Indirect Fire Protection Capability
Integrated Fire Protection Capability (IFPC)

The Integrated Fire Protection Capability Increment 2-Intercept, IFPC Inc 2-I, is a defense system in development to protect Soldiers from aircraft, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial systems, as well as artillery weapons like cannons, rockets and mortars. As an emerging Army air defense system, not only does it have the requirement to defend against a wide variety of threats, but it also must integrate into the Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense system. AIAMD is a networked air defense control system also going through testing on WSMR.

By 2021 Rafael and Raytheon were competing with Dynetics to supply the Army with a system to defend against airborne threats and cruise missiles. Dynetics, owned by Leidos, demonstrated its Enduring Shield system for the interception of cruise missiles, while Rafael and Raytheon demonstrated the Iron Dome system and the "Tamir" interceptor, which the two companies are already providing to the Army. The Army announced that it would use Iron Dome until it reached a final decision on the acquisition of a system for intercepting cruise missiles.

The Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 – Intercept (IFPC Increment 2-I) Block 1 System is a mobile, ground-based weapon system designed to defeat unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and cruise missiles. The Block 1 System will use an existing interceptor and sensor and will develop a Multi-Mission Launcher (MML) on an existing vehicle platform to support the Counter-UAS (C-UAS) and Cruise Missile Defense (CMD) missions. The system will use the Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense (AIAMD) open systems architecture, and will use the AIAMD Integrated Battle Command System as its mission command component.

"If you go back and take a look at what has happened in terms of the threat over the last couple years you'll find that UAS systems and cruise missiles have really become a problem," said Col. Terrence Howard, program manager for Cruise Missile Defense Systems. "So we've got to introduce materiel solutions that can address multiple threats.... The idea behind that is 'plug and fight,' take multiple systems, multiple radars, and put it on a network and solve whatever threat situation we have out there".

In March and April 2016, IFPC Inc 2-I is conducting several launches to test the systems ability to launch various missile types, and demonstrate its ability to connect to the AIAMD system and utilize its Integrated Battle Command System, IBCS, a computer system that allows a small number of Soldiers to better manage and control a complex air defense network composed of different radars and missile systems.

"(It's about) integration of a lot of existing capability," said Tamera Adams, chief engineer with the Army's Cruise Missile Defense Systems projects. "It's kind of like if you're trying to put together a new stereo system in your house. You're buying speakers from this vendor, a turntable from another and a DVD player from another. You're trying to put them together to get the best capability for your house."

One of the most visible features of the IFPC Inc 2-I system is its Multi-Mission Launcher, MML. The launcher, mounted on a medium tactical truck similar in size to a delivery truck, carries 15 modular missile launch tubes on a turret system allowing the missiles to be launched in almost any direction. The vehicle's size allows it to be placed in nearly any location, and the tube system will allow the launcher to customize its missile loadout, to meet the requirements of many different missions.

By early 2016 To date the program has launched a Hellfire Longbow and a pair of AIM-9X Sidewinders utilizing the IBCS and sensor data from a Sentinel radar unit, as well as conducting a ballistic test of the Miniature Hit-to-Kill missile, a compact missile intended for use against rocket, artillery and mortar threats. In most of these tests the IFPC Inc 2-I system is being used against targets representing cruise missile or UAS threats to allow the IFPC Inc 2-I test to evaluate not just the systems compatibility with the IBCS and missiles, but also evaluate how it performs against those threats. "We're firing the entire kill chain and seeing what the end product looks like as we shoot at unmanned aerial systems and cruise missiles," Howard said.

IFPC Inc 2-I is a joint collaborative effort between the Army's Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space's Cruise Missile Defense Systems Project Office and the Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center. Produced largely in house by the Army, the program has seen rapid progress, going from concept, to demonstrator, to its current full featured prototype form in only a few years. "We've been working for the past 24 months, on maturing the design of our new launcher and integrating with three major existing programs: AIAMD, the sentinel radar system and the AIM-9X missile," Adams said.

As the Army's premiere location for the test of complex missile and air defense systems, as well as the existing presences of the AIAMD program, WSMR was the logical choice for this test series. WSMR has supported the IFPC demonstrator in previous testing, and is able to provide not only the space, but also the targets, telemetry, staff and infrastructure needed for testing counter cruise missile and UAS systems. "(WSMR has) the technical expertise to run these ranges and really provide the data we need to get out of the test and the test results," Howard said. "So we can go back and do our analysis and say 'did we get this right?'"

The U.S. Army Contracting Command – Redstone Arsenal (ACC-RSA) solicited proposals 07 April 2021 under Notice ID PANSA-21-P-0000-006250 for the Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 (IFPC Inc 2) Prototype using an Other Transaction Authority for Prototype (OTAP) in accordance with (IAW) 10 United States Code (U.S.C.) 2371b. U.S. Army Contracting Command – Redstone Arsenal (ACC-RSA), Missiles and Space Systems Directorate on behalf of the U.S. Army Program Executive Office Missiles and Space (PEO MS) SHIELD Project Office, IFPC Inc 2 Product Office solicited proposals for the development of an IFPC Inc 2 launcher/interceptor solution and delivery of sixteen (16) launcher prototypes and eighty (80) fieldable interceptor prototypes and associated All Up Round Magazines (AUR-M).

ACC-RSA, on behalf of the SHIELD Project Office, is seeking proposals for new, innovative solutions to address the IFPC Inc 2 requirements. The IFPC Inc 2 Acquisition Strategy is a rapid prototyping initiative to develop, qualify, and deliver fieldable prototypes to enter into Government testing and to support the IFPC Inc 2 combat capability by FY 2023. The Selecting Official will select the proposal that is most advantageous and represents the best value to the USG based on an integrated assessment of the evaluation results.

The IFPC Inc 2 Prototype effort is to rapidly develop, qualify, and deliver fieldable prototypes to enter into Government testing and to support the IFPC Inc 2 combat capability by Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. The IFPC Inc 2 is a mobile, ground-based weapon system designed to defeat subsonic Cruise Missiles (CMs), Group 2/3 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), Rockets, Artillery, and Mortars (RAM), and other aerial threats. The U.S. Army’s Sentinel radar serves as the IFPC Inc 2 sensor, while the U.S. Army’s Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) provides IFPC Inc 2 mission command functionality and service, and joint connectivity to support the system’s net-ready requirement. The IFPC Inc 2 provides 360-degree protection of critical fixed and semi-fixed assets, with the capability to engage simultaneous threats arriving from different azimuths. The U.S. Army will predominantly employ IFPC Inc 2 equipped forces in the operational support area, bridging the gap between tactical (e.g., Short Range Air Defense (SHORAD)) and strategic (e.g., Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and Patriot) Air and Missile Defense (AMD) forces.

The proposal shall be clearly and concisely prepared to demonstrate that the Offeror has a complete understanding of the requirements. The Offeror shall prepare the proposal based on the assumption that the USG has no previous knowledge of the Offeror’s capabilities. The proposal will be evaluated by the USG only on the information specifically provided by the Offeror. Only one integrated proposal will be accepted. The USG will not accept proposals that require the integration of partial contractor proposals into an integrated whole. No assumptions shall be included in any proposal submission.

The Offeror is cautioned that “parroting” a requirement of either the IFPC Inc 2 System Performance Specification, or the IFPC Inc 2 Prototype SOW, with a statement of intent to perform does not reflect an understanding of the requirement or capability to perform. Capability is more important than Schedule. Schedule is more important than Price. The combination of all factors 1 and 2 are more important than Price. However, Price may be used as the determining factor when ratings of acceptable proposals are closely grouped.