The requirement was issued by the 90th Contracting Squadron at F.E. Warren, home to the 90th Missile Security Operations Squadron under Air Force Global Strike Command. The planned purchase is small, covering six multirotor drones and six payload-release devices.
The Air Force is seeking two DJI Mavic 2 Pro Fly More quadcopters, two DJI Mini 3 Pro aircraft and two DJI Avata 2 Fly More Combo packages. The value of the purchase is expected to remain in the low tens of thousands of dollars, with the contract due to go to the lowest-priced offer that meets the technical requirements.
A justification document signed July 29 said DJI controls an estimated 80% to 85% of the global commercial drone market. It said the company’s proprietary electronic protocols, radio-frequency signatures and flight characteristics cannot be replicated by unmanned aircraft produced in the United States or allied countries.
“To properly test countermeasure systems and train our operators against the most statistically likely real-world threat, the 90 MSOS must use the devices that adversaries are most likely to use,” the Air Force said in the justification. The requirement therefore centers on exposing counter-drone systems and operators to actual DJI signals rather than substitutes intended to simulate them.
The document also addresses cybersecurity risks associated with Chinese-manufactured drones. Each DJI aircraft would have RIZER software installed before it enters service to isolate the platform from external networks.
The Air Force described RIZER as an overriding drone software system that creates a fully air-gapped environment. Under that configuration, the aircraft would be unable to transmit or download telemetry or imagery to foreign entities or Department of War networks.
The planned acquisition comes as Washington moves to increase trade barriers on foreign-made drones and components. President Donald Trump signed an order on Aug. 13 imposing new tariffs, including a 100% rate on certain imported drones considered particularly significant to U.S. national security.
That means the eventual purchase may cost more than the Air Force initially anticipated, even though its overall value remains limited. The requirement reflects the service’s decision to use commercially dominant Chinese drones as realistic training targets while applying technical safeguards intended to contain the associated cybersecurity risks.
