintains 14 different configurations of surveillance radar systems.
III. RSR OBJECTIVES
The objectives for RSR are as follows:
- Replace up to 612 NCSR and CSR systems at existing facilities by June 2028.
- Modernize aging cooperative ( primary ) and non-cooperative ( secondary ) surveillance radars with modern, reliable, and interoperable systems and continuously address obsolescence in the future.
- Reduce the number of different surveillance radar systems configurations .
- Reutilize existing tower, rotary joint and antenna configurations to the greatest extent possible.
- Maximize COTS systems to avoid upfront non-recurring engineering (NRE) and associated testing.
IV. PLANNED RSR ACQUISITION AND SCHEDULE
The FAA intends to conduct a competitive acquisition for the RSR program. To ensure low risk implementation and transition to new radars, the FAA plans to establish a QSL for the RSR program to procure solutions for the requirements contained in Attachment 1- RSR Performance Work Statement (PWS) and Attachment 2 RSR System Specification Document (SSD). The FAA will determine QSL eligibility based on the criteria identified in Section VI. QSL Eligibility Criteria. The QSL is anticipated to be active for up to fifteen (15) years. The established QSL will allow for continuous eligibility determinations for system offerings in the future and will be refreshed as systems are added to the QSL. The FAA reserves the right to update QSL requirements and associated eligibility criteria in subsequent updates throughout the duration of the program.
The QSL will be used for competitive sourcing. The FAA will conduct competition between those companies that are determined eligible for the QSL. To reduce programmatic costs, the FAA anticipates a contract(s) for firm-fixed price (FFP) systems, with other FFP or Time and Material (T&M) activities. The contract will be awarded on a best value tradeoff or lowest price technically acceptable (LPTA) basis per system LOT. These LOTS may consist of any combination of the following, with various quantities:
- CSR (Either En Route or Terminal)
- Integrated Solution (NCSR, CSR)
- NCSR (Terminal)
The FAA reserves the right to award one or more or no contracts against the QSL. Prior to award of any contract under the QSL, the company must be deemed responsible.
To achieve the Secretary's objectives, the FAA plans to initially award contract(s) for system LOTS no later than December 2025 to support the delivery of approximately 151 radar systems, consisting of 100 cooperative radars and 51 non-cooperative radars, delivered by September 30, 2026, with installations completing within one month of delivery to site.
Program milestones are as follows (all dates provided below are tentative and subject to change):
Issue QSL Announcement October 2025
QSL Eligibility Determination/Establish QSL October 2025
Contract Award(s) December 2025
Systems Delivery January 2026
Systems Installation Begin February 2026
V. INSTRUCTIONS FOR QSL ELIGIBILTY CONSIDERATION
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) with COTS solutions must submit the following to be considered for QSL eligibility
1.) A comprehensive overview of your COTS product line(s), not to exceed 15 pages, excluding completed FAA attachments and vendor supporting documentation. At a minimum, the overview must contain the following information:
a) A list of product lines (Non-Cooperative only, Cooperative only, and a combined Non-Cooperative/Cooperative radar system), including:
i. Offered radar systems including model and name/variant.
ii. Identify where the system(s) is in the product lifecycle and the age of technology
iii. Manufacturing locale of each product line (including existing, planned locales, and any required transition that will occur).
iv. Explain how tariffs impact current product prices and how the company plans to mitigate price increases and execution risks through manufacturing locale strategy.
v. Identification of the Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) where the systems are presently operating, system configurations (type(s), model(s) and name(s)/variant(s)), and Point of Contact (POC) information.
b) Describe how the proposed end-to-end solution already meets at a minimum Technology Readiness Level 8 (TRL-8). Specifically, describe how:
i. All solution software has been thoroughly debugged and fully integrated with all operational hardware and software systems.
ii. All user documentation, training documentation, and maintenance documentation has been completed.
iii. Verification and Validation (V&V) has been completed.
iv. All functionality has been successfully demonstrated in simulated operational scenarios.
v. The end-to-end solution has been proven in an operational environment.
vi. For system(s) future product lines, provide the plan and schedule to achieve TRL-8 to support RSR objectives.
c) Describe how the offered solution meets or will meet Manufacturing Readiness Level 8 (MRL-8) by contract award, and how it has demonstrated a manufacturing capability and is ready to begin production or has a greater manufacturing capability. Specifically, describe how:
i. The detailed design is complete and stable to enter production.
ii. All materials, manpower, tooling, test equipment, and facilities are proven on the production line and are available to meet the planned production schedule.
iii. Known producibility risks and issues pose no significant challenges for production.
iv. Supplier qualification testing and first article inspections have been completed.
v. The industrial base has been assessed and shows industrial capability is established to support production.
vi. Supply chain issues have been identified and addressed.
vii. Manufacturing quality is demonstrated and meets key characteristics and tolerances.
viii. Production risk monitoring is established and on-going.
d) A description of the approach for integrated logistics support of the solution and its associated maintenance activities. This description must include its approach for planning, developing, deploying and managing all levels of maintenance support required to meet the required Operational Availability (Ao) to include:
i. The processes and capabilities for monitoring system performance and faults.
ii. The processes employed for restoration of the service to include required software and hardware releases.
iii. Expected processes for supply support to include requisitioning and depot operations.
iv. Description of planned activities and a rough order of magnitude pricing required to train FAA maintenance personnel in support of a transition of responsibilities.
e) A description of your company's manufacturing capability and capacity to produce and install systems in support of the product delivery schedule.
i. Include your present capability, future capability, and any required transition that must occur to achieve the product delivery schedule in Attachment 4 - QSL Eligibility Pricing Workbook.
ii. A complete detailed product delivery schedule for each configuration, contained in Attachment 4 - QSL Eligibility Pricing Workbook.
f) For the offered product(s) describe availability of Data Rights and associated ROM costs.
2) A completed copy of Attachment 3 Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Matrix, including supporting documentation, including but not limited to, product specifications, data for test, demonstration, inspection, or analysis for each product line.
3) A completed copy of Attachment 4 - QSL Eligibility Pricing Workbook with supporting documentation as appropriate.
Companies must provide a complete, concise, thorough response that addresses all areas identified in this section to be considered eligible. The pages in the response are to be typed in Times New Roman font; no smaller than 12 point, except for footnotes which may be 10-point; on standard 8.5 X 11 paper. Margins should be at least one inch on all four sides. Responses must be submitted electronically to the Contracting Officer, Patrick Weare, at patrick.weare@faa.gov no later than October 31, 2025, 4:00PM EDT.
VI. QSL ELIGIBILTY CRITERIA
To be determined eligible and placed on the QSL, companies must demonstrate that the product line(s):
1) Adequately meets requirements identified in Attachment 3 MVP Matrix.
2) Meets a minimum TRL-8.
3) Meets a minimum MRL-8 before contract award.
4) Must be the current product offering, have minimal forecasted System/Line-Replaceable Unit (LRU) obsolescence, and explain obsolescence mitigation plan and the impact to FAA.
5) Provide a pathway to implement security controls consistent with a FISMA High impact system as defined by NIST 800-53 Rev 5 and develop a Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) management strategy that prioritizes remediation based on risk and impact, in alignment with NIST RMF guidance.
In addition, companies must demonstrate:
6) Prior FAA experience providing and integrating surveillance systems into the NAS.
7) They are the OEM for three offered products, cooperative only, non-cooperative only, and integrated radar configurations. Each product must meet the Attachment 3 MVP Matrix to be eligible.
8) Possess the manufacturing capability and capacity to produce and install in support of the product delivery schedule and expedited installation.
9) An executable plan for completion of site implementation activities including resource requirements.
10) A sound approach for providing initial 1st and 2nd Level Maintenance to include required resources and infrastructure to ensure required system availability.
VII. COMMUNICATIONS
The FAA may communicate with companies orally or in writing during the QSL eligibility assessment process. The FAA reserves the right to conduct communications with none, one, some, or all companies. Communications with one company does not necessitate communications with other companies. Companies will be notified in writing if products will be placed on the QSL.
VIII. DISCLAIMERS
All companies are advised that the FAA will not pay for any information or any administrative costs incurred that are associated with any response received from industry in response to this announcement. Therefore, any costs associated with a submission from a company will be solely at its expense.
The QSL eligibility determination is subject to AMS 3.9.1-3 Protest (January 2020).
IX. QUESTIONS
Any questions regarding this announcement must be directed, in writing, to Patrick Weare, Contracting Officer, in via email at patrick.weare@faa.gov by 3:00 PM EDT, October 23, 2025.
