F-35 Hand on Throttle and Stick HOTAS

SOL #: FA930226P0016Award Notice

Overview

Buyer

DEPT OF DEFENSE

Dept Of The Air Force

FA9302 AFTC PZZ

EDWARDS AFB, CA, 93524-1185, United States

Place of Performance

Edwards, CA

NAICS

Other Aircraft Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336413)

PSC

Training Aids (6910)

Set Aside

No set aside specified

Original Source

https://sam.gov/opp/4f995d13c9a1456a939c3dd7e08bb093/view

Timeline

Posted

Feb 27, 2026

Last Updated

Feb 27, 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 United States Air Force Test Center/Directorate of Contracting (AFTC/PZZG), located at Edwards AFB, CA, has awarded a sole-source contract to Stirling Dynamics Limited of Bristol, United Kingdom. This award, published on February 27, 2026, is for F-35 Hand on Throttle and Stick (HOTAS) 80Hz systems, which are critical for high-fidelity F-35 flight simulator operations.

Scope of Work

The contract covers the provision of custom-made F-35 HOTAS 80Hz equipment for Building 1030. Specific items include:

Simulated Sticks Excluding Grips (Qty 7)
Simulated Throttles Excluding Grips (Qty 7)
Essex F-35 JSF Side stick Grips (Qty 6)
Essex F-35 JSF Throttle Grips (Qty 6)
Rig Calibration and Maintenance (Qty 1)

Contract & Timeline

Type: Sole Source Award (Competition Other Than Full and Open)
Awardee: Stirling Dynamics Limited, UK
Set-Aside: Not Applicable (Sole Source)
Published: February 27, 2026
Place of Performance: Edwards, CA, United States

Reason for Sole Source

Stirling Dynamics Limited is the manufacturer of the unique 80Hz HOTAS system. The F-35 flight simulator requires active control systems that provide high-fidelity, active force feedback with a continuous update rate of 80Hz for force parameters in the stick and throttle. This 80Hz feedback capability is a unique and demanding technical requirement specific to critical Pilot and Flight Qualification (P&FQ) missions, which only Stirling Dynamics Limited's product can meet.