P-8A Poseidon Enhanced Digital Flight Control System (EDFCS) Correction of Deficiencies (COD)

The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee (CPFF) delivery order for the development, testing and delivery of aircraft loadable, black label enhanced digital flight control system software for operational level retrofit for delivered aircraft to correct deficiencies in the P-8A autopilot system that were noted in software design description developmental and operational testing.

The software updates will improve or resolve altitude acquire issues, autopilot placard speed exceedance resulting from out throttle retard deficiency, pitch oscillations during airspeed climb and descent, unexpected mode switch from altitude acquire to vertical speed following speed command change, slow auto throttle response, and bank limit margin tuning.

Award to a source other than Boeing would result in an unacceptable delay of 3-5 years due to the Government’s inability to provide technical data to another source to develop and integrate the corrections to the software deficiencies to the EDFCS software. Additionally, the timeline delay is unacceptable due to the inherent safety risks that the P-8A is presently operating under. The current EDFCS design does not adequately ensure the P-8A can capture an altitude hold command when the autopilot system is engaged.

The lack of altitude capture could cause the aircraft to enter an uncommanded descent resulting in a controlled flight into terrain with associated loss of aircraft and flight crew. It was determined that a CPFF contract action was the appropriate contract type pursuant to FAR 16.103(d)(1). There are significant cost uncertainties due to the developmental nature of the effort and required end product of corrected deficiencies to the EDFCS for the P-8A aircraft. Therefore, the use of a fixed-price type contract would not provide an equitable and sensible allocation of program risk between the Government and the Contractor.