In a Request For Information issued to industry earlier this week, 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 means a 20mm to 50mm weapon with ammunition and sensors.
Raid Hunter is Northrop Grumman’s 50mm Gun-Based Air Defense (GBAD) system.
They are looking for a weapon 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) (groups 1-5) to provide persistent defense in support of United States Air Force assets.
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
Industry has until 09 OCTOBER 2026, 1700, EST to respond. Late responses may not be reviewed.
As the Air Force considers fielding more and more sophisticated air defense systems such as this and the Common Ground Based Launcher it appears that the promise of a new careerfield to wield them is likely. It also indicates that they are looking beyond just drones and are considering a more robust air defense capability.
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