Navy Issues Restricted UCLASS Draft Request for Proposal

The U.S. Navy released a long-awaited draft request for proposal (RFP) for the Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) aircraft.
Secretary of the Navy signed-off on the draft RFP.
The purpose of the draft RFP is to solicit industry to design, develop, assemble, deliver, test and integrate the air segment into the UCLASS system.
The UCLASS draft RFP was planned to have been released in the middle of 2013, but the document was repeatedly delayed due to disagreements about the technical specifications for the aircraft.
The final RFP is expected later this year.
The draft RFP as released to the four industry teams—General Atomics, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.
The UCLASS would also have a light strike capability to eliminate targets of opportunity.
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