SAN ANTONIO, Texas / WASHINGTON — April 21, 2026 : The U.S. Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center (AFIMSC), operating under the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC), has issued a Sources Sought notice to assess industry capability for the TEAL Drones Black Widow small unmanned aerial system (sUAS). The notice, published on April 20, 2026, sets a response deadline of April 27, 2026, at 5:00 a.m. Central Daylight Time.
The request is categorized as market research and does not constitute a formal solicitation. The contracting office is located at 1517 Billy Mitchell Boulevard, Building 954, San Antonio, Texas, with Meredith Parker listed as the primary point of contact and LaTasha Boyd as the alternate.
Compliance Framework and Certification Requirements
The notice specifies that the system must comply with federal procurement restrictions governing unmanned systems. The platform is required to meet the provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) 2020 Section 848 and NDAA 2023 Section 817, which regulate the sourcing and cybersecurity of unmanned aerial systems.
Additionally, the required platform must be listed on the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) BLUE LIST, confirming that it has undergone cybersecurity and operational vetting for U.S. military use. The TEAL Drones Black Widow was confirmed to be included on the BLUE LIST as of April 20, 2026. These requirements align with broader Department of Defense efforts, supported by enforcement measures such as FCC Section 1709, to reduce reliance on foreign-manufactured drone systems.
Operational Requirement: Manned-Unmanned Teaming with F-35
A central requirement outlined in the notice is the capability for Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) with the F-35 fighter aircraft. The Air Force specifies that the sUAS must be capable of operating in proximity to a target while transmitting live video feeds and target telemetry data directly to an in-flight F-35 to support kinetic ordnance delivery.
This requirement represents a shift from traditional small UAS operations, where data transmission is typically limited to ground control stations. The integration of a lightweight tactical drone into a direct data-sharing role with a fifth-generation fighter indicates ongoing development of tactical-level data link architectures and operational concepts.
ATAK Integration and Networked Operations
The Air Force mandates native integration with the Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK). The requirement specifies that ATAK functionality must be embedded within the system’s core architecture rather than implemented through third-party interfaces. This is intended to enable seamless data exchange between dismounted personnel, command elements, and aerial platforms.
The system must support coordinated operations across air and ground units, with an emphasis on reducing latency and simplifying user workflows in contested environments.
Platform Specifications and Performance Parameters
The Sources Sought notice defines baseline performance and physical characteristics for the system. The required platform must feature a ruggedized, portable airframe weighing approximately 3.6 pounds, with a minimum flight endurance of 35 minutes.
The specified sensor payload is the Teledyne FLIR Hadron 640R+, an electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) imaging system designed for combined daylight and low-light surveillance and targeting.
The TEAL Drones Black Widow platform exceeds several of these baseline parameters in its standard configuration. The system has an actual weight of 4.26 pounds, endurance exceeding 45 minutes, a maximum speed of 13 meters per second, and an operational range of approximately 5 miles.
The Hadron 640R+ payload integrates a 64-megapixel electro-optical camera with a 67-degree horizontal field of view, capable of 4K video at 30 frames per second, alongside a Boson+ 640 radiometric infrared camera with a 32-degree horizontal field of view. The system incorporates both mechanical stabilization and electronic image stabilization.
Communications, Navigation, and Electronic Warfare Resilience
The Black Widow incorporates a modular architecture designed for adaptability in contested environments. It is equipped with a Doodle Labs Helix hex-band radio, supporting frequency-hopping across multiple bands to enhance resilience against electronic warfare and signal interference.
Navigation options include configurable GPS modules supporting civilian GNSS, M/Y-Code, or dual-band L1/L2 configurations, enabling operation in degraded or jammed environments. The system also supports visual navigation and forward-looking obstacle avoidance, allowing continued operation in GPS-denied conditions.
The platform utilizes onboard processing, including a Qualcomm RB5 processor, to support edge computing functions and real-time data handling.
Software, AI Capabilities, and ATAK Compatibility
The Black Widow is compatible with ATAK through an industry-developed UAS Tool interface, while the Air Force requirement emphasizes deeper native integration. The platform also supports FLIR Prism AI, which provides automated target identification, tracking, and classification capabilities.
These features are intended to reduce operator workload and improve decision-making speed in ISR missions.
Procurement Model and Cost Structure
The Air Force specifies a non-subscription procurement model, requiring that the system operate without mandatory recurring fees for software licensing, support, or warranties. This condition addresses concerns regarding lifecycle cost predictability and long-term sustainment expenses associated with commercial drone systems.
Industrial Base and Program Context
TEAL Drones, a subsidiary of Red Cat Holdings and based in Salt Lake City, Utah, manufactures the Black Widow in the United States. The platform is positioned as a domestically produced, NDAA-compliant alternative for tactical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.
The Black Widow serves as the successor to the Teal 2 and is part of the U.S. Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) program of record. It is designed as a rucksack-portable, field-repairable quadcopter for deployment in contested operational environments.
The platform has also been included in the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) catalogue and has reportedly been selected for deliveries to international partners, including a NATO ally and an Asia-Pacific military customer in 2026.
Broader Implications
The Sources Sought notice reflects ongoing Department of Defense efforts to field secure, domestically manufactured small UAS platforms while integrating them into advanced operational concepts. The requirement for direct interoperability with the F-35 highlights continued development of tactical data-sharing frameworks between small unmanned systems and fifth-generation aircraft.
Industry responses to the notice will inform the Air Force’s assessment of available capabilities and potential acquisition strategies, but the current request remains limited to information gathering and does not initiate a procurement process.
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