Arctic Exercise (ARCEX) 2025-Arctic Pioneering Air Charter Services

NOTE: This is the primary ARCEX 2025 requirement; the requirement under RFQ HTC711-25-Q-CC03 is in addition to this requirement.

Contract for Air Charter Services will be contingent upon air operator’s approval from the DoD Commercial Airlift Review Board (CARB). The aircraft will conduct operations from Deadhorse Airport (IATA: SCC/ICAO: PASC) and support flights to ice floes approximately 100 nautical miles (NM) to 225 NM from the airport in the northern direction (i.e. this is one-way distance from Deadhorse Airport and there is no fuel available en route or at the target ice floe). The aircraft must be equipped with GPS, navigation, and communication equipment. Air Operators are expected to procure fuel for their aircraft.

Contractor shall conduct charter aircraft service to cover a Pioneering Landing. The Pioneering Landing flight is the aircraft that conducts the initial landing on the sea-ice; there is no person on the ice at this time, the snow/ice is not groomed for a runway or skiway, and no measured ice thickness is available (although predicted ice thickness may be available). The plane may use wheels, skis, or a combination and have endurance minimum of five hours to travel to various ice floes, which have been selected by the Navy through satellite imagery analysis, approximately 100 NM to 225 NM from Deadhorse Airport (SCC) in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. The aircraft must be able to operate without a groomed runway. The aircraft operator and pilots must have experience with Pioneering Landings. The aircraft must be able to take off and land on the sea-ice in under 2,000 feet but a distance of 1,000 feet or less is highly preferred.

The aircraft shall accommodate at least four passengers, although the capability to accommodate more passengers is preferred. The experienced pilot will select a suitable landing site on the ice with the guidance and concurrence from the Navy’s representative (which may be a DoD employee or contractor with Pioneering experience). The aircraft must provide payload capacity for at least 2,000 lbs. to accommodate personnel and equipment. Navy representatives may bring ice augers, scientific equipment, communications equipment, emergency survival gear, electrical generators, and shelters. The Navy representative will provide survival gear (e.g. survival tent, insulated air pads, sleeping bags, Iridium phones with GPS) to accommodate passengers.

It is expected that the aircraft will remain on the sea-ice for approximately 1 – 2 hours during Pioneering Flights to conduct ice surveys.

Period of performance is 21 through 26 February 2025. Maximum of 30 hours. Minimum of 24 hours.