- The Coast Guard plans to release a solicitation on Dec. 23
- Shield AI is the incumbent contractor
- DHS Deputy Secretary Troy Edgar will keynote the 2026 Homeland Security Summit
The U.S. Coast Guard is planning a follow-on contract for its medium-range unmanned aircraft system, or MR-UAS, program, with a potential award valued at more than $100 million.
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Shield AI holds the incumbent contract. In June 2024, the company received the contract, valued at approximately $198 million, to deliver a vertical take-off and landing unmanned aircraft system to support airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
What Are the Contract Terms and Timeline?
According to an acquisition forecast updated Monday, the MR-UAS program will support airborne ISR across the Coast Guard’s 11 statutory missions.
The service anticipates releasing the solicitation Dec. 23, with a contract award expected in the third quarter of fiscal year 2027.
The planned acquisition is structured as a competitive indefinite-delivery contract with firm-fixed-price terms. Work is expected to be completed by July 1, 2037.
The agency plans to share detailed technical and operational requirements with industry through outreach events during the recompete period.
How Does the MR-UAS Recompete Fit Into the Coast Guard’s Broader Autonomy Strategy?
The planned MR-UAS procurement comes as the Coast Guard advances a broader effort to incorporate robotics and autonomous systems into its operations. The service has outlined a $350 million investment in robotics and autonomous capabilities and established the CG-781 Robotics and Autonomous Systems Office to oversee these technologies.
In April, the agency also sought industry input on Group 2 and Group 3 unmanned aircraft, including contractor-owned and contractor-operated capabilities for deployment aboard cutters and at shore-based sites.
The agency’s unmanned aviation portfolio also includes a $247.8 million order recently awarded to General Atomics on Sept. 25 for four MQ-9B long-range unmanned aircraft systems, ground control stations and supporting equipment.
