Air-launched Loiter Munition (ALM)

Submissions Closed 15 March 2024

Purpose 
SOFWERX, in collaboration with USSOCOM Program Executive Office – Fixed Wing (PEO-FW), Stand-Off Precision Guided Munitions (SOPGM) Program, will host a series of events to demonstrate and integrate Air-launched Loiter Munition (ALM) capabilities. These engagements with Industry, Academia, and Government Labs, will help USSOCOM identify potential material solutions and investigate the trade-space. USSOCOM intends to survey industry for mature technology with minimum development required to support rapid fielding of this capability.

Background/Synopsis
The SOPGM Program Office currently supports Special Operations Forces (SOF) aircrews with short range munitions that are employed directly to known targets, visually identified by the shooter aircraft before launch, and use existing precision terminal guidance solutions such as Global Positioning System (GPS).  USSOCOM has determined these traditional methods and sensors are not optimal for operations in a time compressed and highly contested environment and is looking for ALMs with improved sensor technologies to decrease the engagement time from minutes to seconds, improve targeting solutions, and increase the survivability of SOF.

Objective
1) Explore potential ALM solutions with Industry, Academia, and Labs based upon an understanding of current SOCOM use cases and operational landscapes for future conflicts. Recent conflicts in Ukraine and elsewhere have demonstrated mature ground-launched loiter munition capabilities. This, combined with the emergence of Air Launched Effects (ALE), should provide a shorter path to viable and mature ALMs.

2) Investigate the trade-space, to include:

a) Endurance, Range, Cruise and Max Airspeeds
b) Payload Capacity
c) Sensors/Seekers, Semi-Active Laser (SAL), Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR), Radio Frequency (RF), Automatic Target Recognition (ATR), Automatic Target Detection (ATD)
d) Command and Control (C2) Data-Link, Telemetry, Transponder, Flight Termination System
e) Counter Detection
f) Warhead and Fusing
g) Employment from various SOCOM aircraft (ex: AC-130J, MQ-9, MQ-1, MH-60, and others)
h) Aircraft Integration standards such as MIL-STD-1760/1553, Universal Armament Interface (UAI), Battle Management System (BMS), Common Launch Tube (CLT), and 14-inch lug racks.

3) Future proof the system for technology upgrades, with considerations for Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), Weapons Open Systems Architecture (WOSA), and Weapons Government Reference Architecture (GRA), as well as producibility concerns.

4) Identify Risks, Issues, and Opportunities.

Why You Should Participate
USSOCOM seeks to enter into non-FAR or FAR-based agreements with Industry, Academic, and National Lab partners whose solutions are favorably evaluated by PEO-FW, AFSOC, and USASOC Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). As such, the follow-on Assessment Event (AE) is considered competitive and solutions will be evaluated independently of one another primarily for technical merit. This serves dually as notification of the intent to research the feasibility of an agreement under 10 U.S. Code, Section 4022 and/or Section 4022(f), and as notice of pre-solicitation activities IAW FAR 5.204.

Event Timeline
Completed Phase 1 - 02 November 2023 Collaboration Event (CE): SOFWERX will host the Collaboration Event (CE) with Industry, Academic, and Laboratory partners focused on AFSOC and USASOC needs for Air-launched Loiter Munition (ALM) needs. During this event, Warfighters will interact with potential solution offerors and further communicate operational needs and desirements. Participation in this event is not mandatory, however, it is designed to provide insights to ensure potential offerors understand the problem set(s) fully and to increase the likelihood of matching their technologies with Warfighter needs. This CE is also an opportunity for attendees to meet and form partnerships that may provide a more comprehensive solution. If you do not wish to participate in the CE, you are free to submit your technology on/around 05 December for the AE. 

Tentative Agenda
All times listed are in ET
8:00 – 8:20: Participants arrive at SOFWERX
8:20 – 8:25: SOFWERX Welcome
8:25 – 8:45: Stakeholder Overview & Problem Set
8:45 – 9:45: Current Limitations Breakout
9:45 – 10:00: Break
10:00 – 11:00: Ways to Overcome Limitations Breakout
11:00 – 12:00: Lunch (on your own)
12:00 – 2:30: Problem Statement Development
2:30 – 2:45: Break
2:45 – 3:45: Problem Statement Briefs
3:45 – 4:30: Voting
4:30 – 5:00: Path Forward

Note: Agenda is subject to change

This event will be held in person at SOFWERX.

View the PEO-FW Slide Deck from the Collaboration Event (CE): Click Here to View

Completed Phase 2 - 06 February 2024 to 15 March 2024 Submissions to the Assessment Event (AE) Open: Interested respondents who could potentially provide solutions that meet the needs of USSOCOM are encouraged to submit their capability for USSOCOM review. To submit your technology for potential Phase 4 attendance, please review the assessment criteria and follow the submission instructions at the bottom of this webpage.

Phase 2a - 21 February 2024 Q&A Telecon: Interested offerors may participate in a virtual Q&A session to better understand the PM's specific technology objectives. The telecon will take place on 21 February 2024 11:00 AM-12:00 PM ET. RSVP form is available at the bottom of this page. Click Here to Download the Transcript

Completed Phase 3 - 18 March 2024 to 29 March 2024 Downselect: USSOCOM will downselect those respondents/submissions they feel have the highest potential to satisfy their technology needs. Favorably evaluated submissions will receive an invitation to attend the AE on/around 01 April.

Phase 4 - 23 April 2024 to 25 April 2024 Assessment Event (AE): During the AE, selected participants will be allotted a one-on-one session with the USSOCOM evaluation panel to pitch, demonstrate, and/or discuss their solutions. The forum will include a Q&A portion and discussions may continue outside of the event. Solution brief presentation guidelines will be outlined in the event invitation and solutions will be assessed according to the criteria in the link provided below. If the USSOCOM evaluation panel favorably evaluates a solution brief, negotiations for Phase 5 may immediately begin.

This event will be held in person at SOFWERX.

Phase 5 - Path Forward: Successfully negotiated awards may fall under any combination of these categories:

• Business to business research and development agreement as a sub-award through the SOFWERX Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) (15 U.S. Code Section 3715)
• OTA for research or prototype projects (10 U.S. Code Sections 4021, 4022)
  • An award under 10 U. S. Code, Section 4022 may result in the further award of a follow-on production agreement without additional competition based on successful prototype completion. The Government may make this follow-on production award based upon successful prototype criteria, which will be determined for each prototype project.
• Procurement for experimental purposes (10 U.S. Code Section 4023)
• Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (15 U.S. Code Section 3710a)
• Prizes for advanced technology achievements (10 U. S. Code Section 4025) and/or prize competitions (15 U.S. Code 3719)
• FAR-based procurement contract 

NOTE: Awardees may need to be compliant with NIST SP 800-171, Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in Non-Federal Systems and Organizations

How You Can Participate
Government, Industry, Academia, National Labs, and Non-Traditional Attendees