U.S. Air Force Seeks Anti-Aircraft Guns To Protect Its Overseas Bases

The U.S. Air Force issued a request for information on rapidly deployable, medium-caliber gun systems to defend overseas bases against subsonic cruise missiles and Group 1 through Group 5 unmanned aircraft. Candidate systems must combine affordable ammunition with radar, electro-optical, infrared, or radio-frequency sensors for reliable tracking in varied conditions. The service will compare fifteen baseline parameters, including salvo probability of kill, maximum engagement range and altitude, transportability, and cost per engagement. The effort supports a broader push for organic base defense after recent conflicts exposed the limits of relying primarily on scarce missile interceptors.