U.S. Army Missile Command, Research, Development, and Engineering Center, RDEC Procurement Office, R&D Contracts Division, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898-5275

A -- THE ARMY IS SEEKING IDEAS FROM INDUSTRY ON HOW OUR MILITARY FORCES CAN BE PROVIDED WITH CAPABLE AND AFFORDABLE MULTISPECTRAL MISSILE SEEKERS AS SYSTEM UPGRADES SOL 95X063 DUE 041495 POC (RDPC) Natalynn Roche', Contract Specialist, AMSMI-RD-PC-HA, (205) 876-4900, or Harold Smith, Contracting Officer, (205) 876-0908 Synopsis No. R063-95. Research and Development Sources Sought. The Department of the Army is seeking ideas from industry on how our military forces can be provided with capable and affordable multispectral missile seekers as system upgrades through a program of cooperative research between industry, government, and academia. The decline in the military budget requires that all alternatives be explored for pooling resources in achieving national defense objectives. The demonstrated effectiveness of first generation missile seekers in Desert Storm has confirmed the wisdom of Defense investment strategy in this technology over the past 35 years. However, the capabilities of the first generation technology will decline in the face of growing counter measures capability, so it is essential that the potential of combining two or more sensing capabilities from different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum in a single seeker be exploited to offset the changing threat and capitalize on the advances being made in United States technology. Multispectral missile seekers offer potential enhancements in performance in all combat capability categories that may include (1) Improving target acquisition, (2) Hardening the seeker against countermeasures, (3) Improving target aimpoint selection, (4) Enhancing the capability to attack low signature targets, (5) Reducing the logistics burden, and (6) Enhancing air defense suppression capabilities. The potential for providing multimission capability is also to be sought, and the possibility of exploiting the concept of horizontal technology integration explored. The scope, complexity, and cost of such a program requires that the Research, Development, and Engineering Center (a) develop interservice and international partnerships; (b) leverage industry IR&D program; (c) capitalize on available commercial technology where feasible; (d) exploit the multimission capabilities and the concept of horizontal technology integration, and (e) be alert to the potential of technology insertion opportunities. Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRDAs) and Bailment Agreements are two mechanisms through which Government and industry may engage in cooperative research. Entering into such agreements does not imply that future contracting opportunities will be available, however. The extensive resources that the research, Development, and Engineering Center can bring to such a partnership in research includes a top flight scientific and technical staff with extensive research and development experience in multispectral seekers; a wide range of laboratory and field test facilities; unique capabilities in multispectral seeker simulation. All replies must be received by 15 Apr 95. Responses should be directed to: U.S. Army Missile Command, ATTN: AMSMI-RD-PC/Natalynn Roche', Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898. Telephone facsimile responses will not be accepted. See Numbered Note(s): 25. (0061)

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