Rapid Runway Repair

The Air Force’s ability to rapidly repair airfield operating surfaces in an austere environment with a significantly reduced material and personnel footprint over current state-of-the-art is essential to support a resilient adaptive basing strategy.  Potential solutions are expected to leverage readily available indigenous materials coupled with novel binder and capping materials.  The proposed capability should also identify the method and equipment necessary for site-preparation and repair application.  Proposals will be reviewed based on expected solution size & weight, personnel required, repair quality, repair reassessment, expected solution costs, & repair time, in priority order.

This Challenge requires only a written proposal.

We are looking for solutions of novel material systems and processing techniques necessary to rapidly repair airfield operating surfaces with satisfactory quality and a significantly reduced size, weight, and application time.  The Seeker wishes to receive solutions addressing the technical requirements described in the Challenge section. 

This is a Theoretical Challenge that requires only a written proposal to be submitted.  The Challenge award will be contingent upon theoretical evaluation of the proposal by the Seeker. After this competition the Seeker will hold a separate field competition at the National Center for Medial Readiness (Calamityville) located in Fairborn Ohio, USA to compete for a $50,000 prize that will be based on a contest to repair a single crater using the proposed concept. Any viable submitter will be invited to participate by demonstrating their repair concept or working with a local company to test key components of their concept if they think they can beat the winner of this Theoretical Challenge. This would be for demonstrating key components of their solution and the winner would be based on time, manpower and adequacy of repair for a single crater projected up to the full requirement.

To receive an award, the Solvers will not have to transfer their exclusive IP rights to the Seeker.  Instead, they will grant to the Seeker non-exclusive license to practice their solutions.

Submissions to this Challenge must be received by 11:59 PM (US Eastern Time) on July 15, 2018. Late submissions will not be considered.