The US Navy plans to reduce competition at an early stage in the Vertical Take-off and Landing Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) programme by direct selection - moving directly to selection of a winner, without a shortlist. The USN is adding $21 million in fiscal year 2001 for engineering and manufacturing development (EMD).
Direct selection was one of three acquisition strategies considered by Lee Buchanan, assistant secretary of the navy for research, development and acquisition. The other options were an EMD award after a six-month, three-company, competitive design effort, or a costly fly-off between two systems.
Buchanan is thought to have chosen direct selection to save money, but bidders favoured the competitive design method.
Capt Lyn Whitmer, Naval UAVs programme manager, says the draft request for proposals (RFP) will be issued on 30 June, with a formal RFP in August. The EMD decision and contract award is planned by 1 March next year, with initial service entry in the fourth quarter of FY2003. Plans call for 12 systems for the USN and 11 for the US Marine Corps.
Whitmer says $21 million has been added to the planned $43.4 million request for the project to provide adequate research and development funding. Production contract contestants include Bell, with its Eagle Eye tiltrotor, and Bombardier, with the co-axial rotor CL-327 Guardian. Both will join in shipborne flight operations.
Source: Flight International
