Very Low-Cost Kinetic Defeat for C-sUAS

This Department of the Air Force (DAF) solicitation seeks Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) proposals for very low-cost kinetic defeat mechanisms to neutralize Group 1-3 Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). The objective is to develop and transition highly dispersible, survivable, and scalable interceptor or munition designs to the USAF, USSF, AFLCMC/ES, and the Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF 401) marketplace for base defense. To address the financial unsustainability of using expensive interceptors against cheap commercial drones, proposed solutions must achieve a cost per engagement of under $6,000. Key technical requirements include autonomous "fire-and-forget" terminal guidance, an effective engagement range of at least 800 meters, the ability to operate in contested, GPS-denied environments, and capacity for simultaneous engagements. Systems must also seamlessly integrate into existing C-sUAS command and control frameworks like Medusa (SUADS). Because this topic bypasses Phase I, applicants must submit a D2P2 proposal demonstrating Phase I-type feasibility. Phase II requires delivering a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7/8 prototype interceptor that meets the sub-$6,000 unit cost and demonstrates engagement ranges between 800 meters (threshold) and 5 kilometers (objective). Phase III focuses on transition to military marketplaces and dual-use commercial applications, including airport security, critical infrastructure protection, and border patrol.