MH-139 Defensive Weapon System

The U.S. Air Force is conducting market research to identify sources capable of designing, integrating, and testing a modernized Defensive Weapon System (DWS) for the MH-139A aircraft. The objective is to upgrade the current M-240D DWS to better meet operational requirements. The proposed solution must be rapidly acquirable, using components that are commercially available or within military supply wherever possible. Key requirements for the modified system include a universal pintle mounting solution, ammunition capacity, and a field of fire of at least 85 degrees forward, -85 degrees aft, 4 degrees elevation, and -65 degrees depression. * The system must feature a weapon-agnostic mounting solution capable of supporting standard DoD crew-served weapons. * The system must support a continuous firing rate of at least 650 rounds per minute for at least one minute with a 30 second or less reload time. * The crew must be able to safely clear weapon malfunctions and perform full ammunition reloads both in-flight and on the ground without the use of specialized tools. * The system must safely expel spent casings and links overboard without causing damage to the aircraft and without the use of a collection device.