Navy seeks unmanned heavy-lift aircraft for Marine Corps supply mission
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By
Nick Wakeman
The service branch will go outside the traditional procurement lanes to acquire a platform that can carry 1,300 pounds and operate in a 115-mile range.
The Navy plans to use an other transaction authority process to field a long-range, heavy-lift cargo aircraft that will be unmanned.
The Naval Air Systems Command has posted a request for information to look for possible sources to build the unmanned cargo plane.
NAVAIR said the Marine Corps wants an unmanned aircraft to deliver supplies at all times of the day, and in a variety of environments and conditions.
The aircraft will need a minimum payload of 1,300 pounds and need to operate at ranges of approximately 115 miles. NAVAIR wants the capability to launch from small, confined areas and to carry out autonomous launch and recovery.
NAVAIR also wants a ground control station, which will need to be man-portable and monitor both the position and status of the craft.
The RFI also describes the Marine Corps' need to deliver items such as tires, AC units, palletized loads, and medical supplies. The craft will be powered by a heavy-fuel combustion engine.
The craft also should be able to deliver its payload while it remains airborne.
The Navy released the RFI in early June, but added an update on Monday that it will conduct an OTA process via the Naval Aviation Systems Consortium.
With an OTA, the government moves through several phases that can include the submission of white papers explaining capabilities and then prototypes. Then the government picks a single winner and moves into a production contract.