AFRL posts RFI for ISR sensor system

On May 5, the Air Force Research Laboratory posted a request for information for the AgilePod ISR system (Solicitation Number: FA8620-17-R-3017).  Responses are due by 4:00pm on June 16.

Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, Air Force Research Laboratory Sensors Directorate, AFRL/RY and the Sensors Program Office, AFLCMC/WIN in support of the AFRL/RYZ Plans and Advanced Programs Division are seeking information on how an interested contractor could integrate an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) sensor system into a flight-worthy open architecture platform agnostic modular, reconfigurable, multi-sensor payload pod system, designated as the AFRL AgilePodTM system. The AFRL AgilePodTM system is designed to accommodate both the 33-inch (Class I) and 28-inch (Class II) turreted sensor systems.

Blue Guardian is an AFRL led program designed to demonstrate advanced C4ISR capabilities in response to warfighter requirements in operationally relevant environments. A key component of Blue Guardian is utilization of a modular open system approach; and to provide feedback on how effective this approach is in reducing cost and schedule while meeting warfighter requirements. Blue Guardian has developed a platform architecture using the Air Force’s OMS (Open Mission Systems) reference architecture and conducted a ground and flight test program of multiple payload combinations. Systems tested included a vendor-unique variety of Full Motion Video (FMV) systems, a Wide Area Motion Imagery (WAMI) system, a multi-mode radar system, processing and database functions, multiple decompression algorithms, multiple communications systems, and a suite of software tools. Initial results of the Blue Guardian program show the promise of open architectures (OA) to DoD acquisitions, especially for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) payload applications. Specifically, the OMS reference architecture was extremely useful in reducing the cost and time required for integrating new systems. Blue Guardian is sponsored by AF/A2, and is partnering with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), Air Force Rapid Capability Office (AFRCO), NAVAIR, USSOUTHCOM, and the Joint Interagency Task Force – South (JIATF-S).

The mission of Blue Guardian is to deliver ISR capabilities faster & cheaper, Blue Guardian accomplishes this by:

• Using the USAF OMS architecture
• Providing USAF owned hardware and software baselines
• Reducing re-work and integration time between programs
• Demonstrating operational relevance early through prototyping

The program is structured to provide a baseline research and development environment that is platform, sensor, and mission agnostic. As warfighter requirements are identified, the Blue Guardian program spins off companion projects to tailor capabilities to meet the target platform and mission needs. The first project, Project Shepherd successfully completed an early operational demonstration of OMS enabled C4ISR capabilities in the JIATF-S AOR. A follow-on Blue Guardian project, Project Harvest Reaper, is planning to flight test the prototype AgilePodTM ISR system on an MQ-9 Reaper platform in the fall of 2017.

Full information is available here.

Source: FedBizOpps