The Navy is conducting another round of market research on a potential Long Range Air Delivered Maritime Mine (LRADMM) in a Request For Information (RFI) issued on May 20.
The RFI specifically aims to help the Navy determine whether industry has the capabilities needed to successfully design, manufacture, assemble, test and deliver a long-range air delivered maritime mine.
Previously, in 2020 the Navy issued an RFI for the
same purposes. At the time, the Navy said the concept for the LRADMM required at least a 500-pound explosive payload delivered at least 100 nautical miles, but a 2,000-pound payload is desired. The earlier RFI also said proposed concepts were allowed to use the target detecting, safety and arming devices already in the current Quickstrike family of mines (Defense Daily, July 29, 2020).
The new RFI is also asking industry to comment on how the government can best satisfy its needs, alternative approaches, technology available and risk, identification of cost drivers and suggestions on ways to enhance competition on the LRADMM.
“The objective of this notice is to help the Government determine the existing capabilities to deliver an LRADMM system in the shortest practical timeline,” the Navy said.
The Navy said combatant commanders need the capability to precisely and accurately place maritime mines in contested environments from an “extended standoff range.”
This seeks to find an alternative to the current mine laying aircraft that have to fly directly over the planned minefield at low speed and altitude to place mines, leaving them vulnerable to opponents air defenses.
The LRADMM system concept includes an in-production air vehicle that can be modified to “precisely and accurately” deliver a maritime mine, have an explosive payload of at least 1,000 pounds, has a classified minimum flight distance capability, and has to deliver the payload with a classified accuracy rating “without GPS input.”
The notice explained the LRADMM should at least be capable of launching from an Air Force and Navy aircraft external munitions stores station with internal munition stores stations an option as well.
“Interested and capable parties will need to demonstrate the requisite level of technical expertise, as well as the ability to fulfill the capabilities described in this notice,” the notice said.
Responses are due by July 8.
In 2019, Navy officials said the service was developing new mine capabilities like the Quickstrike Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) (Quickstrike-J), Quickstrike Extended Range (ER), clandestinely delivered mine (CDM) Mk 68, and the Hammerhead mine using an encapsulated Mk 54 torpedo effector (Defense Daily, Oct. 24, 2019).