The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is beginning to start market research to explore the possibility of using a next-generation Common Boost Vehicle (CBV) for its Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) interceptors, according to an Aug. 25 request for information (RFI).
The RFI, posted to FedBizOpps, is looking at the possibility of delivering the new vehicle by 2024. The CBV would be a new-class of multi-stage booster that uses solid rocket motors (SRM) or a combination of SRM and storable liquid propellant stages.
Photo: Missile Defense Agency.
The notice said the intent of the CBV “is to enable mission flexibility and evolution while providing the necessary energy to lift future-generation payloads subject to mission constraints.”
The MDA identified several payload configurations that will be provided at classified technical interchange meetings (TIMs). It said respondents should specifically address each payload and the resultant CBV designs subject to infrastructure, survivability, schedule, and performance constraints.
The MDA is preparing to conduct the TMI sessions on Sept 6 and 7 and then again on Sept. 20 and 21. These sessions will be used to answer questions related to the RFI and also provide industry officials “the opportunity to clarify aspects of concepts/capabilities under consideration for response to the RFI,” the notice said. Industry participants will only be allowed to send five personnel to the session.
The agency is requesting industry provide an assessment of the current marketplace, existing capabilities, and new development efforts required to deliver each separate CBV configuration by 2024. This also includes assessing the technical risks of meeting that timeline.
The notice highlighted this is just a market research announcement for informational planning and does not commit to a request for proposal (RFP) and no solicitation will be issued now. “Information submitted will be considered as an exchange of capabilities and may be used as part of the future RFP,” the notice said.
Final capability papers in response to the RFI are due by Sept. 27.
MDA is using this RFI to determine the capability of industry in delivering a potential Common Boost Vehicle for GMD. The GMD uses Ground-Based Interceptors (GBI) based in Fort Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., to defend against the threat of small numbers of intercontinental ballistic missile-range nuclear weapon threats, largely from North Korea.
Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, director of MDA said earlier this month that the GMD and U.S. ballistic missile defense forces generally can defend against the current threat from North Korea. However, he said the agency is pushing for additional capability to stay ahead of the threat (Defense Daily, Aug. 9).