Description
The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) seeks innovative technologies for Missile Defense Directed Energy weapon concepts to inform future architectures to address ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missile threats in all phases of flight. The mission of the MDA is to “develop and deploy a layered Missile Defense System to defend the United States, its deployed forces, and allies and friends from missile attack in all phases of flight.” MDA is interested in the applicability of pulsed laser weapons against ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missile threats in all phases of flight. In this context, a pulsed laser weapon could have a nanosecond, picosecond, or femtosecond pulse width. MDA seeks pulsed laser prototype weapon system concepts that are capable of Directed Energy kill. Concepts for a pulsed laser prototype weapon system are specifically desired to inform future architectures. Concepts should consider the technologies required for acquisition, tracking, and handover to the pulsed laser weapon in addition to the laser weapon beam control and propagation of the beam. Concepts should describe the prototype weapon system host platform (e.g. ground, sea, air, and/or space-based) for the specific mission area(s) to inform future architectures. If necessary, submissions should consider utilizing a pulsed laser weapon testbed that is capable of collecting phenomenology, performing subscale technology demonstrations, informing prototype requirements, reducing risk, and maturing component technologies. As available, transportable testbeds are desired. Testbeds should show traceability and extensibility to the prototype concept. Submissions should consider the effectiveness/performance of the prototype weapon system and the costs of both the prototype and any testbed. MDA is requesting any information you may have relative to pulsed lasers for Missile Defense. Concepts that leverage commercial and/or Other Government Agency (OGA) developments are desired. Concepts that are capable of informing multi-mission capabilities are also desired. Concept submissions are not required to address all potential mission areas, one or more may be addressed. This RFI may be used to partially, or fully, satisfy a Market Survey. The RFI responses must address the questions included in the RFI. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) ONLY: This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes – it does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals as part of this RFI. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the beta.SAM.gov. It is the responsibility of the potential Offerors to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this requirement.