15 -- COMMERCIAL AREA ANNOUNCEMENT/INNOVATIVE IDEAS SOUGHT FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE NAVY'S T-39 TRAINING AIRCRAFT FLEET

Notice Date

May 17, 2001

Contracting Office

Commander, Naval Air Systems Command (Code 2.4.3), Building 441, UNIT 7, Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, MD 20670-1127

ZIP Code

20670-1127

Solicitation Number

N/A

Response Due

June 22, 2001

Point of Contact

Sandra Lamb, 301-757-8967, Contract Specialist/LCDR Richard Steffey Jr., 301-757-8960, Contracting Officer

E-Mail Address

For further questions, please click on the e-mail (lambsk@navair.navy.mil)

Description

OVERVIEW AND OBJECTIVE: By means of this Commercial Area Announcement (CAA), the Department of the Navy is seeking innovative ideas from industry with respect to replacement of the Navy's current T-39 training aircraft fleet with a more fuel efficient and less expensive to maintain aircraft. The current estimate for beginning production on a prototype aircraft is Fiscal Year 2004. However, funds have not been budgeted and approval has not been received to date for replacement of the current T-39 fleet. I. AIRCRAFT REQUIREMENT: Including the prototype(s), a total of 30 new replacement aircraft are required. A business jet aircraft modified for Undergraduate Military Flight Officer (UMFO) training use will replace the T-39 aircraft. The aircraft is to be procured from available commercial sources as an "off-the-shelf" system with only the minimum configuration changes to meet military mission requirements. Federal Aviation Administration Supplemental Type Certificates shall be obtained, if applicable. The aircraft shall have a modular cabin that will allow it to be configured for either six crewmembers and two radar stations, or eight crewmembers stations. All these aircraft shall have the same configuration, allowing for more efficient training. The aircraft should be a conventional, fuel efficient, turbofan jet. It must have side-by-side seating, with a Naval Flight Officer (NFO) instructor jump seat installed between the pilot and copilot. Dual flight controls, dual primary flight instruments and night/instrument capability in controlled airspace are also required. It must be able to be modified to accommodate an APG-73 (or compatible) radar in the nose cone. It must have a multi function display (MFD) located on the co-pilot (student) instrument panel. This display must be capable of displaying APG-73 (or compatible) radar in the air-to-air and air-to-ground modes and be compatible with current fleet displays. II. FLIGHT INSTRUMENTATION: Dual MFDs displaying the following: attitude gyro, airspeed indicator, digital barometric altimeter, radar altimeter, turn and slip indicator, gyro stabilized heading indicator, vertical speed indicator and digital clock. The cockpit shall be fully digital with the following exceptions: Separate standby magnetic compass and separate standby attitude analog gyro. As an option, would desire the cost difference for a fully digital cockpit, e.g., a Cockpit 21 Configuration, versus the commercially available cockpit, meeting the above requirements. III. COMMUNICATIONS AND NAVIGATION SYSTEMS: Transponder with 4096 codes and altitude reporting, appropriate frequency management system, integrated global positioning system, and inertial navigation system. The digital displays should provide for selectable simultaneous readout of bearing information from any two navigation systems at one time. Color weather radar, in addition to the tactical radar system, is considered a desirable option. Dual digital VHF transceiver with frequency range of 118 to 151.975 MHz in 25KHz increments with preset selectable channels, dual digital UHF transceiver with frequency range of 225.00 to 399.95MHz in 25KHz increments with preset selectable channels, ICS with pilot, copilot, instructor, and all aft crew stations. VHF navigation receiver (VOR / ILS) with a frequency range of 108 to117.95MHz, 200 channels, 50 KHz frequency separation, Distance Measuring Equipment (DME), and glide slope. Automatic Direction Finder (ADF), Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) with air-to-air as well as air-to-ground modes, dual EHSI, tactical military radar control on copilots side. In addition it should also have Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) that is VHF/UHF/SAT capable, Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS), and a selectable altitude alerter. A flight data/video recorder that records ICS, radio communication, radar video, airspeed, altitude, attitude and position information. Two aft stations configured with MFDs for radar operation with radar control stick, altimeter, gyro, Electronic Heading Situation Indicator (EHSI), airspeed, and Vertical Speed Indicator (VSI) instruments. For Actual Instrument Flight: A stabilization assist system (autopilot) is required. The system should be capable of assisting the pilot in all three axis. It should have a navigation mode to maintain approach course and should be integrated into the Ground Positioning System (GPS) . This system should be able to be coupled to an ILS approach and flown to published approach minimuns and also be able to be coupled to the altitude alerter. IV. KEY AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS: (a) Service Ceiling: Threshold/41,000, Goal/45,000; (b) Cruise Airspeed: Threshold/0.75MN, Goal/0.8+IMN; (c) Max Airspeed: Threshold/- 350kts @ sea, Goal/-400+ @ sea level; (d) Endurance: Threshold/3 hours @ altitude, Goal/3+hours @ altitude; (e) Range: Threshold/1500nm, Goal/2000nm; (f) "G" limits: Threshold/+4.0 -1.0, Goal/+4.5 -1.5; (g) Sustained level "G" loading: Threshold/+2.5, Goal/+3.0; (h) Pitch: Threshold/+/-60 degrees, Goal/+/-90 degrees; (i) Roll: Threshold/180, Goal/360; (j) Roll rate (degrees per second): Threshold/120, Goal/180; (k) Take Off Density Altitude: Threshold/-2,000 to +9,000, Goal/-2,000 to +10,000; (l) Max take off Distance @ Max take off weight: Threshold/5,000' at sea level @ 80 degrees F; (m) Operational Payload: Threshold/2,000lbs, Goal/2,000lbs; (n) Radar System: Threshold/APG-70,68, Goal/APG-73. V. OPERATIONAL EMPLOYMENT. The training system will be based at NAS Pensacola, Florida. Primary usage will be in the southeastern United Sates. The aircraft will be required to sustain an average of 700 hours per year utilization per operating aircraft. At this usage rate, the aircraft shall be capable of a minimum of 30 years operating life. If any major airframe structures must be replaced prior to this, they shall be identified and the aircraft equipped with a fatigue life monitoring system. The system must be capable of operating throughout the continental United States. It must be able to function in all temperature and climate conditions experienced within the continental United States. Most flights will occur in the southeastern parts of the country where during the summer period (May-September) the temperatures average +90F with high humidity this can be debilitating to the instructional-learning environment. To permit fully efficient subtropical summer operations the aircraft shall be equipped with an auxiliary air conditioning system, and an environmental control unit capable of maintaining cockpit temperatures within a range of 60 to 80F on deck. During the summer visibility falls below visual meteorological conditions minimums regularly during the afternoon thunderstorms. In the winter months morning fog and low clouds commonly result in instrument meteorological conditions. Average annual precipitation is 53 inches. Ninety-eight percent of the winds are under 20 knots. The area is subject to severe thunderstorms, tropical disturbances, and hurricanes. The aircraft must be equipped with a bird proof windshield, which will sustain the impact of a 4 pound bird at 350 knots. An anti-icing system shall be provided for the wings and windshield. VI. REQUIREMENTS FOR SIMULATORS: Two specific types of training devices are required, a cockpit procedures trainer/emergency procedures trainer and a radar part task trainer. Both simulators are to be procured to support an integrated training program. These simulators should also have the ability to record the cockpit visual, voice, and model the aircraft position and configuration for debriefing purposes. They should closely duplicate normal and malfunctioning aircraft systems and duplicate their indications. They should provide realistic simulation of shipboard and shore-based launch and recovery maneuvers and the environmental influences comparable to those encountered in the aircraft including sound, and visual cues. The fully equipped and functional flight Cockpit Procedures Trainer / Emergency Procedures Trainer (CPT/EPT) should provide training in instrument, radar, emergency, and other specified mission procedures. It should also provide visual cues to satisfactorily support airways instrument procedures, instrument approaches/departures, night-dusk launch, approach and recovery training and visual low altitude procedure training. This trainer should reflect the actual cockpit configuration and seating arrangement to allow for aircrew coordination training and the ability to train cockpit management skills. A low cost Partial Task Radar Procedures Trainer (PTRPT) shall replicate all radar functionality and performance and shall be used to relieve CPT/EPT of throughput loads and provide initial student radar procedure familiarization and radar procedure indoctrination. In combination, the simulator suite should have the capability to provide for normal trainee and instructor interaction and a single instructor operating station that requires minimal instructor manipulation. It should incorporate a performance monitoring and reviewing systems and should have the capability to meet the learning objectives for: (a) Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization (NATOPS), (b) Flight Procedures. (Normal Operations, Radar Procedures and Emergency Procedures), (c) Instrument, Communications, and Radio Navigation Procedures, (d) Flight Plan Execution, (e) Launch/Recovery Procedures, and (f) Basic Shipboard Familiarization Operations. VII. AIRCRAFT QUANTITIES: Two prototype aircraft plus 29 new production aircraft are required. The prototype would have a tactical radar installed, plus a color weather radar, if feasible. Option 1 -- All aircraft equipped with a tactical radar; Option 2 -- 17 aircraft equipped with tactical radar and the remainder with color radar; Option 3 -- All aircraft equipped with both tactical and color weather radar. VIII. SIMULATOR QUANTITIES: 10 partial task radar procedure trainers, (PTRPT) and 3 full visual cockpit procedures trainers / emergency procedures trainers, (CPT/EPT) with full system functionality, motion is not required. IX. SPARES: Identify type and quantity of spares for a minimum of 2 years. X. SUPPORT EQUIPMENT: Identify required support equipment; and. XI. ALL ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTATION. Maintenance manuals, etc. The Department of the Navy will use the responses to this Commercial Area Announcement (CAA) to formulate a picture of "the state of what is possible" in the commercial marketplace and to determine whether the Navy should solicit formal proposals to meet its objectives. If the Navy elects to issue a solicitation it intends, consistent with applicable law and regulation, to solicit using a Request for Commercial Offerings that will be provided to all commercial entities that respond to this CAA, as well as to any other commercial concerns that request a copy. This CAA is published for informational purposes only. Responses in any form are not offers. Issuance of this CAA should not be construed as obligating the Department of the Navy, in any way, to issue a solicitation or to award a contract in furtherance of the objectives discussed herein. NO FUNDS are available to pay for preparing responses to this CAA and, funding is not currently budgeted for the replacement aircraft. THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY RESPONSES TO THIS CAA WILL BE USED FOR PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY. RESPONSES TO THIS CAA: Responses to this CAA should consist of a discussion, in broad terms, of (1) the commercially available approach(es) which could be used or adapted to meet the Navy's requirement; (2) a rough estimate of the price of each approach; (2) a discussion of any customary business requirement or its relationship with the Navy customer; (4) a discussion of any potential participation by small, HUBZone small, small disadvantaged, or woman-owned small business concerns; and (5) a statement as to whether the firm responding to the CAA is a small business for the standard industrial classification code that pertains to the approach(es) being discussed. The following questions shall also be addressed and shall accompany your CAA submission: (1) After receipt of order -- how long to complete prototype aircraft? Assuming one prototype will be just structural to test major components to the fatigue life limits, how long will it take to do the fatigue life test? Approximate cost? (2) How long for contractor to conduct demonstration T&E of fully equipped prototype aircraft? (3) Recommend required sparing for 2 years and support equipment required. (4) After the production decision, what is the lead-time to deliver first aircraft? Once first aircraft is delivered how many aircraft can be delivered per year? (5) Estimated operational cost per flight hour? Estimated maintenance cost per flight hour? Maintenance man-hours per flight hours? (6) Estimated cost for complete prototype, including testing. Estimated cost per production aircraft, for support equipment? For spares? Simulators? Documentation, e.g., Aircraft Flight Manual, etc.? (7) Identify and provide estimated costs for any engineering, logistics, testing or other requirements associated with this future procurement, which were not explicitly identified above. (8) Full Mission Capability Reliability of aircraft? (9) Feasibility of installing both tactical radar and a color weather radar? (10) Cost difference between a modular cabin that allows for either 6 crewmembers and 2 radar stations or eight crewmember stations and just a standard cabin configuration consisting of 2 radar stations and 6 crewmember stations? (11) Cost difference between a fully digital cockpit and a standard cockpit configuration? There is no prescribed format for the response to the CAA. Responses should refer to CAA FOR T-39 REPLACEMENT AIRCRAFT. Firms may submit more than one approach for fulfilling the requirement. It is requested that four copies of your response be submitted in time to be received by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on 22 June 2001. Responses should be addressed to: Department of the Navy, Assistant Commander for Contracts, Naval Air Systems Command, AIR-2.5.3.5.3/Ms. Sandra Lamb, Building 441, Unit 7, 21983 Bundy Road, Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, MD 20670-1127. Responses received after this date may or may not be considered in determining whether to issue a Request for Commercial Offerings and what the nature of the Request for Commercial Offerings will be. This synopsis provides all information available and necessary for use in preparing a CAA Response. No other information will be provided.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010521/15SOL006.HTM (W-137 SN50M3U7)