B-52 ARC-260

The United States Air Force (USAF) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for the B-52 ARC-260 Engineering, Manufacturing, and Development (EMD) program. This RFI aims to identify potential sources with expertise to integrate a modernized HF radio system into the B-52 platform to address diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages (DMSMS) and ensure continued beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) communications. The AN/ARC-260 radio system will replace the legacy AN/ARC-190 system, with objectives including integration, qualification, and delivery of a production-ready kit and Time Compliance Technical Order (TCTO). The RFI requests detailed information on vendor capabilities in military fixed-wing aircraft, EMD, integration of communication systems, avionics, minimizing development timelines, cost/schedule tracking, structural modification, testing, technical data package development, reverse engineering, TCTO writing, human systems integration, Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) management, USAF airworthiness processes, and cybersecurity. Responses, limited to 30 unclassified pages, are due 15 days after release and should be submitted electronically to the specified points of contact.