Advanced Small Engines RFI

The government via the AFLCMC/LPA Propulsion Acquisition Division, Advanced Small Engine Team is seeking information on current and future propulsion options that provide platform capability to achieve United States Government (USG) objectives. This RFI seeks to better characterize the technological, manufacturing, and business capabilities of the industrial base to develop and produce material solutions to address these objectives. Some of these material solutions have requirements for lower cost propulsion that can be rapidly produced in high volumes, but the USG is interested in all options that explore the complete trade space. This RFI focuses on capability at discrete intervals defined as immediate, mid (4 years), and far (8 years) terms from RFI release. For these intervals, the USG seeks information on capability vs. cost, schedule, and risk centered on the commercial off-the-shelf (COTS), modified off-the-shelf (MOTS), derivative, and new engine designs, and the USG is most interested in propulsion systems that are TRL 6+ and flight-weight at these intervals. The USG recognizes the wide breadth of potential propulsion capabilities within the thrust and Mach ranges listed in the full RFI. This RFI is intended to inform trade space analyses of various expendable, attritable, and reusable weapons and unmanned vehicle applications and requirements.