Here's Why This New Mysterious Air Force Drone Contract Is A Big Deal (Updated)
The Off-Board Sensing Station combat drone, which will use a normal runway, focuses on affordability with an eye toward large-scale production.
By Joseph Trevithick October 26, 2021
The U.S. Air Force has awarded drone maker Kratos a contract to develop and flight test an unmanned aircraft as part of the secretive Off-Board Sensing Station program, or OBSS. Details about the OBSS project remain limited, but the effort has a clear, overarching focus on affordability. There are indications that this reflects a broader shift in how the Air Force views so-called "attritable" platforms, something Kratos has previously told The War Zone that it is already well prepared for on the design and manufacturing fronts.
The Pentagon first announced that the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) had awarded Kratos the OBSS contract late yesterday in a daily contracting notice. The deal has a base value of just under $17.7 million, with an additional option that, if exercised, would add another $31.4 million. That option would also extend the contract's period of performance from 12 months to 27 months. The existence of the OBSS project — and that Kratos was among the contenders — first emerged in August, and you can read more about what could be gleaned about this project at that time in the War Zone's initial reporting. It's not clear how many other companies submitted proposals or if any of them will also receive contracts.
https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/42884/heres-why-this-new-mysterious-air-force-drone-contract-is-a-big-deal
