TIQUILA Programme Mini-unmanned Air Systems (MUAS)

Descriptions

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The TIQUILA programme objective is to deliver mini-unmanned air system (‘MUAS’) capability to provide intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (‘ISTAR’) roles in man-packable and man-portable loads in support of field operations.The contract delivery will be the responsibility of a systems integrator (‘SI’) working in conjunction with suppliers to meet developing demands and to keep pace with emergent technology and threats.The solution and equipment provided will be evolving and modular and be upgradeable in forward operating base workshops with limited basic tools to enable the system to fulfil multiple roles and maintain pace with technology and emerging threats.The systems integrator is required to manage the through-life delivery and sustainment including the following:(a) provision of man-packable MUAS (up to 8 kg system weight, up to 4 kg max take-off weight) and man-portable MUAV (up to 20 kg max take-off weight) that operate from a common Ground Control Station (‘GCS’) with an Electro Optical/Infra-Red (‘EO/IR’) payload that meets the requirements of the TIQUILA programme;(b) provision of goods and service in support of the above;(c) a technical and digital architecture that is modular with open standards interfaces and enables the simple integration of new capabilities and upgrades to be incorporated into common base units;(d) maintain awareness and understanding of novel and emergent technologies that could be applicable to the TIQUILA programme; and(e) the implementation of supplier enabling arrangement(s) (‘SEA(s)’) and/or other subcontract arrangements, that provide a flexible commercial model that engages with the unmanned air systems (‘UAS’) market, industry, and academia; with the aim to encourage innovation and new entrants into the supply chain, to meet developing demands and to keep pace with emergent technology and threats.The anticipated contract duration will be for a period of 120 months. The TIQUILA contract may contain options to extend the duration of the contract beyond the anticipated contract 120 month period and/or to vary the volume of goods and services to be delivered. Options to extend will be up to a maximum of 24 months subject to the approval of the authority prior to the expiry of the anticipated 120 month period.