17 -- LIGHT DUTY AIRFIELD SURFACING SYSTEM

Notice Date

December 11, 2000

Contracting Office

Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Contracts Department, Building 129-2, Highway 547, Lakehurst, NJ 08733-5083

ZIP Code

08733-5083

Solicitation Number

N68335-01-RFI-006

Response Due

December 21, 2000

Point of Contact

Amy Hayward, (732) 323-2921

Description

This is a request for information only. There is no solicitation package available. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst is seeking sources that may be capable of providing a light-duty mat in support of the Expeditionary Airfield Program. The Expeditionary Airfield (EAF) Concept is a shorebased, aviation weapons support system which permits deployment of landing force aircraft within effective range of ground forces. This concept allows for the construction of portable, reusable, forward-deployed airfields which can be assembled in a building block concept for the rapid introduction of air power. These airfields are fabricated from aluminum panels, designated AM2 Mat. The AM2 Mat expanses can be assembled to form an airfield's runways, taxiways, parking areas, and other areas required for aircraft operations and maintenance. While AM2 Mat is a highly capable medium-duty, battle-proven airfield surfacing system, the substantial weight and cube embarkation profile of this system is slowly reducing the operational capability and feasibility of deploying this system for all applications. Some operational commanders have elected not to employ the use of the only airfield surfacing system in the inventory. The direction of the Marine Corps is advancing towards reliance on a small, lightweight MEU concept with heavy use of rotary aircraft such as the CH46, CH53, AH1 and UH1, as well as the V22 Tilt-Rotor aircraft. These aircraft do not require an airfield surfacing system that can withstand high impact/wheel loads. A light-duty mat would be more practical and mobile to support the parking, ground operations and air taxiing of these aircraft. This type of mat would have the ability to be installed, removed and repositioned rapidly as the front moves forward and would not be required to withstand the high thermal profiles of the JSF or AV8B. The light-duty mat must, at a maximum, be 10% of the weight of the present AM2 Mat and 33% of the volume of AM2 Mat. AM2 Mat weighs 6.5 pounds per square foot and has a volume of .25 cubic feet per linear foot. The light-duty mat must have the ability to withstand direct impingement of exhaust temperatures not to exceed 600 degrees F, for a maximum of one minute, without loss of strength. The Government will not pay for any information received in response to this request, nor will the Government compensate any respondent for any costs incurred in developing the information provided to the Government. All responses are due by 21 December 2000.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20001213/17SOL002.HTM (W-346 SN5085S6)