The UK Ministry Of Defence is currently seeking information in order to qualify requirements and develop our understanding of the potential for the market to provide an autonomous maritime airborne heavy lift capability for the Royal Navy.
The purpose of this Request for Information is to enhance the Authority’s awareness and allow for initial review of a range of maritime airborne autonomous capabilities which currently exist or are in development within the marketplace to support the development of the RN’s Autonomy network and the creation of the Future Maritime Aviation Force (FMAF, the rapid transformation of crewed aviation roles (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, Communications, Lift and Strike) to uncrewed).
The Authority intends to use the responses to this RFI to inform future decision making regarding the potential supply of maritime autonomous airborne heavy lift capability. For clarity, this RFI is not a bidding opportunity but a means by which industry can provide information to the Authority.
This RFI aims to achieve the following three (3) outcomes:
- Develop further the Authority’s understanding of the different technologies and capabilities available in the market, both current and emerging.
- Align Authority requirements with industry standards and processes for procurement of maritime autonomous airborne capabilities; and,
- Enable the Authority to develop a procurement strategy that will deliver best value for money for Defence.
- Requested Information:
The Authority wishes to assess potential maritime airborne autonomous heavy lift solutions for use within the Royal Navy.
Potential suppliers and interested parties are invited to provide information in relation to potential solutions which could deliver an airborne autonomous heavy lift capability which is aligned to the following indicative requirements.
Potential solutions ideally should offer:
- Autonomous / Crewless operation;
- Accurate delivery of payloads exceeding 200kg;
- Ability for over the horizon operation;
- Suitability for maritime environments (sea states, salt ingress, deck mobility)
- Suitability for use in a variety of environmental conditions ashore and at sea
- Rapidly interchangeable, multiple payload types;
- Open Architecture;
- Sustainability and enduring capability.
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Image : Royal Navy
Source: UK Ministry of Defence