Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) USAF Sustaining Engineering Services

The U.S. Air Force is conducting market research for sustainment engineering services for the LANTIRN Navigation Pod (AAQ-13), used on the F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft. The requirement is for a five-year Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide sustainment engineering services, including resolving maintenance and obsolescence deficiencies, developing and reviewing engineering change proposals, performing sustainment studies, and offering technical support. The LANTIRN Navigation Pod enables 24-hour, low-altitude, night and adverse weather navigation and terrain-following capabilities. The market survey encourages both large and small businesses, including joint ventures, to demonstrate their capabilities in areas such as facility capabilities, past experience, classified material handling, technical data generation, quality assurance, and engineering services. Responses to the Contractor Capability Survey are due by March 18, 2026, and written questions by March 19, 2026.

This Performance Work Statement (PWS) outlines the requirements for sustaining engineering services for the USAF Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) system. The services focus on the AN/AAQ-13 Navigation Pod's Terrain Following Radar (TFR) subsystem, including Class I Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs), Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) sustainment analysis, maintenance support, and technical services for future LANTIRN analyses and planning. The contractor will identify and analyze reported deficiencies, address obsolete parts, and support design changes (Class I and Class II). Performance will be evaluated based on timely and accurate responses, quality of deliverables, and adherence to submission schedules. The work will primarily be performed at Raytheon (RTX) facilities in McKinney, TX, over a base period of 12 months with four additional 12-month ordering periods, extending through September 2031. No government property will be provided, and contractors must comply with various security, safety, and reporting requirements.

This federal document is a Determination and Findings (D&F) memorandum approving a single-source acquisition for the Department of the Air Force. The contracting activity, AFLCMC/ESKB, requires a successor Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for the sustaining and engineering services of the AAQ-13 LANTIRN Navigation Pod. The sole-source justification designates Raytheon Company as the only viable provider. As the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of the pod's Terrain Following Radar subsystem, Raytheon holds exclusive ownership of the proprietary level-three technical data package, engineering drawings, and design models required for system maintenance, obsolescence resolution, and engineering changes. Acquiring this proprietary data to facilitate full and open competition is economically unfeasible, estimated at $735 million. Furthermore, Raytheon possesses the unique testing facilities, software integration expertise, and 37 years of historical system support necessary to prevent severe operational risks and delays to Air Force warfighting capabilities. Market research conducted in March 2026, which included a SAM.gov Request for Information (RFI) and database searches under NAICS code 334511, confirmed that no other capable small businesses, commercial suppliers, or alternative military sources exist. Consequently, the Contracting Officer determined that only one source is reasonably available, justifying a single-source award under RFO 13.101(b).

This Performance Work Statement (PWS) outlines the technical and engineering services required by the U.S. Air Force to support post-production sustainment of the Terrain Following Radar (TFR) subsystem for the AN/AAQ-13 LANTIRN Navigation Pod. The five-year ordering period, spanning from September 26, 2026, to September 25, 2031, will be executed primarily at Raytheon (RTX) facilities in McKinney, Texas. The primary objective is to evaluate operational issues and implement corrective actions to ensure the weapon system meets warfighter requirements through its scheduled service life in 2040. Key technical responsibilities include developing and reviewing Class I and Class II Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs), performing Prime Mission Equipment (PME) Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) sustainment and obsolescence analysis, and providing depot-level repair troubleshooting. The contractor is required to deliver status reports, technical evaluations, and safety mishap notifications in accordance with strict Contract Data Requirements Lists (CDRLs) and quality standards, primarily utilizing the Multi-User Engineering Change Proposal Automated Review System (MEARS). Additionally, the contractor must maintain a counterfeit electronic part detection system and achieve a Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2 or higher to protect controlled unclassified information. Given the nature of the technical data, the contract is subject to strict military distribution limits and export control regulations.