Sources SoughtPosted Sep 3, 2026·Responses due Oct 9, 2026

Ground-Based, Medium-Caliber Gun Weapon System

Air Force and Space Force · FA8612 AFLCMC C3BM C3

Stage
Early notice (sources sought, presolicitation or special notice)
NAICS
Not stated
Value
Not stated
Solicitation
FA8612_
Set-aside
None stated
PSC
Not stated
Place
Not stated
Contact
Christine Basham (christine.basham.1@us.af.mil)
CSV Email

Capture briefs (a one-page, shareable copy of this page) are part of Pro. The CSV here holds the notice, its timeline and past awards.

Where this opportunity stands

Every notice posted under solicitation FA8612_ in this department, oldest first.

Early notice
  • Sep 3, 2026 · this notice
    Sources Sought
Solicitation
None posted
Award
Not yet. Typical award: Oct 29, 2026 to Mar 1, 2027, middle of the range Dec 10, 2026.
Measured from 253 past early notices at Dept of the Air Force that later posted an award (middle half of cases, counted from Sep 3, 2026).

Next steps for this stage

Standard steps for the notice type; not advice about this buyer.

  • Answer the notice: this is when the requirement can still be shaped.
  • Contact the contracting officer named on the notice.
  • Check who won similar work; they are the likely bidders.

What the notice says

SYNOPSIS The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), C3BM?Directorate,?Wright Patterson?Force Base (WPAFB),?Ohio?is conducting market research seeking vendor interest for?a?Ground-Based, Medium-Caliber Gun Weapon System. ? This is a Request?For?Information (RFI) only. This RFI is issued solely for market research purposes. It?does not constitute?a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a promise to issue an RFP in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, the Air Force (AF) is not seeking proposals, nor wi… (show all)

ll it accept unsolicited proposals at this time.?? Respondents are advised that the United States Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party�s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not?preclude?participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to?monitor?the Government�s point of entry (www.sam.gov) for?additional?information?pertaining to?this requirement.? Additionally, Non-Government A&AS support may be?utilized?in the review process of RFI submissions. These non-governmental support staff are covered directly by Nondisclosure Agreements (NDAs) with the US Government as a condition of employment. Any respondent to the RFI with concern should notify one of the POCs found in Section 7.?? PURPOSE The Government is conducting market research to identify potential industry sources capable of providing solutions for a Ground-Based, Medium-Caliber Gun Weapon System that fires affordable munitions, enables defense against air and missile threats with an initial focus on subsonic cruise missiles (CM) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to provide persistent defense in support of United States Air Force assets. The objective of this RFI is to gather information regarding industry capability. ACQUISITION STRATEGY? The program's acquisition strategy is currently in development.? SCOPE/REQUIREMENTS The scope of this RFI is centered on solutions that strictly prioritize fifteen baseline attributes essential to operational success that can engage both cruise missiles and UAS (groups 1-5) threats in accordance with the reference documents. To effectively assess and compare air defense weapon system performance, there are fifteen critical baseline operational and technical parameters that must be analyzed in unison. These key metrics begin with the system's Salvo Probability of Kill (Pk) evaluated against both Cruise Missiles (CM) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Groups 1-5 at maximum range and altitude, ensuring robust lethality against diverse modern threats. The physical footprint of the engagement envelope is defined by its Effective Slant Range and Elevation Coverage, while the capacity for sustained operations is dictated by Magazine Depth and the system's ability to execute Raid Handling against saturating attacks. Furthermore, modern multi-domain operations require seamless Integrated Sensor Capability, deep C2 System Integration, and broad System Interoperability across joint networks. From an efficiency and sustainment standpoint, the system must balance its Cost Per Engagement and Manpower requirements, supported by a reliable Built-in-Test (BIT) framework for rapid diagnostics. Finally, tactical utility is rounded out by the platform's overall Transportability, stringent Weapon Safety protocols, and its comprehensive Multi-Domain Engagement Capability to counter threats across various operational environments. Fifteen Baseline Requirements: Salvo Probability of Kill (Pk) vs CM at max range and altitude Salvo Probability of Kill (Pk) vs UAS Groups 1-5 at max range and altitude Effective Slant Range Elevation Coverage Magazine Depth Raid Handling Integrated Sensor Capability C2 System Integration System Interoperability Cost Per Engagement Manpower Built-in-Test (BIT) Transportability Weapon Safety Multi-Domain Engagement Capability When designing and evaluating next-generation defense systems, the development team must navigate critical trade-offs across three primary Trade Space Attributes to balance lethality, situational awareness, and operational flexibility. First, the system must optimize Munition Performance versus Munition Cost and Gun Capability, ensuring that the interceptor's velocity, maneuverability, and terminal effects are maximized without driving the cost-per-engagement to unsustainable levels or exceeding the physical constraints of the host platform. Second, developers must carefully select the Organic Sensor Capability and Phenomenology�integrating the right mix of radar, electro-optical, infrared, or radio-frequency sensors�to ensure reliable target acquisition and tracking across varying weather conditions, environments, and countermeasure scenarios. Finally, the entire architecture must remain Rapidly Deployable, maintaining a lightweight, modular, and transportable footprint that can be swiftly projected into austere theater environments to meet emergent threats. Trade Space Attributes: Munition Performance vs. Munition Cost/Gun Capability Organic Sensor Capability and Phenomenology Rapidly Deployable RESPONSE GUIDELINES THE CONTRACTOR'S RFI RESPONSE SHALL BE: Page Limit: 10 pages or less (cover page is not included in page count) Format: Submissions must be provided in PDF Submissions must be provided in PDF?with naming convention: CompanyName_SystemName_DDMMYYYY Font: One (1)-inch margins; Times New Roman 12 font Classifications: All responses must be UNCLASSIFIED. If proprietary data is included, it must be clearly marked. Provide the following business information for your company/institution and for any teaming or joint venture partners. Company Name Address Point of Contact Unique Entity ID (UEI) CAGE Code Phone Number E-mail Address Web Page Address Specify whether your company is a U.S. or foreign-owned firm Company Size Status Business System Status Facility Clearance Level (RFP release may contain classified components.) Anticipated North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS Code): 332994 The Government anticipates the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this effort to be 332994 - Small Arms, Ordnance, and Ordnance Accessories Manufacturing. If your organization believes another NAICS code is more appropriate for this requirement, please provide the suggested NAICS code along with a brief, objective justification supporting why the alternative code is a more accurate representation of the planned scope of work. The final NAICS determination will depend on the final acquisition strategy and selected contract vehicle. ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI), as defined and discussed in FAR 9.5, Organizational and Consultant Conflicts of Interest, is a concern in all acquisitions across the Department of Defense. Early involvement with our industry partners is a key element of the OCI process, and it is critical for the Government to be able to identify any potential OCI issues as early as possible for acquisition. SUBMISSION DUE DATE: 09 OCTOBER 2026, 1700, EST. Late responses may not be reviewed. SUBMISSION: Responses should be submitted electronically to the contracting officer (CO). Primary CO: Christine Basham, christine.basham.1@us.af.mil Secondary CO: Veronica Schoultz, veronica.schoultz@us.af.mil PLEASE NOTE: All interested contractors must be registered in SAM to be eligible for award of Government contracts. The Government reserves the right to consider a small business set-aside based upon responses hereto for any subsequent action. If submitting company proprietary information or competition sensitive information, please make sure it is CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information to the maximum extent pos

Who won similar work

1918 award notices on SAM.gov in the last 24 months. Match: Same agency (Air Force and Space Force), any industry: a loose match.

Loose match: same agency, any industry. Read the titles before treating these as competitors.

WinnerAwardsValueLast
NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION · $NOC17$2.5BOct 6, 2026
WAREHOUSE ONE, INC11$9.0MSep 23, 2026
RAYTHEON COMPANY · $RTX9$22.7BSep 29, 2026
THE BOEING COMPANY · $BA9$3.5BOct 2, 2026
LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION · $LMT9$281.4MAug 26, 2026
ARHAB LLC8$1.0MAug 10, 2026
THOMAS INSTRUMENT, INCORPORATED7$57.9MMay 29, 2026
L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. · $LHX7$22.1MSep 25, 2026
Aantilia LLC7$3.4MOct 5, 2026
AIRTRONICS, LLC7$1.6MJul 16, 2026

Value counts single-winner awards. "Shared" awards are multiple-award contracts that list every winner with the same total ceiling; that ceiling is not one company's win, so it is not added in.

Latest awards

Competitive landscape

For the 8 most frequent past winners above. Lobbying is matched by the company's exact name or exact ticker; agencies are as named on the filings.

  • 3 of these past winners lobbied Air Force, Dept of since 2024 (36 filings)
  • 0 of their lobbyists list a past Air Force, Dept of job
  • $1.7M from their corporate PACs since 2024 to members of House Committee on Appropriations, House Committee on Armed Services, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senate Committee on Armed Services
  • 0 foreign-agent (FARA) registrations
See who and the source records with Pro

Policy around it

Bills the past winners named while lobbying this agency's issues, rules from the department, and executive orders that name the agency, last 12 months.

  • 8 bills named on the past winners' lobbying filings
  • 32 rules from the department in the last 12 months
  • 0 executive orders naming the agency in the last 12 months
See who and the source records with Pro

Market

For past winners matched exactly to a listed company. Insider trades are open-market buys and sells (Form 4) in the last 90 days, shown as facts; our own study found insiders do not reliably buy ahead of awards.

  • 5 of the past winners are listed companies
  • 0 insider buys and 6 insider sells at them in the last 90 days
See who and the source records with Pro

Sources: SAM.gov notices and award notices; Senate LDA lobbying filings; FEC filings; FARA; Federal Register; congress.gov; SEC Form 4. Every row above links to its record.

Companies are matched to tickers by exact name only. A company we could not match shows no market rows; that is a miss, not a finding.