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 the existing JPADS technology by integrating a propulsion unit that extends its delivery range from 15 miles to 250 nautical miles, enabling the transport of at least 700 lbs. of payload in anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) environments. This initiative is crucial for improving aerial logistics capabilities, particularly for emergency humanitarian resupply and other commercial applications. Interested parties 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, visit the solicitation agency's website at https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/topics-app/.

## 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.

## 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. 

## 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.

## 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.&emsp;

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