Request for Information (RFI) - Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (Nuclear)

General Information:

Response Date: 9 December 2024 12:00PM ET

NAICS Code: 541330 - Engineering Services

Description:

THIS RFI, AS DEFINED IN FAR 15.201(e),_IS SOLELY FOR INFORMATIONAL AND PLANNING PURPOSES ONLY AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, REQUEST FOR QUOTE, OR AS AN OBLIGATION OR COMMITMENT ON THE PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY (NAVY) TO CONTRACT FOR ANY SUPPLY OR SERVICE. THERE WILL NOT BE A SOLICITATION, SPECIFICATIONS, OR DRAWINGS AVAILABLE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MAY OR MAY NOT TRANSLATE INTO AN ACTUAL PROCUREMENT(S) IN FUTURE YEARS. THERE IS NO FUNDING ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.  IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 15.201(e) RESPONSES TO THIS NOTICE ARE NOT OFFERS AND CANNOT BE ACCEPTED BY THE NAVY TO FORM A BINDING CONTRACT.  THE NAVY IS NOT AT THIS TIME SEEKING PROPOSALS AND WILL NOT ACCEPT UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS.  RESPONDENTS ARE ADVISED THAT THE NAVY WILL NOT PAY FOR ANY INFORMATION OR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS INCURRED IN RESPONSE TO THIS RFI. ALL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RESPONSDING TO THIS RFI WILL BE SOLELY AT THE RESPONDENTS EXPENSE.

Background: The Navy is issuing this RFI as a means of conducting market research to identify the interest and resources to support the Nuclear-Armed Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM-N) development program. The SLCM-N program has been established to provide a theater nuclear system capable of providing a proportional response, be survivable, and fielded on regionally-present platforms. The system will provide the necessary range and effectiveness to hold critical adversary targets at risk. The Navy is developing and procuring a nuclear-armed SLCM-N capability that leverages mature technologies, existing capabilities, and new techniques and approaches to reduce development time and help ensure cost effectiveness. 

Information Sought:

The Navy would like Industry perspective on either weapon system integration, cruise missile prototype development, or cruise missile subsystems. This RFI is intended to understand industry capability to expediently develop a prototype and integrate an All Up Round (AUR).

Specifically, the Navy requests white papers that considers the following constraints:

1. Potential, High-Level System Architecture. The SLCM-N system will be installed and deployed on Virginia Class Attack Submarines (SSN). All nuclear operations (e.g., warhead installation, missile storage, SSN onloads/offloads) will be accomplished at U.S. Navy Strategic Weapons Facilities in Kings Bay, GA (SWFLANT) and Bangor, WA (SWFPAC).

Missiles will be assembled, tested, and containerized as an AUR ready for SSN onload. Elements related to the development of a SLCM-N AUR are discussed in the subsequent sections. An AUR is the “SLCM-N missile”, which consists of an expendable booster, a separating cruise missile from the booster, with a nuclear warhead installed, assembled in a canister to enable underwater launch, and ready for SSN onload.

This RFI is focused on rapid development, integration and demonstration of a SLCM AUR prototype that can be launched from a submerged large diameter payload tube (Virginia Payload Tubes (VPT) and/or Virginia Payload Module (VPM) tubes), transition to flight, and deliver a nuclear payload to target.

2. Existing Payload Integration Systems: The SLCM-N AUR will be loaded into Multiple AUR Canisters (MACs) installed in the 87” diameter VPT and/or VPM tubes. Missile capacity (number of rounds) in a MAC must be considered if providing information for alternate MAC solutions.

3. Potential Missile Architecture. The Navy requests information to make the AUR and missile as modular as possible. This includes hardware and software modularity and severability such that changes to the core missile body or common tactical systems do not necessitate changes to the warhead payload interfaces or avionics associated with the nuclear mission. This open system approach is being pursued to allow for future technical insertion or technology upgrades as required through the life of the SLCM-N program. It is anticipated that the flight system integration contractor will be responsible to integrate all portions of the AUR while working with the National Nuclear Security Administration team that is designing and integrating the nuclear warhead.

4. Assumptions and Considerations. The Navy has not predetermined specific flight trajectories. The SLCM-N missile will be required to achieve transition to flight and fly a defined flight path determined by a pre-mission load.

The SLCM-N missile will be subject to long-term exposure to Intrinsic Radiation (INRAD) environments. While internal shielding may reduce exposure, microelectronics must be designed to operate in an INRAD environment.

SSP as the Weapons System Integrator will control negotiated interfaces between Weapon System (WS) subsystems, Navy facilities, and between Government Furnished Equipment and contractor designs. The information requested is for the implementation of the interfaces across all parts of the AUR.

Technology proposed for the SLCM-N flight system must be producible and fieldable to meet an FY 2034 initial operational capability. However, prototypes will be required within 3 years. Information for technology insertion beyond 10-years is requested to proactively manage size, weight, and power (SWaP) margins. The Navy requests information to understand margins available in the technology developer’s current design.

5. Areas of Interest for Potential Development. The Navy seeks novel subsystems, software, materials, assemblies and/or subassemblies to be included in the development of a novel design concept and integrated flight system. Areas of interest for potential efforts:

1. Lead Flight Systems Integrator to integrate, model, test, and certify a full AUR system.
2. AUR development for cruise missiles. Information requested on companies that can design, produce, test, and model SLCM-N.
3. Component and/or technology providers for cruise missile subsystems. Technology developers should provide the abilities of their AUR or subsystems against the bullets below (as applicable). For each attribute that applies, the Navy requests information about how the attribute can be either demonstrated or analyzed (through modeling and simulation (M&S), test, design review).

• Range: Straight line distance
  • Payload: Weight of payload carried to target
• Accuracy: Circular Error Probable
• Probability of Penetration: Ability to evade defense systems
• Height of Burst: Ability to achieve desired altitude
• Mission Execution Time: Time to launch
• Weapon System Reliability: Perform all pre-launch, launch, and in-flight functions
• Flight Path Tailoring: Follow pre-program flight path
• Generate and Store Mission Plans
• Platform Launch Profile: Achieve launch at submarine launch speeds and depths

RFI Objectives:

1. Material Solutions. Identify potential material solutions with a technical achievable development timeline to accelerate AUR prototype efforts
2. Affordability. Identify material solution opportunities to keep development, production, and sustainment costs low.
3. Reliability and Open Design. Identify methods for material solutions that deliver high reliability and provide open design for future adaptation and technical insertions.
4. Performance. Identify possible weapon system specifications to meet capability gaps
5. Integration. Identify means to minimize changes to the platform or Strategic Weapons Facility operations

Information Requested: Respondents are encouraged to provide information for any techniques or technology developments that would meet the capabilities listed in section 5. Responses to this RFI must also take into consideration the requirements, assumptions, objectives, and constraints noted throughout sections 1 through 5 above.

Specific Information Requested:

1. Company overview, size, locations, and existing capabilities and experience.  If responding as a team please provide information relevant to each member and describe each team member role.
2. Level of experience or expertise in any of the following areas.  Please include contracts and Government sponsor points of contact where described experience was completed.
   1. Experience and expertise in Cruise Missile development and missile system integration to include design, development, technology maturation, integration, prototyping, test and qualification, production, and field support.
   2. Experience and expertise in weapon subsystems to include development, prototyping, test and qualification along with potential new techniques for achieving efficiency and affordability
   3. Experience and expertise with integrating an AUR for underwater launch; to include canister, closure, and ejection system design, development, technology maturation, integration, prototyping, test and qualification, production and field support.
   4. Experience or knowledge of the requirements imposed on system designs due to nuclear surety (safety and security), submarine operations and environments, and ordnance safety ashore and afloat.
   5. Experience with DoD qualification, production, and system certification processes and standards.
3. Identify the technology roadmap for the recommended AUR architecture.
4. Anticipated development timelines to achieve a missile flight demonstration
   1. Projected or potential major cost drivers and mitigations to control costs in design and production.
5. A Technology Readiness Level assessment of your company’s system maturity.
6. Description of how your designs considers modular open systems architecture.  
7. A description of the Rough Order of Magnitude (cost) for designing and building a prototype that meets the system capabilities.
8. Expected lifecycle and maintenance timelines of your company’s AUR and/or subsystem.
9. Current test capabilities and experience working with DoD laboratories, national laboratories, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, University Affiliated Research Centers, and industry locations.
10. The ability to provide Navy Purpose Rights or Unlimited Rights to the proposed AUR or subsystem.
11. Established facility clearance up to SECRET and current COMSEC accounts.
12. Demonstrate that the company has adequate program personnel with U.S citizenship and DoD SECRET security clearances.

10. RFI Responses/Submissions. White paper responses are requested via email SLCMNInformation@ssp.navy.mil by 12 p.m. on 9 December 2024. Responses should be less than 20 pages (MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and/or Adobe PDF files preferred). Submissions must be no smaller than 12 point font and files no larger than 20 MB.

No classified information may be included, and information contained within the response must be marked appropriately. Proprietary information contained within the response must be marked appropriately.