Air Force Seeks Market Input on U-2 ASARS-2 Radar Sustainment

The U.S. Air Force, through the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC), is conducting market research on potential long-term engineering, repair, and sustainment support for the U-2’s ASARS-2 radar and associated ground-support equipment. The request for information (RFI) asks industry to inform the government’s understanding of capabilities relevant to the system. Responses are due November 18, 2026, at 3 p.m. Eastern. The notice is explicitly not a solicitation, and it does not state a contract value, performance period, or commitment to make an award.

The work areas identified in the RFI span more than routine repairs. They include engineering and depot maintenance, obsolescence management, software updates, configuration management, calibration, and integration, alongside broader sustainment activities. For prospective respondents, this breadth makes the RFI an opportunity to describe both technical depth and the ability to manage a complex, aging airborne sensor system and its supporting equipment. Companies should respond to the government’s market-research needs without treating the RFI as evidence that a procurement will proceed on a particular schedule or scope.

A central procurement consideration is access to proprietary sensor data and design information needed to perform the work. Firms evaluating a response should determine whether they can obtain the technical information required to support ASARS-2 and the associated equipment, and explain any dependencies, constraints, or teaming needs. Relevant capabilities may include repair expertise, software and configuration control, calibration and integration, obsolescence planning, and cybersecurity. A credible market-research response can help the government assess the available industrial base, but the RFI itself does not resolve data-access arrangements or establish how future work would be competed.

The planned retirement of the U-2 by the end of FY2027 adds significant uncertainty to the potential duration and scale of any future requirement. That timeline may affect the economics of building capacity, retaining specialized personnel, investing in tooling, or arranging access to proprietary information. Raytheon, part of RTX, is identified as the incumbent for ASARS-2A support under contract FA8528-20-D-0023. Other firms considering participation should assess whether they can contribute as a prime or teammate, while accounting for the incumbent’s existing support role and the uncertain future operating life of the aircraft.

• RFI deadline: Responses are due November 18, 2026, at 3 p.m. Eastern.
• Issuing organization: The U.S. Air Force, through the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, is conducting market research.
• System scope: The inquiry concerns the U-2’s ASARS-2 radar and associated ground-support equipment.
• Potential work areas: Engineering, repair, sustainment, depot maintenance, obsolescence management, software updates, configuration management, calibration, and integration.
• Information-access consideration: Respondents should assess their ability to access the proprietary sensor data and design information needed for support.
• Cyber and technical capabilities: Firms should describe relevant repair, obsolescence-management, software, configuration, calibration, integration, and cybersecurity capabilities.
• Procurement status: The RFI is for market research only; it is not a solicitation and does not establish an award commitment, contract value, or performance period.
• Program-horizon risk: The U-2 is planned for retirement by the end of FY2027, creating uncertainty about the duration and scale of any future support requirement.
• Incumbent context: Raytheon, part of RTX, is identified as the incumbent for ASARS-2A support under contract FA8528-20-D-0023.