In April 2002 the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) solicited information from missile system integrators and other interested parties on technology available for a transformational approach to providing an affordable Supersonic Cruise Missile (SSCM) Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD). The SSCM ACTD will culminate in a technology demonstration of a supersonic cruise missile system capable of functionally disabling time sensitive Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) targets, hardened and deeply buried WMD targets, or both. Time sensitive WMD targets are broadly classified as those posing imminent threat of conducting or supporting hostile attack (or re-attack) on U.S. or allied forces or civilian population centers. Government sponsorship of the SSCM ACTD includes DTRA, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), and the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV), with additional international participation.

The objective of the 16 April 2002 RFI was to identify technological concepts and performance potential for the SSCM ACTD, which may also be used as the basis for developing the SSCM ACTD performance specification. This specification may subsequently be provided to industry as part of the anticipated SSCM ACTD solicitation.

The SSCM ACTD will operationally demonstrate an integrated system concept - including targeting, launch control, flight vehicle, payload (warhead and fuzing), and damage assessment - using mature and evolving technologies. Technologies of particular importance for the SSCM ACTD include but are not limited to: (a) the integrated airframe and propulsion system; (b) potential payloads for time-sensitive surface targets; (c) a potential penetrator warhead; (d) low-cost smart-fuzing options; (e) autonomous guidance, navigation, and control technologies; and (f) battle damage indication / assessment to provide positive, real-time or near real time feedback using anticipated Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance resources (C4ISR).

Key performance parameters for the SSCM ACTD include but are not limited to: (a) terminal accuracy of 3 meters Circular Error Probable (CEP) or better, excluding Target Location Error (good weather, no jamming); (b) a range of at least 400 nautical miles with a goal of at least 600 nautical miles; (c) a cruising speed of at least Mach 3.5 with a goal of Mach 4.5 or better; (d) for any air-launched demonstration variant, a maximum all-up-round launch weight of less than 2000 lbs. with a goal of 1800 lbs.; (e) warhead penetration capability of at least 10 meters with a goal of 15 meters or better through 5 ksi concrete; (f) soft target kill capability and bio-defeat fill compatibility; and (g) a strike planning, preparation, and launch duration, from receipt of target coordinates for mission planning to physical weapon release/exit from the launch platform, of less than 6 minutes.

Important design considerations for the SSCM ACTD and any follow-on program include but are not limited to: (a) potential production affordability (assuming a production run of 200 missiles per year for five contiguous years, starting in FY07), yielding a weapon that is more cost effective than currently produced systems; (b) design flexibility and/or use of a common missile body with unique launch kits and/or boosters that allows for a launch capability from surface combatants (using existing MK 41 VLS), aircraft (F/A-18E/F strike aircraft ; USN P-3; and potentially USAF bomber platforms, including B-1B internal and B-52 external carriage), and potentially sub-surface combatants (VLS); (c) survivability, including GPS jamming resistance; (d) all-weather operation; (e) fire-and-forget operation; (f) Pre-Planned Product Improvement (P3I) approach for in-flight retargeting; (g) low life cycle cost and ease of maintenance; (h) concept of operations (CONOPS); (i) payload modularity - that is, missile compatibility with alternate warhead concepts; (j) manufacturability and P3I considerations for a potential System Development and Demonstration (SDD)/Production phase; (k) post-ACTD residual deployment compatibility with anticipated strike planning systems; and (l) ability to pass a shipboard Weapon System Explosive Safety Review Board (WSESRB) and aircraft safety review and to be compliant with standard range safety flight test program requirements. The SSCM ACTD system shall be SALT II, START, and Missile Technology Control Regime (MCTR) compliant.

An addendum on the trade space of speed, range, weight, and payload versus cost is desired that encompasses operating characteristics beyond both lower and upper ends of desired performance. Potentially reduced performance versions of interest would be desirable to meet the following needs: (a) for surface combatants, to support enhanced Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) volumes of fire support requirements with multiple weapons/payloads in a single MK 41 VLS canister; (b) for air, to support an optimum carrier strike wing package with a missile range of at least 300 nautical miles that meets the F/A-18E/F weapons carriage requirements and permits carrier recovery of the F/A-18E/F with two weapons aboard; and (c) for sub-surface combatants, to support VLS and Torpedo Tube Launch.

The U.S. Government is seeking transformational approaches in program management and technology integration which will be required to provide an affordable solution to this composite problem. Respondents are free to address the problem of targets that may relocate after attack coordinates are derived for them but are stationary during missile terminal attack, and targets that may be moving during missile terminal attack, but these attack modes are not required of the ACTD system and may be addressed in terms of a P3I approach.

RFI respondents should provide Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost estimates to complete the ACTD program, based on the following assumptions: (1) ACTD go-ahead in January 2004, with demonstrations complete by the end of CY07; (2) any Contractor team would provide for: (a) ACTD systems engineering, systems integration, project management, (b) conduct of two system demonstration flights - at least one surface-launched (US Navy VLS system mock-up on land test range) and potentially one air-launched (US Navy aircraft) flight - with each demonstration including transition to cruise, terminal guidance and impact with required CEP, (c) fabrication of test missiles as well as ten residual operational assets and associated operational and support equipment (including mission planning components), (d) verification of actual test performance against objectives and validation of test goals and modeling and simulations, (e) other ancillary tests or modeling and simulation adequate to ensure the ACTD system meets performance requirements, (f) appropriate level of documentation deliverables, and (g) any other tests that the contractor recommends for a successful ACTD; and (3) target preparation and flight test range costs would be borne by the Government.