Air Force sets industry day for nuclear reentry vehicle acquisition

Air Force Global Strike Command and the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center will host an industry day Nov. 29-30 to discuss the Mark 21A reentry vehicle, which is planned to hold an interoperable warhead on the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent, the service said last week.

The Air Force last month released a request for information for the Mark 21A acquisition program, which will enter a three-year, risk-reduction phase in fiscal year 2019, Inside Defense previously reported.

The conversation at Hill Air Force Base, UT, will range from the Air Force's notional approach and acquisition strategy to a requirements overview, flight testing and a question-and-answer session, according to an agenda published Nov. 9. Industry can sign up for one-on-one sessions as well.

Individual discussions between the Air Force and industry should center on ways to reuse and modify existing Mod 6 Mk21 aeroshells and forward sections, and how to procure reentry vehicle subsystems including nosetips, a high-impulse transducer, radio frequency subsystem, spin generation system, rear cover and cables, the Nov. 9 industry day announcement stated.

Companies are asked to explain how they would integrate Air Force-owned components of a nuclear missile with the Energy Department and National Nuclear Security Administration's Interoperable Warhead 1, as well as how each would fit the reentry vehicle and warhead into the GBSD system.

Industry also needs to show how it would demonstrate Mark 21A technology. Responses to the RFI are due by Dec. 15.