Jamie Bennet
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has released a solicitation for a new development and demonstration program for an unmanned X-plane capable of vertical landing and take-off and long endurance leap-ahead in small spaces.
The SAM.gov notice posted on Thursday centers on the Advanced Aircraft Infrastructure-less Launch and Recovery, or ANCILLARY, project.
DARPA is looking for vendors that can design an unmanned aircraft system that weighs between 250 and 330 pounds, has a minimum cruise airspeed of 80 to 100 knots true airspeed and is capable of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting operations.
The VTOL aircraft must also be able to launch and recover from land locations with limited spaces as well as from small ship flight decks without the need for supporting infrastructure equipment
To achieve this goal, the agency divided the ANCILLARY program into three phases, which are expected to be completed in 48 months from conceptualization to at-sea flight demonstration.
Vendors have until Jan. 6 to submit their initial proposals. The chosen company may be awarded an other transaction for prototype agreement.
