Air Force eying C-sUAS that carry minimal threat to surrounding area

The Air Force wants to deploy low-collateral-effects interceptor technologies against small unmanned aerial systems in future battles, according to a request for information issued today.

The counter autonomous aircraft would be able to defeat so-called Group 1 and 2 enemy systems -- or platforms which weigh up to 55 lbs and operate below 3,500 feet above ground level at roughly 250 knots of speed -- using “hard-kill systems” that limit damage nearby, the service wrote in the RFI.

“All interceptor systems must be hosted on air vehicles that can be determined to be air-worthy by the government,” the contracting authority Air Force Materiel Command stated. Additionally, the aircraft must be “based on or derived from U.S. components and electronics” and “have sufficient flight hours and reliability data.”

The Air Force is seeking industry answers to questions regarding whether the technology can be interchangeable, deploy several effects to different targets simultaneously or what its engagement success rate is at night versus daytime. The service is also interested in the potential product’s top speed, payload, weight and loiter time, plus documentation of any kind of environmental or performance testing that has already been conducted.

The filing asks businesses with knowledge of such capabilities, or which have existing products aligned with the service’s specifications, to respond to the service by Nov. 24.