BQM-177A Subsonic Aerial Target Components

SOL #: N6893624R0003JustificationSole Source

Overview

Buyer

Dept Of Defense

Dept Of The Navy

NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER

CHINA LAKE, CA, 93555-6018, United States

Place of Performance

Place of performance not available

NAICS

Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419)

PSC

Guided Missile Components (1420)

Set Aside

No set aside specified

Original Source

https://sam.gov/opp/8ef736d0a3e54ec6b0e7c058d784ed59/view

Timeline

Posted

Apr 27, 2026

Last Updated

Apr 30, 2026

Qualification Details

Fit reasons

NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.

Risks

Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.

Next steps

Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.

Quick Summary

The Department of the Navy, Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWCWD) has issued a Justification and Approval (J&A) for a sole-source contract award to Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems, Inc. (KUAS). This action is for the procurement of BQM-177A Subsonic Aerial Target (SSAT) Pre-Expended Bin (PEB) replenishment components and post-flight consumable components. These items are critical for PMA-208 flight testing conducted by the Threat Target Systems Department (TTSD) at Pt. Mugu, California. The estimated value for this requirement is $13.2 million over fiscal years 2024-2028.

Scope of Work

The contract covers the provision of specific hardware for the BQM-177A target system, including:

PEB components, which require replacement during pre-flight inspections as necessary.
Post-flight consumable components, which are replaced after each flight test.

Contract Details

Type: Sole-Source Justification and Approval (J&A)
Estimated Value: $13.2M (FY24-28 Total)
Statutory Authority: 10 U.S.C. Section 3204(c)(1) - Only one responsible source.
Set-Aside: None (Sole Source)
Published Date: April 30, 2026

Rationale for Sole Source

KUAS is identified as the sole designer, developer, and manufacturer of the BQM-177A SSAT system, possessing exclusive technical data rights. The Government does not have adequate data rights to compete this requirement, and procuring the technical data package (TDP) is deemed cost-prohibitive. Awarding to any other source would lead to substantial duplication of costs and significant delays due to the extensive research, development, testing, and qualification required for an alternative target system.

Market Research

Market research efforts included two Sources Sought Synopses published on SAM.gov (August 14, 2023, and March 13, 2024), both of which received no responses. An industry market survey by PMA-208 also failed to identify any other capable sources.

Future Competition

Currently, there are no plans to compete future contracts for these specific supplies and services. Future competition will only be assessed if a potential new source emerges.