Jane Edwards
The U.S. Coast Guard has released a request for proposals for a program to conduct a demonstration of long-range/ultra-long endurance unmanned aircraft systems designed to perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations.
A FedBizOpps notice posted Thursday says the LR/U-LE UAS Technology Demonstration Plan seeks to evaluate the performance of drones through a six-week, four-phase demonstration that will be held by spring 2019 at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
System characterization, flight performance, controlled mission vignettes and force package integration are the demonstration’s four major phases.
The demonstration aims to determine the operational utility of LR/ULE drones for maritime missions; measure the impact of using UAS in carrying out ISR operations in transit zones; inform the development of concepts of operation for such drones; and show the integration of LR/ULE UAS in the force structure for maritime law enforcement.
USCG said the demonstration will use target vessels with remote automated broad-range information transmission terminals to represent those encountered during smuggling operations.
Responses to the RFP are due June 13, according to the notice.
