ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md., 18 July 2013. U.S. Army researchers are surveying industry for the latest in wide-area ground moving target indicator (GMTI), dismount moving target indicator (DMTI) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technologies for a planned radar upgrade of the Airborne Reconnaissance Low, Enhanced (ARL-E) program.
The Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., on behalf of the Army Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate (I2WD), has issued a sources-sought notice (W15P7T13RA753) for enabling radar technologies for an anticipated ARL-E upgrade.
The ARL-E is a multifunction, day and night, all-weather reconnaissance intelligence system for a modified Bombardier Dash 8 DCH-8 315 fixed-wing aircraft. It has a signals intelligence (SIGINT) and imagery intelligence (IMINT) payload controlled by onboard multifunction workstations.
Army officials want a new radar to enable the ARL-E aircraft to detect and classify vehicles and people on foot. The GMTI radar should be able to detect and classify vehicles at long ranges, while a DMTI mode should be able to detect and classify people on foot at mid- ranges, with SAR strip and spot modes at mid and long range.
The radar must be able to function within the aircraft speed, size, weight, and power constraints of a DCH-8 315 aircraft. Detailed draft performance requirements will be provided to interested parties. The Army wants a radar for the ARL-E aircraft that will ready to flight test within 14-16 months of contract award.
Army officials caution that this is request for information thus far, and is not yet a request for proposals. Among the companies that have shown interest in this program are Lockheed Martin Corp.; MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates; Natel Engineering Co. Inc.; and SRI International.
Companies interested should email responses no later than 12 Aug. 2013 to [email protected].
Responses should include an overview of the technology capable of meeting the requirements, a rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost; both non-recurring and recurring (unit) costs, and an approximate development timeline. Contractor should address performance against each one of the SAR and MTI ARL-E Capability Production Document (CPD) requirements.
More information is online at https://www.fbo.gov/notices/97bc8c04591f28f23204c13f5c923876.
