NAVAIR Patuxent River, MD -- The Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Unmanned Aircraft System source selection process began formally May 3 upon receipt of proposals from aerospace manufacturers interested in providing the new system to the Navy.

Source selection is expected to be announced this fall with contract award following soon after.

“This is a full and open competition and we are satisfied with the number, breadth and technical maturity of the proposals we have received,” said Cdr. Bob Dishman, BAMS Integrated Product team lead “We are confident the Warfighter will receive a great new capability that’s supportable and affordable as a result of this effort.”

The BAMS program will enter the development and demonstration phase at Milestone B and is expected to cost approximately $2 billion – a large portion of which will be for the selected offeror’s developmental contract, according to program officials.

An exact contract award will not be announced until the contract is actually signed.

Managed by the Naval Air Systems Command’s Navy and Marine Corps Unmanned Air Systems Program (PMA-263), “BAMS will provide a persistent maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data collection and dissemination capability to the fleet,” explained Dishman, “and serve as a force multiplier for the joint force and Fleet commander, enhancing situations awareness of the battlespace, and shortening the sensor-to-shooter kill chain.”

BAMS missions will include maritime surveillance, collection of enemy order of battle information, battle damage assessment, port surveillance, communication relay, and supports: maritime interdiction, surface warfare, battlespace management and targeting for maritime and strike missions.

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