Miniature Air-Launched Decoy Naval (MALD-N)
While the ADM-160B/C had been the preserve of the US Air Force, the US Navy had interest in the MALD concept. The Miniature Air-Launched Decoy, MALD®, is an expendable flight vehicle that confuses enemy air defenses by hiding in plain sight — posing as friendly aircraft or cruise missile. It weighs less than 300 pounds and has an approximate range of 500 nautical miles.
With initial operating capability declared in 2016, MALD-J added radar-jamming capability to the basic MALD platform. MALD-X, an advanced electronic warfare effector demonstration for the Strategic Capabilities Office under the U.S. Secretary of Defense, demonstrated an improved electronic warfare payload, a modular payload section, low-altitude flight, a datalink and an intelligent design engine. MALD-N will build on the successes of the MALD-X demonstration. As a network enabled platform, MALD-X (and MALD-N) will be able to operate in 'swarms' of many decoys.
In an effort to counter enemy air defenses and reduce the number of weapons needed to penetrate them, the Navy began development on a new system of decoy jammers that can be fired in tandem with armed missiles. In addition to drawing enemy fire away from actual weapons, the Miniature Air Launched Decoy (MALD-N) will also be equipped with jamming technology to further suppress enemy defenses. One problem is that targets are very heavily defended with very sophisticated defense systems, and since operators are not in a one shot-one kill mindset, so they have to put multiple weapons downrange to saturate the enemy defenses. MALD-N is going to help with this problem.
The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) issued Jan 18, 2018 a sole source contract with Cost-Plus-Incentive-Fee (CPIF) and Firm Fixed Price (FFP) Contract Line Items Numbers (CLINs) to Raytheon Missile Systems (RMS) for the development of a Navy specific Miniature Air Launch Decoy-Navy (MALD-N) air vehicle. This contract may include multiple options for follow-on requirements. These requirements will be procured in accordance with the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition under 10 U.S.C 2304(c) (1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, "Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements." RMS is the original designer, developer, and manufacturer of the United States Air Force (USAF) Miniature Air Launch Decoy (MALD) weapon system and, as such, owns the proprietary data that is required to perform the efforts under this requirement. RMS is also the only known source that possesses the knowledge of the MALD air vehicle facilities, data, tooling, and experience required to successfully provide these supplies and services to complete these efforts.
The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Sep 25, 2018 a Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee contract for $46,663,856 for the Miniature Air Launched Decoy- Navy (MALD-N), Technical Maturation and Risk Reduction. These requirements are procured in accordance with the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition under 10 U.S.C 2304(c) (1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, "Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements."
The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Jan 30, 2019 a Cost-Plus-Incentive-Fee contract modification, P00002, for $32,958,080 for the Miniature Air Launched Decoy-Navy (MALD-N), Engineering and Manufacturing Development. These requirements are procured in accordance with the statutory authority permitting other than full and open competition under 10 U.S.C 2304(c) (1), as implemented by FAR 6.302-1, "Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements."
The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Apr 29, 2019 a Undefinitized Contract Action, Cost-Plus-Incentive-Fee contract modification for a Not-To-Exceed Amount of $19,530,007 for the Miniature Air Launched Decoy-Navy (MALD-N), Engineering and Manufacturing Development and Payload Integration.
Raytheon Company was awarded a U.S. Navy contract for the Miniature Air-Launched Decoy – Navy, as announced by the U.S. Department of Defense on Dec. 20, 2019. The MALD® decoy is an expendable air-launched flight vehicle that looks like a U.S. or allied aircraft to enemy integrated air defense systems. Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $112,267,649 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract. This modification provides non-recurring engineering support throughout the engineering and manufacturing development phase as well as through payload integration and transition to production for the MALD-N. Work will be performed in Tucson (65%); and Goleta, California (35%), and is expected to be completed in September 2022. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Patuxent River, MD, announced May 20, 2020 intent to negotiate and award a modification under contract N00019-18-C-0088 to Raytheon Missile Systems (RMS), Tucson, AZ, to de-scope Early Operational Capability (EOC) and add options for RSS kits, initiator testing, and structural ground testing to the Miniature Air Launched Decoy – Navy (MALD-N) Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) Statement of Work (SOW). The Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of 10 U.S.C.2304(c)(1) and FAR 6.302-1, “Only One Responsible Source and No Other Type of Supplies or Services will Satisfy Agency Requirements.” Raytheon is the sole designer, developer, manufacturer, and integrator of MALD-N, and therefore is the only contractor with the requisite knowledge, experience, and technical data that can meet the Government's requirements on a timely basis and in a cost effective manner.
MALD-N was initially scheduled for an early operational capability (EOC) on the F/A-18 in 2021, with IOC set for 2022. The US Navy poised to order 250 MALD-N systems in FY21 and FY22. Some thought the U.S. Navy never had serious intentions to procure the MALD and relies on further developments of the proven ADM-141C ITALD (Improved Tactical Air-Launched Decoy) instead.
The Naval Air System Command (NAVAIR), Patuxent River, Maryland, on 10 March 2020 announced plans to issue a Sole Source Cost Plus Incentive Fee-type contract to Raytheon Missile Systems (RMS), Tucson, AZ. for the Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) for the Miniature Air Launched Decoy-Navy (MALD-N). The proposed action is for services and supplies for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under the authority of FAR 6.302-1, "Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements." RMS is the sole designer, developer, manufacturer, and integrator of the MALD, and therefore is the only contractor with the requisite knowledge, experience, and technical data that can meet the Government's requirements on a timely basis and in a cost effective manner.
The US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on 20 May 2020 announced that it intended to negotiate and award a sole-source contract modification to Raytheon Missiles and Defense (RMD) under contract N00019-18-C-0088, a Raytheon Technologies business, “to de-scope Early Operational Capability (EOC) and add options for RSS [Radar Signal Simulator] kits, initiator testing, and structural ground testing to the Miniature Air Launched Decoy – Navy (MALD-N) Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) Statement of Work (SOW)”. The MALD-N benefits from technology advances delivered through the Raytheon MALD-X evolved stand-in jammer development, which incorporates a modular front-end, an improved jamming payload, and a low-altitude capability with the MALD-J airframe. Raytheon is the sole designer, developer, manufacturer, and integrator of MALD-N, and therefore is the only contractor with the requisite knowledge, experience, and technical data that can meet the Government's requirements on a timely basis and in a cost effective manner.
NAVAIR announced the award to Raytheon Missile Systems, now RMD, of a USD33 million 24-month EMD phase contract for MALD-N in January 2019. That award followed a USD46.6 million technical maturation and risk reduction (TMRR) contract placed by the command in September 2018. Intended to address the US Navy’s (USN’s) requirement for a network-enabled stand-in jammer to support suppression of enemy air defence missions, MALD-N is an evolution of the US Air Force (USAF) ADM-160C, the datalink-equipped Miniature Air Launched Decoy – Jammer (MALD-J) system – a subscale, turbojet-powered, air-launched decoy/jammer with a maximum range of about 500 n miles (925 km).
On 24 November 2021 the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Precision Strike Weapons Program Office (PMA-201) announced that it intended to enter into sole source negotiations and subsequently issue a sole source IDIQ contract to Raytheon Missiles & Defense (RMD), Tucson, AZ. This effort is estimated for award in the fourth quarter of calendar year 2022 with a twelve month base period and four (4) twelve month option periods. This effort is for engineering support, training support, analysis/studies, integration and test event support, and support for Program Management Reviews (PMRs) for the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) and Miniature Air Launched Decoy – Navy (MALD-N) programs. These services include support of missiles, facilities, support equipment, training, and JSOW / MALD-N related engineering support efforts.
Raytheon is the sole designer, developer, and manufacturer for the JSOW and MALD-N and as such is the only company that has the requisite knowledge, production tooling, facilities, and technical data necessary to meet this requirement.
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