The Department of Defense, specifically the Army, is seeking proposals for the Long-Range Joint Precision Airdrop System (LR-JPADS) under the SBIR program. The objective is to enhance aerial logistics delivery capabilities in contested environments by developing a propulsion unit that extends the range of the JPADS from 15 miles to at least 250 nautical miles while carrying a payload of at least 700 lbs. This initiative is crucial for enabling effective resupply operations in anti-access/area denial scenarios, with potential applications in humanitarian aid, research, and emergency response. Interested firms can submit Direct to Phase II proposals with a funding amount of up to $2,000,000, with the application due by July 23, 2025. For more information, please refer to the solicitation documents available at the provided links.

OUSD (R&E) CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREA(S): Trusted AI and Autonomy 

 

OBJECTIVE: Enable aerial logistics delivery in anti-aircraft/access-denied (A2/AD) contested environments. It will add propulsion to JPADS to extend the range it can deliver at least 700 lbs. of payload to at least 250 nautical miles.  

DESCRIPTION: JPADS is an autonomous aerial delivery system which guides a payload from release to a target on the ground.  This effort dramatically extends the range from 15 miles to 250 miles, which will allow for aerial logistics delivery in A2/AD contested environments.  There is a JPADS 2K and 10K variant; this propulsion unit should be demonstrated on JPADS 2K but show efficient expansibility to JPADS 10K.  No other technology exists today which could provide long-range aerial resupply at a low-cost point. 

PHASE I: This topic is accepting Direct to Phase II proposals for a cost up to $2,000,000 for an 18-month period of performance. 

 

Proposers interested in submitting a DP2 proposal must provide documentation to substantiate that the scientific and technical merit and feasibility equivalent to a Phase I project has been met. Documentation can include data, reports, specific measurements, success criteria of a prototype, etc. 

(DIRECT TO) PHASE II: Firms should provide a prototype of a fielded-configuration JPADS 2K with an add-on propulsion unit. The prototype must demonstrate the capability to fly at least 250 nautical miles with a payload of at least 700 lbs. The prototype must utilize an engine that the firm shows through a design study that can be used for Long Range JPADS 10K. The current JPADS system is a TRL 9 fielded unit.  Adding a propulsion kit to this does not require inventing a new technology, but rather integrating an existing engine and propeller into the JPADS system.  This should allow a diverse set of companies to deliver a prototype since it does not require a niche understanding of aerial delivery, but rather just electro-mechanical competency. 

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Commercial use-cases include Emergency humanitarian resupply for medical and refugee aid, research and fly-over data collection in areas where aircraft is too expensive or not permitted, resupply for wildfire firefighters and remote offshore mining.	 

 

REFERENCES:  

https://www.army.mil/article/261232/jpads_brings_new_sustainment_capability_to_future_fight 

 

KEYWORDS: JPADS; Aerial Delivery; Airdrop; Propulsion; Long-range

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