# Unmanned Carrier-Based Aircraft Solutions Request for Information (RFI)

Canonical: https://abierto.us/opportunities/paeaunmannedstratss

- Solicitation number: PAEA-UnmannedStratSS
- Notice type: Sources sought
- Status: Closed. Deadline was August 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM EDT
- Department: Department of the Navy
- Agency: Department of the Navy
- Contracting office: Naval Air Systems Command (N00019)
- NAICS: 336411 Aircraft Manufacturing
- Product or service code: AC13 National Defense R&D Services; Department Of Defense - Military; Experimental Development
- Place of performance: Patuxent River, Maryland
- First posted: July 14, 2026
- Last posted: August 7, 2026
- SAM.gov: https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/8126a917519340e98426d2bdf4704f57/view

## Description

The Portfolio Acquisition Executive (Aviation), PAE(A), is issuing this Sources Sought notice to conduct market research and identify potential industry sources capable of designing, developing, prototyping, manufacturing, and fielding next-generation Unmanned Carrier-Based Aircraft as part of the Naval Aviation Enterprise (NAE) Air Wing of the Future (AWOTF) Family of Systems (FoS) strategy aligned with the Golden Fleet initiative. Existing FoS efforts include MQ-25A and Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).

PAE Aviation is exploring the industrial base's capacity to deliver highly capable, autonomous platforms optimized for operations from Ford-class and Nimitz-class Nuclear Aircraft Carriers (CVN). The Government is seeking concepts, with both technical and programmatic information, for air vehicle and mission systems capable of executing FoS missions from the CVN highlighted in Section 1.0, either as a single-role platform, a multi-role platform, or a modular FoS.

The information will inform future requirements, investments, and acquisition decisions aligned with the Navy unmanned strategy. Interested parties are requested to submit a response in accordance with the attached document, "Unmanned Strategy Sources Sought." Responses shall be submitted electronically to the USN NAS Patuxent Mailbox at usn.patuxent.comnavairsyscompax.mbx.fcdi-marketplace@us.navy.mil, carbon copying (CC) the designated Contract Specialist, Samantha Moore, samantha.c.moore11.civ@us.navy.mil.

All responses shall be submitted no later than 5:00 PM EST, 13 August 2026. The submission is limited to 10 pages, using Times New Roman 12-point font and single spacing. Accompanying PowerPoint presentations are welcome, not to exceed 20 slides with no videos. The Government will accept unclassified submissions up to the Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) level. Any submission containing CUI must be properly marked in accordance with DoD Instruction 5200.48.

The email subject line and cover page of all documents must clearly indicate “CUI” or “Controlled Unclassified Information” if applicable. Submissions must not contain classified information above the CUI level.

## Publications

- July 14, 2026: Sources sought, due August 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM EDT. Notice 7968d7a497a142b6a5dba049d97a75f1. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/7968d7a497a142b6a5dba049d97a75f1/view
- July 14, 2026: Sources sought, due August 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM EDT. Notice 85a2d268dac24091bc262122cab429b2. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/85a2d268dac24091bc262122cab429b2/view
- August 4, 2026: Sources sought, due August 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM EDT. Notice 97067781317d405caced3ffc5e296d40. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/97067781317d405caced3ffc5e296d40/view
- August 5, 2026: Sources sought, due August 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM EDT. Notice 1443132edc8f4940a3bc5db577cb4ed7. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/1443132edc8f4940a3bc5db577cb4ed7/view
- August 7, 2026: Sources sought, due August 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM EDT. Notice 8126a917519340e98426d2bdf4704f57. https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/8126a917519340e98426d2bdf4704f57/view

## Points of contact

- Samantha Moore, Samantha.c.moore11.civ@us.navy.mil
- Jacob Leighton, jacob.j.leighton.mil@us.navy.mil

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Source: SAM.gov Contract Opportunities bulk extract. Confirm deadlines on SAM.gov before responding. Cite https://abierto.us/opportunities/paeaunmannedstratss.