Establishing Ad-Hoc Distributed Network Across Heterogeneous RF Systems - SBIR Topic OSW26BZ01-DV001

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $1.5 Million

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Successful Joint Operations executed by the U.S. Department of War (DoW) rely on tight coordination, synchronization, and tactical communication across multiple service components and platforms. The Joint Force faces real-time communication and coordination challenges between modern, more flexible systems and the much larger inventory of older legacy platforms that were independently acquired by each service. Virtually all platforms have one or more types of Radio Frequency (RF) apertures and backend electronics that could be used to coordinate effects, but they lack the appropriate firmware (FW) or software (SW) to enable cross platform synchronization of those effects due to compatibility or proprietary software interface constraints. Multiple land, sea, air, and space assets would benefit from software and firmware enhancements to increase communication and synchronization effectiveness across the Joint Force.

Description:

The objective of this effort is to assess and implement advanced SW/FW enhancements onto existing platform(s) to enable heterogeneous multifunction RF systems to communicate and synchronize activities to increase effectiveness of Joint Force operations. A large defense contractor that produces high volume, (hundreds or thousands of production units) may be hesitant to change their baseline SW/FW to incorporate new capabilities. The Government is interested in an experienced agile, small business software developer to study and implement communication applications onto a large defense contractor’s target software defined radio (SDR) to enable greater Joint interoperability. Key aspects of the study are to assess SW/FW compatibility with the target SDR; identify hardware and software constraints; assess cyber vulnerabilities; and culminate in a proof-of-concept lab demonstration to establish an ad-hoc network between heterogeneous RF systems. Additionally, the study seeks to generate a roadmap and identify risk reduction activities that should be performed in order to fully integrate these new capabilities into operational systems. The proposed solution should support integration with DoW’s existing RF systems, payloads, and operations to improve mission agility, reduce mission risk, and enhance Joint Operations.

Competitive proposals must originate from performers that have previously demonstrated SW/FW integration of multi-function operations, in a laboratory environment or in open-air testing, between heterogeneous DoW RF systems. The Government is particularly interested in enabling diverse ad-hoc data network node establishment between dissimilar RF mission systems. These DoW payloads or platforms of interest for this application are Communication, Command and Control (C2), Electronic Warfare (EW), or Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) systems. This use of diverse RF mission platforms, payloads, and leveraging multiplexed signals to establish non-traditional data distribution nodes while still performing the primary mission would greatly increase Joint interoperability.

The proposer will need to work closely with a DoW-DIRECTED defense contractor to implement SW/FW modifications to the target SDR to enable heterogeneous multifunction RF systems to communicate and synchronize activities. The specific defense contractor will be identified to the proposer upon notification of selection for the D2P2 award. FEASIBILITY DOCUMENTATION:

Documentation should include all relevant information including, but not limited to: technical reports, test data, prototype designs/models, and performance goals/results.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Low-Cost Multi-Mission Dip Sonar for Mine Warfare and Anti-submarine Warfare (Inner/Middle Zone) - SBIR Topic DON26BZ01-NV005

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $240,000

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Develop initial designs for a reduced cost, next generation helicopter dip sonar system utilizing multi-frequency band capabilities for traditional and enhanced anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities for both inner and middle zone coverage (broadening to wide area search) as well as introducing aviation (naval) mine countermeasure (AMCM) capabilities.

Description:

The United States Navy has long utilized dipping sonar systems on aircraft for Air ASW. The most recent sonar systems continue to show dominance in the Air ASW role with the ability to cover larger and larger areas of ocean. Simultaneously, various configurations of acoustic, electro-optic and electromagnetic sensor systems have been used in AMCM operations, with the newest remaining fielded systems offering limited mission coverage. As the Navy looks to new maritime strike future vertical lift capabilities, there will be an increased effort to combine capabilities into fewer unique aircraft platforms. To facilitate the merger of missions into fewer aircraft, it will become crucial to also combine more mission capabilities into individual mission systems. The resultant design from this effort is expected to provide increased capabilities across more aircraft of a singular configuration with the combination of improved Air ASW capability and added AMCM capability into a singular mission system, which in turn also will reduce the expected training and logistics costs with fewer variants of equipment to cover. Additionally, with continued retirements of existing mine-countermeasures systems, the Fleet will have an urgent need for other air-based AMCM capabilities/coverage and may want to consider implementing capabilities on other naval helicopters using existing, modified, or new sensors of acoustic, electro-optic, magnetic, and radio-frequency types.

Traditionally, the Navy developed and fielded acoustic ASW and AMCM systems independently while the physics of the underwater acoustic environment is a shared problem with differing targets and typical frequency bands of interest as a result. Additionally, acoustic ASW systems (i.e., sonobuoys and helicopter dip sonars) are of compact size and can be utilized on a medium lift helicopter or smaller, while acoustic AMCM systems have typically targeted installation on heavy-lift helicopters. Incorporation of a secondary frequency band capability into a helicopter dip sonar transducer assembly would quickly bring AMCM capability to a typically large number of traditionally ASW helicopters and bring air-based AMCM capability to the Navy’s air-capable ships, simultaneously with ASW capability. The multi-mission capability of such a sonar transducer assembly would also allow one aircraft, without reconfiguring, cover both ASW and AMCM mission sets for reduced maintenance and reducing the equipment needed to be stored while afloat in space-constrained ships.

The objective is to develop initial designs for a reduced cost, next generation helicopter dip sonar system utilizing multi-frequency band capabilities for traditional and enhanced anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities for both inner and middle zone coverage (broadening to wide area search) as well as introducing aviation (naval) mine countermeasure (AMCM) capabilities.

The system would also be utilized either in its full capability configuration or at a reduced capability configuration as a retrofit into the multi-mission helicopter as a replacement for the existing dipping sonar system transducer, while at a decreased unit and sustainment cost (below Class A mishap thresholds if lost in flight, with a goal of below a Class C threshold).

Minimally funded Science and Technology efforts have previously been performed to assess USN dipping sonar capability to detect naval mines using the system, acoustic pulses/frequencies, and processing in its existing ASW configuration and have shown success in detecting nearly every naval mine based on post-flight data analysis. Enhancing that capability with a secondary frequency band and associated beam steering, as well as uniquely developed pulses and processing across both frequency bands, is expected to provide a significant AMCM capability while retaining both traditional ASW superiority and enhanced ASW detection and classification capabilities for certain scenarios.

In addition to introducing AMCM capabilities into a traditional ASW sensor system, no significant improvements in the traditional ASW sonar transducer assemblies available from industry have been introduced since the last dipping sonar system competitive source selection conducted in the late 1980s. Increasing costs of the existing USN sonar systems continue to drive concerns regarding the long term affordability of the existing fielded systems and any future variants thereof, and continue to pose a risk of generating an equipment cost loss equivalent to a Class A mishap record if the transducer is lost from the aircraft. As such, decreasing the recurring production costs of a future transducer assembly are of significant concern and ensuring improved supportability. Noting that sonobuoys are similar advanced acoustic sensor systems made in large quantities for production unit costs of less than $15k/each indicates that a highly capable sonar transducer design would be capable of being generated with a much more reasonable forecast production cost well below $500k/each.

Additionally, the ability for the new sonar transducer to be retrofit in place of existing USN fielded sonar transducers (form/fit/function compatible) used on the existing USN aircraft while utilizing existing sonar processing (~3-5 kHz frequency band) and bringing AMCM capability and new added ASW capabilities to the traditionally ASW-focused helicopters is of interest utilizing a higher frequency band in the same unit.

Lastly, it would be a significant advancement in helicopter-based ASW capabilities if a tertiary frequency band below 2 kHz was also added to expand mission capabilities to broach wide area search and explore advantages of convergence zone type capabilities, while retaining the inherent existing direct path detection coverage of the mid-frequency 3-5kHz band, for full spectrum coverage of the surrounding areas.

The new multi-frequency band sonar transducer would be desired to have at least the following characteristics:

- Primary transmit array would be omnidirectional for ASW in the horizontal plane

- Primary acoustic transmit band for ASW: 3-5 kHz.

- Primary receive array would be capable of supporting 24 beams for primary ASW capabilities

- Consider using Single Crystal transducer technology or other new technology to reduce the weight and improve bandwidth.

- Overall weight must be less than 180 lbs.

- Primary electronics power and transmission signal power for the unit must be provided from an external transmitter/amplifier.

- Primary acoustic processing must occur offboard (not within unit)

- Secondary higher frequency band must be selected for AMCM mission optimization

- Secondary transmit and receive array functionality could reuse the primary arrays, utilizing electronic or physical manipulation as needed/possible to optimize AMCM. Alternatively, integrating other transmit and/or receive arrays within the same assembly may be acceptable.

- The secondary array capabilities would consider abilities to steer beams both horizontally and vertically depending on both mine and submarine targets of interest.

- As allowable, a tertiary capability of covering lower frequencies for longer range area searches and overlap with current other low frequency system operational frequencies (below 2 kHz) is preferred, broaching wide area search capabilities, with a system not requiring logistical complexities of storing large quantities of sonobuoys while associated to an aircraft deployed on a ship, and taking advantage of long range convergence zone detections

- Mechanically extended and retracted arrays are acceptable, as these are traditionally used in the most recent ASW sonar transducers.

- Will be capable of storage within an aircraft body for forward flight, ideally with an overall stowed diameter of no greater than 210 mm for the primary body and an overall length no greater than 1275 mm (some extensions for stabilizing features may be permissible).

- The CG of the sonar transducer assembly body will be designed to be as low as possible for stability in lowering operations, with an upper limit of no greater than 35% of the length of the overall unit as measured from the bottom.

- The final fielded unit would incorporate a water thermocouple for measuring the water column temperature during lowering operations, a method for bottom proximity detection, a capability to protect itself during electrostatic discharge when lowered from a helicopter into the sea water, redundant depth sensing capabilities, angular orientation reporting relative to vertical, and a method for determining bearing orientation of the array (e.g., magnetic compass, field sensors, other).

- Acoustic elements would be physically or electronically steerable in the vertical plane, providing enhanced sea bottom scanning for bottomed targets, and ideally, ability to determine target depth for setting of weapon depth deployments for improved success in target engagement

- The unit design would be able to withstand operating depths to at least 2500 ft.

Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by 32 U.S.C. § 2004.20 et seq., National Industrial Security Program Executive Agent and Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances. This will allow contractor personnel to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and NAVAIR in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material during the advanced phases of this contract IAW the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), which can be found at Title 32, Part 2004.20 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Modular Payloads for UAS - SBIR Topic ARM26BX01-NV002

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $250,000

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

The objectives for this effort are to enhance and refine various payload types and integrate them using a modular specification for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Experimentation, testing, and evaluation for this effort will use a Soldier-centered iterative design process.

Description:

Current UAS and payloads are often proprietary and designed to be mission-specific. Some systems offer swappable payloads; however, these payloads aren’t interchangeable across UAS manufacturers, and additional capabilities depend on the same manufacturer developing new payloads. To maximize battlefield usability, the Army needs the ability to swap payloads using common connections.

This solicitation supports a directed requirement for brigade-level UAS by developing payload technologies that will inform future UAS requirements and unit-level tactics, techniques, and procedures. The intent is to explore, test, refine, and advance modular payload technologies as an industry-government team, experimenting iteratively through Soldier touchpoints.

The selected vendor will deliver a modular payload and integrate the payload with one or more government-provided UAS platforms. Desired types of modular payloads include the following:

 Electro-optical (EO) and infrared (IR) laser rangefinder and designator

 Communications relay (voice and data)

 Electronic warfare (EW)

 Signals intelligence

 Cargo resupply up to 20 lb

 Other novel payloads that can provide Soldiers an offensive or defensive advantage

In this effort, awardees are asked to adapt their payload technology for compatibility with the Picatinny Common Lethality Interface Kit (CLIK) specification developed by DEVCOM Armaments Center. The Picatinny CLIK specification defines a physical interface, electrical connection, and signals to enable the integration of lethal and nonlethal payloads with small UAS. The references section of this solicitation contains a link to the Army Applications Laboratory topic page that links to the Picatinny CLIK specification. Vendors will also have the option to collaborate with DEVCOM Armaments Center to continue to refine the Picatinny CLIK specification.

Awardees will collaborate with UAS vendors to integrate their payloads with one or more government-provided UAS and demonstrate interoperability. The UAS platform provided by the government will have capabilities of upper Group 2 or lower Group 3 UAS, with payload capacity of at least 20 lb. Once awardees have integrated their payloads using Picatinny CLIK, they will provide their payloads for unit field experimentation and further refine their payload technology. The vendor should specify in their proposal how they intend to enhance their technology throughout the period of performance using the feedback provided through the Soldier-centered iterative design process.

Examples of desirable technology improvements include, but are not limited to:

 Reducing size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) of the payload

 Working toward compliance with relevant standards, airworthiness, and packaging requirements

 Improving user interface and autonomous behaviors

 Compatibility with a broader variety of UAS and controllers, including common controllers such as UVC (Uncrewed Vehicle Control)

PHASE I: This topic is for Phase I submission only. The Department of the Army will accept Phase I proposals for a cost of up to $150,000 for a 3-month period of performance. In Phase I, awardees will collaborate with government stakeholders and UAS vendors to plan for the integration of their payloads using Picatinny CLIK, along with developing plans for technology improvements to their payloads.

Phase I deliverables will include:

 Technical designs for integration of the awardee’s payload with one or more government-provided UAS and for technology improvements to the payload

 Initial Safety Assessment Report (SAR), technical documentation, test plans, and other information required to obtain approval for hands-on Soldier touchpoints and experimentation

 Participation in a virtual kickoff and in-person final presentation, along with virtual touchpoints

 Monthly reports that document technical progress

 A Phase II proposal, if desired by the vendor

PHASE II: Phase II is anticipated to have a 12-month period of performance. In Phase II, awardees will deliver prototypes of their modular payloads adapted to use the Picatinny CLIK specification, and will support hands-on experimentation to make iterative improvements to their technology.

Phase II deliverables will include:

 A quantity of at least 2 of the modular payload, to be left behind with units at the conclusion of the period of performance

 Integration of the modular payload with one or more government-provided UAS using the Picatinny CLIK specification

 Support for Soldier experimentation touchpoints at unit locations to perform Soldier-centered iterative design. Proposers should budget for a total of 5 trips with a duration of 1 week per trip to unit locations or experiment sites within the continental U.S. Proposals should include all anticipated personnel, travel costs, and support equipment

 Integration of experimentation results into technology improvements to the payload

 Monthly reports that document lessons learned from experimentation and their application to technology development

 Proposal for a sequential award, if desired by the vendor, to continue technology development based on lessons learned from experimentation

The following timeline illustrates the concept of execution during the Phase II period of performance. Awardees should anticipate timeline changes during execution due to technology development risk, unit availability for experimentation, and scheduled experimentation events. Applicants may propose timelines that follow the general model below.

 Month 1-2: Adapt the payload to use the Picatinny CLIK specification based on plans developed during Phase I. Collaborate with UAS vendors to integrate the payload with government-provided UAS. Continue touchpoints with Soldiers and Army organizations. Deliver an updated Safety Assessment Report (SAR) and other documentation to support safety releases for Soldier testing.

 Month 3-10: Deliver quantity 2 of the modular payload adapted to use the Picatinny CLIK specification. Train Soldiers to use the modular connection and payload. Support experimentation touchpoints and use Soldier-centered iterative design to improve the payload technology.

 Month 11-12: Deliver the final payload prototypes to the unit. Attend a culminating training event or experiment with the unit to further experiment with and develop the payload technology. Demonstrate interoperability of the payload with government-provided UAS using the Picatinny CLIK specification. Finalize and document payload technology improvements and lessons learned.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

In Transit Visibility Blockchain - SBIR Topic ARM26BX01-NV001

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $250,000

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

This topic seeks to develop and optimize a real-time In-Transit Visibility (ITV) system that enables military commanders and logistical staff from Corps to Battalion level to overcome limitations in tracking and managing the movement of supplies and personnel through the integration of data from various enterprise systems and sensor technologies. The objective is to enhance command and control (C2) of logistical operations for improved situational awareness and responsiveness, enabling proactive redirection of assets, accurate arrival time predictions, and efficient resource allocation while minimizing delays, disruptions, and manual data processing.

Description:

Military logistics systems offer significant potential for improvement, yet their ability to fully address the complexities of modern operations is limited by disparate data sources, manual reporting processes, and a lack of real-time visibility into the movement of assets. To overcome these challenges, novel approaches that integrate decentralized distributed ledger, sensor fusion, automated data collection, and user-friendly visualization tools within the Command Post Computing Environment (CPCE) are needed to enable a robust and adaptive ITV capability.

This topic focuses on advancing near real-time logistics tracking and management, with a specific emphasis on providing commanders with a comprehensive common operating picture (COP) of the location, status, and contents of all in-transit assets (Classes of Supply I-X). Proposed solutions should prioritize interoperability, modularity, and scalability, ensuring that the ITV system can be integrated across various existing military platforms (AFRL's distributed ledger technology infrastructure, CPCE, mobile handheld devices, mounted systems) and enterprise databases (TCAIMS-II, IBS, GATES, CMOS) with minimal customization. Research should explore predictive modeling algorithms, user-defined alert systems, and secure data sharing protocols to ensure reliability, resilience, and security under dynamic operational conditions.

The performance metrics outlined below are intended as target thresholds, not hard requirements, and are meant to illustrate the desired technical capabilities. Proposals that meet some, but not all, of the listed metrics or that propose alternative approaches will be evaluated equally and are strongly encouraged. The goal is to cast a wide net and support a range of innovative technologies aligned with the problem space.

Quantifiable Performance Requirements: 

 Proposals should address the following measurable technical performance metrics:

 Location Accuracy: The system should achieve 95% accuracy in reporting the location of tracked assets under various operational environments.

 Update Frequency: The system should provide location updates at a minimum of every 15 minutes for ground transport and every 15 minutes for air transport.

 System Latency: End-to-end latency from data acquisition to display on the COP should not exceed 3 minutes.

 Platform Compatibility: The solution should operate effectively across CPCE, mobile handheld, and mounted computing environments, requiring no more than 10% system redesign or configuration for each platform.

 Deployment Time: Deployment/setup time for deploying a single tracker should not exceed 1 hour, and user training should require no more than 2 hours.

 Physical tags: Should be multi-modal, to include the ability to leverage satellite, cell towers, and internet. The tags should also be able to transmit encrypted data to AFRL's existing distributed ledger technology infrastructure.

 Distributed Ledger Technology: Should be able to tokenize assets, creating a digital twin and be able to connect with AFRL's existing distributed ledger technology and be able to create a unique chain that interoperates with AFRL's existing one.

Proposal Expectations: 

Successful proposals should include hypothesis-driven research that combines fundamental modeling with prototype development or proof-of-concept demonstration. Teams must outline an experimental validation plan, including testing in simulated operational scenarios with representative data sets and user interactions , with clearly defined success criteria for each milestone. Cross-disciplinary approaches, integrating software engineering, data analytics, human-computer interaction, and military logistics expertise, are strongly encouraged.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Advanced Liquid Hydrogen Storage and Employment Methodologies for Unmanned Aerial Systems - STTR Topic DON26TZ01-NV003

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $240,000

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Develop a cryogenic liquid hydrogen storage and delivery solution that can achieve high hydrogen mass fraction and a low boil off rate. Demonstrate that the cryogenic liquid hydrogen storage system improves endurance, range, and continuous payload power in an unmanned aerial system (UAS).

Description:

Hydrogen fuel-cell-powered air systems are becoming more prevalent in aviation [Refs 1-4]. Although compressed gaseous hydrogen has traditionally been employed to power these systems, cryogenic liquid hydrogen has recently started gaining traction [Refs 5-8]. Overall, liquid hydrogen storage provides added benefits such as reduced weight and volume compared to gaseous hydrogen storage, but there are still challenges to air vehicle integration and long-term use due to the extreme low temperature and other properties of liquefied hydrogen [Refs 9-10].

This STTR topic is seeking a liquid hydrogen storage and delivery solution that achieves high performance metrics while also maintaining longevity, safety, and usability for US Navy and US Marine Corps UASs. The performance metrics of interest for the delivered solution include a gravimetric hydrogen storage efficiency = 40% and volumetric hydrogen storage density of > 40 g/L. The integrated solution must also maintain a hydrogen boil-off rate of 100 fill cycles. The storage solution and filling procedure must also meet standard safety requirements such as those called out in DOC 06/02/E on the H2 Tools website [Ref 11].

Additionally, consideration should be made for integration into a range of UAS sizes from a Group 2 to Group 5. This shall include considerations for fuel level monitoring and sloshing effects during flights, as well as meeting necessary environmental (basic hot and basic cold), shock, and vibration requirements called out in MIL-STD-810-H [Ref 12]. Ability to demonstrate that the new cryogenic liquid hydrogen delivery system can manage and mitigate thermal loads of UAS mission systems is of particular interest. Finally, cryo-compressed hydrogen solutions will also be considered if it meets the key performance parameters outlined here.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Optical Power Limiters Countering Frequency Agile Lasers and Dazzlers - SBIR Topic DON26BZ01-NV012

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $240,000

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Develop Mid-Wave Infrared/Long-Wave Infrared (MWIR/LWIR) nonlinear optical (NLO) dyes embedded in sol-gel glass operating as an Optical Power Limiter that protects optical sensors from damage caused by high-intensity light by reducing transmittance at high input power levels such as from frequency agile lasers and dazzlers.

Description:

The proliferation of commercial, visible, and infrared wavelength laser systems is increasingly becoming a threat to our warfighters, which drives the need for further research and development for electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor. Current fielded sensor protection equipment is limited to fixed wavelength filters. However, broad band filters that are designed to circumvent multiwavelength laser threats are plagued by low transmittance, which degrades the sensitivity and performance of the sensor. Future warfighter threats include frequency agile lasers and dazzlers which have the potential of defeating fixed filters. Self-activating (passive) devices, where protection is activated by the incoming radiation (optical limiters), are the best approach to counter frequency agile and short pulse laser threats. The current state of the art of optical limiters are hampered by off-state low transmittance, low laser damage threshold, high activation laser threshold, and narrow field-of-view (FOV) and bandwidth. In addition, a sensor’s size, weight, and complexity greatly affect the user’s acceptance as a potential optical-limiting device. A sensor protection device is generally designed as an insert, an add-on, or replacement to the optical system. The optical limiter must be designed not to impact the sensor’s FOV and optical transmission. Currently available systems are very bulky and narrow band in their protection.

This SBIR topic solicits new, innovative NLO dyes embedded in sol-gel glass to provide sensor protection from frequency-agile laser and dazzlers operating in the MWIR/LWIR spectrum. The proposed NLO dyes embedded in sol-gel glass should allow ample transmission of ambient MWIR/LWIR light and be of high optical quality so as not to significantly degrade sensor performance. It should have a fast response time when exposed to dangerous fluence levels, sufficient to react to and block incident laser pulses to a high optical density. The dyes should be capable of changing from a high transmission state to a very low transmission state within sufficiently short time to block nearly all of the light contained in a light pulse emitted from frequency agile lasers and dazzlers . When harmful radiation is no longer incident, it must recover to a high transmission state in a short amount of time so that the sensor’s optics are not interrupted or significantly degraded after exposure. The proposal should discuss in detail the spectral transmittance in the attenuating state, activation threshold, response time, optical density in the attenuating state, and recovery time of the technology, the electric and other parameters of the excited state to be taken for measurements, excimer formation as well as any other important technical details.

The NLO dyes embedded in sol-gel glass critical requirements are:

1) Wavelengths – threshold MWIR 3 to 5 micron goal MWIR/LWIR 3 to 12 microns;

2) Response time: 3) Recovery time: 4) Low-intensity transparency is > 50%

5) For light intensity or fluence above the limiting threshold (LT), the attenuation is > 20dB

6) The Damage threshold (DT) is at least 10 times larger than that of the nonlinear optical material used

7) The fluence limiting threshold (LT) is below 500 milli-joules/cm^2/pulse

8) Multiple use without performance degradation exceeds 10,000 pulses

9) Wide acceptance and protection angles

10) Testing should be performed using f-number optics no greater than f/10, unless a higher f-number is required by a specific application

11) Dynamic range (~120 dB)

12) Rapid response time (~20 us)

13) Optical limiting threshold of 6.5 W / cm2 at room temperature.

Use of government materials, equipment, data, or facilities will not be offered and will not be required. If the technology is capable of exceeding any of the above requirements, the proposal should note this as well. Likewise, the proposal should note any limitations inherent to the proposed technology.

New and innovative material solutions may be proposed to provide new options for sol-gel glass production. Potential candidates include but are not limited to vanadium dioxide, use of commercially available or novel silanes and solvents. Processing approaches could include methods to control the rate of curing of the glass and the type, material, and shape of container used for the cure, as well as the cure temperature.

The goal is to develop a process that can make larger optical elements more reliably. Well established materials and processes may be proposed with a focus on improving the manufacturability, producibility, and reliability for current and next generation optical elements. Increasing size, manufacturing yield, and reducing cost while at the same time reducing manufacturing variability is desired. Proposers must have experience in the production of dye containing sol-gel glasses.

A second requirement of the optical elements are dyes which have the required optical transmittance/absorbance properties while being compatible with the sol-gel materials and production methods and are reliably available from domestic sources. This is currently a challenge. The performer will be required to identify suitable dyes for the optical elements and to design synthetic approaches to any dyes that are not commercially available from reliable domestic sources. The performer will synthesize any required dyes not commercially available from domestic sources in amounts exceeding 10 grams by the end of Phase II and have the capability to produce the dye(s) at batch sizes of at least 10 grams going forward or to work with another domestic producer to do so, or both. Proposers should have documented experience in the design, synthesis, and production of novel and existing absorbing and fluorescing dyes in the infrared regions of the spectrum and must have demonstrated the ability to reliably and reproducibly synthesize, purify, and characterize light-absorbing dyes at greater than 10-gram batch size. The proposal should clearly identify the current state of the art of the sol-gel and dyes of interest including both technical and manufacturing readiness and how the proposed work will advance readiness for the proposed optical elements.

Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by 32 U.S.C. § 2004.20 et seq., National Industrial Security Program Executive Agent and Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances. This will allow contractor personnel to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and NAVAIR in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material during the advanced phases of this contract IAW the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), which can be found at Title 32, Part 2004.20 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Extended Range 10-inch Air Launched Rocket - SBIR Topic DON26BZ01-DV001

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $2 Million.

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Implement Highly Loaded Grain (HLG) propulsion technology into an existing 10-inch diameter rocket motor to create a tactically relevant, extended range rocket motor.

Description:

The U.S. Navy is pursuing enhancements to the performance, range, and tactical flexibility of existing 10-inch rocket motor systems. A key enabler of this objective is the maturation and application of HLG propulsion technology. HLG designs maximize total impulse within volume-constrained tactical solid propellant systems while enabling adaptable thrust-time profiles, including boost-sustain variants.

This Direct to Phase II SBIR topic seeks integration of HLG technology into an existing 10-inch diameter rocket motor, thereby increasing performance and advancing the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) of the HLG propulsion approach.

Key Technical Guidelines:

Rocket Motor Case: 10-inch diameter tactical casing with boat-tail geometry based on the High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) aft-end structure

Grain Design: HLG-formulated geometry tailored for constrained volume and thrust shaping

Ballistics Software: CLWire ballistic simulation software provided by Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD)

Risk Posture: Low to moderate for non-HLG-specific subsystems; medium risk for nozzle/igniter design

Performance Objective: Total impulse increase of approximately 30% over legacy baseline

Thrust Profile: Support both all-boost and boost/sustain regimes; comply with NAWCWD performance parameters including Maximum Expected Operating Pressure (MEOP) and thrust onset rates

Propellant Formulation: Aluminized solid propellant: Ammonium Perchlorate (AP) / Aluminum (Al) / Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene (HTPB) binder

Materials Compatibility: Maximize re-use of existing materials for insulation, liners, oxidizers, and binders

Environmental Qualification: Thermal: –65 °F to +160 °F (–53.9 °C to +71.1 °C); Structural: withstand shock and vibration in accordance with military deployment profiles

Nozzle & Igniter Development: Moderate risk with identified maturation path toward tactically viable configurations

Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by 32 U.S.C. § 2004.20 et seq., National Industrial Security Program Executive Agent and Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances. This will allow contractor personnel to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and NAVAIR in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material during the advanced phases of this contract IAW the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), which can be found at Title 32, Part 2004.20 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Test and Alert System for Type 1 Encryption Device Hold-up Batteries (HUB) - STTR Topic DON26BZ01-NV007

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $240,000

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Develop a common Type 1 encryption device Hold-Up Battery (HUB) tester and accompanying low battery alert device.

Description:

Develop a universal Hold-Up Battery (HUB) tester and integrated low-voltage alert system for Type 1 encryption devices. These devices rely on HUB batteries to retain mission-critical software. Failure to replace depleted batteries within specified intervals often renders them inoperable, necessitating costly returns to depots or vendors for software recovery.

The proposed solution must provide:

A non-invasive HUB battery tester compatible across multiple device types

A low-battery alert mechanism to signal impending voltage failure

A streamlined method for monitoring and managing battery replacement intervals

This capability will significantly reduce lifecycle costs, improve operational readiness, and mitigate the risks associated with device storage in long-term vault conditions.

Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by 32 U.S.C. § 2004.20 et seq., National Industrial Security Program Executive Agent and Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances. This will allow contractor personnel to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and NAVAIR in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material during the advanced phases of this contract IAW the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), which can be found at Title 32, Part 2004.20 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Domestic Production of Zirconium and Hafnium Metal Organic Precursors - SBIR Topic DON26BZ01-DV002

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $2 Million.

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Develop and demonstrate a pilot-scale manufacturing process for producing high purity tetrakis(dimethylamido)zirconium(IV) (TDMAZ), tetrakis(dimethylamido)hafnium(IV) (TDMAH) and related metal dimethylamide compounds, with a targeted annual production capacity exceeding 6,000 kg of TDMAZ.

Description:

The Department of the Navy is seeking a domestic source of critical chemical feedstocks including TDMAZ, TDMAH, and other metal dimethylamide compounds. These chemical feedstocks can be used as metal organic precursors for atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) of metal oxides, nitrides, and carbonitrides used in microelectronics and ceramic manufacturing [Refs 1-3]. While TDMAZ is a vital ceramic precursor for the electronics and semiconducting industry, this effort will also support the use of TDMAZ for the preparation of metal nitrides and carbonitrides for ceramics and ceramic matrix composites.

This SBIR topic seeks to establish a domestic manufacturing capability for the production of > 6,000 kg/year of TDMAZ. Synthesis of TDMAZ and other metal dimethylamides often involves pyrophoric and air/water sensitive reagents, and the proper storage and handling of these reagents is crucial for the development of a cost-effective and large-scale manufacturing process. Along with the production volumes mentioned above, the metal precursors must have a purity > 99% and a target retail price of < $4,000/kg of TDMAZ, preferably < $2,500/kg. The proposed manufacturing facility must be located in the United States or US territories, and the company owning and operating this manufacturing facility must be wholly US owned and based.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Broadening Availability of Regimens for K-9s (BARK) - Open Topic - SBIR Topic DPA26BZ01-NP001

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $250,000

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Develop medical products that are interoperable and compatible across humans and dogs to meet the health needs of both human warfighters and military working dogs.

Description:

Military working dogs (MWDs) are critical to national security, serving as force multipliers by enhancing the lethality and survivability of their teams through their unique senses, agility, and autonomy. Providing effective medical care for MWDs is critical but imposes significant challenges. Not all human medical products work for canines (K-9s), who sometimes require separate, specialized veterinary products. MWD handlers must therefore carry extra medical equipment to provide emergency care for their K-9 partner, exacerbating equipment loads and impeding operational capacity. Specialized equipment also expands medical materiel requirements and dependence on the less-resourced veterinary market, encumbering acquisition and sustainment activities.

Medical technologies that are interoperable and compatible across humans and dogs can address unmet needs of valuable MWDs while lessening the burden on medics, logisticians, and other contributors to force health protection. Species-interoperable medical technologies, particularly those supporting acute and tactical care, will improve lifesaving medical care for these MWDs while mitigating logistical and operational burdens of treating both human and K-9 warfighters.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting medical technologies that are interoperable and compatible across humans and dogs. Technologies of greatest interest allow for the replacement of existing products in medical sets with interoperable products, reducing the total amount of medical supplies—expanding capability without expanding the kits. Examples of specific technologies of interest include, but are not limited to:

Filters for donor plasma capable of removing cross-reactive antigens that impede compatibility across species;

Universal synthetic plasma designed with all necessary functional components for transfusion;

Sensors and form-factors that enable physiological monitoring (e.g., core body temperature and blood pressure) or triage in both humans and dogs;

Medical devices (e.g., splints, backboards, tourniquets, mechanical ventilators) designed to be rapidly adjustable at point of care for flexible use across anatomies;

Interoperable medical countermeasures (MCMs) and form-agnostic personal protective equipment to mitigate or protect against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats; and

Delivery mechanisms that can modulate dosing, including through excipients or combination devices (e.g., autoinjectors), to enable universal use of pharmaceuticals and MCMs.

The aim of the solicitation is to create a demonstrative prototype that can quickly progress to pre-clinical or clinical testing during a contracted SBIR Phase II period of performance (PoP). Research that merely tests existing products, including collection of data to titrate dosages or support label expansion of a marketed product to an additional species, is unlikely to achieve the degree of technical innovation a successful proposal should demonstrate. New drug discovery is discouraged but may be considered in particularly compelling cases. Products enabled by proposed research should feasibly be safe and effective in both humans and canines—to be verified in future trials—for use cases where no single existing product serves both patient sets. Technologies of interest should be capable of achieving substantially equivalent or superior performance in humans compared to currently approved options.

An initial white paper describing the technical approach is required and will be evaluated. If DARPA selects a white paper for further evaluation, the Government will issue an invitation to submit a full proposal. The technical white paper should include an overview of the proposed concept with details to support feasibility. The overview should address the bullets below, which are listed in order of importance:

Proposed concept: Describe the proposed research and medical product. Outline the design and operation of the main components that are being proposed for development and mode(s) of action. Use clear calculations, preliminary data, or mechanistic justifications to support feasibility of the proposed concept.

Concept of employment: Identify how the proposed product could be employed. Provide details on the intended use, indication, and effect, and the prevalence and impact of the addressed medical condition. What benefits, including new capabilities or improved metrics, does the proposed solution provide compared to current commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) options (e.g., commercially available human- or canine-specific products)?

Path to market: Identify relevant predicate or otherwise established products that have been approved, licensed, authorized, or cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or other relevant regulatory authority. Provide a general plan or strategy for securing market access and ensuring regulatory compliance for both humans and canines if the proposed technology is successful and shown to be safe and effective. For any special FDA programs noted (e.g., Breakthrough Device designation, 513(g)), ensure that the white paper describes how the medical product meets the program requirements.

Scalability: Provide a brief analysis of the feasibility of scaling the technology across both the DoW and industry. Are the achievable production costs low enough to merit widespread adoption, especially if alternative human- or canine-specific products are available? Is the system sufficiently familiar or intuitive to medics, handlers, and clinicians that large-scale deployment and administration wouldn’t require significant training or modification of protocols? What are the projected maintenance and storage requirements, operational availabilities, and service lifetimes, and, if applicable, how do they compare with COTS alternatives?

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Advanced Damage Criticality Analysis - SBIR Topic DON26BZ01-DV005

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $2 Million.

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Develop a passive Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system to identify, locate, and characterize the severity of defects and cracks due to fatigue loading or impacts based on novel or advanced technologies with a basis in physics and avoiding qualitative assumptions.

Description:

The Navy seeks an effective passive Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system for Navy ship hulls and other structures that can monitor defects, such as crack growth from fatigue or impacts, and provide actionable information about the severity of the defect in an automated manner, i.e., in real time. Such fatigue cracks develop and grow in Navy ship hull welds and plating from cyclical life-cycle stresses and event-driven forces from severe sea states, collisions, and groundings.

The U.S. Navy and other navies around the world have installed SHM systems to monitor hull structural health but almost all are based on using strain gauges to monitor stresses on the hull and inferring crack growth based on fatigue life calculations. For example, the Military Sealift Command (MSC) has worked with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and installed SHM systems consisting of strain gauges and accelerometers on several ships in the T-EPF class, which monitor hull deflection and dynamic movement due to the ship’s loading and the sea states encountered. The data from these sensors is being fed into a digital twin model developed to calculate structural stresses for managing vessel survivability and to minimize operating risk.

There have been some attempts to develop fiber optics sensors to measure strain or Acoustic Emission (AE) sensors to monitor fatigue cracks directly. These approaches have seen varying levels of success, yet, better systems are needed. There may even be some applications for LiDAR use to improve success probability. The Navy is particularly interested in locating and characterizing the severity or criticality of a defect if one is detected. Currently there is not a system available on the commercial market.

The Navy’s need for such hull monitoring capability has become more important with the introduction of high-speed and catamaran vessels, which are more prone to hull cracking due to the designs of the ships, materials of the hull, and stresses experienced in high seas. An ideal system would be capable of monitoring large areas of the ship’s hull with sensing devices that provide cost effective coverage with the following capabilities:

Detect and identify the location of crack growth signals in the hull if they exist in the presence of ship’s background noise without producing false positives or negatives.

Produce results in an automated manner, i.e., real time, so they are immediately available to the operating crew.

Provide insight as to the severity of the crack growth considering the complex geometries found in hull structures with varying thicknesses and stiffeners.

The Navy would benefit from understanding structural risks in real time with the goal of minimizing the possibility of incurring structural damage at sea. The SHM system the Navy needs should provide meaningful information on ship structural health and reduce inspection and maintenance costs during repair availabilities by identifying areas of concern or damage in advance.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

High-Gain Directional Low-Frequency Sonobuoy ArrayNAVY - SBIR Topic DON26BZ01-NV006

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $240,000

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Develop a high-gain, low-frequency vertical line array of vector sensors capable of long-range passive detection and enhanced signal processing, deployable in an A-size form factor.

Description:

To enhance anti-submarine warfare (ASW) detection and directional sensitivity in deep waters, the U.S. Navy requires a high-gain directional, low-frequency.

The objective is to develop a high-gain, low-frequency vertical line array of vector sensors capable of long-range passive detection and enhanced signal processing, deployable in an A-size form factor.

The system will be deployed from Navy Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft, have capability across multiple operational environments, and will utilize the necessarily varied hardware configurations, passive processing, and frequency characteristics to consistently achieve critical ASW metrics.

The sonobuoy must support deep-water tactical operations. Deployment depths up to 1000’ and 8 hours of life is required. The array design will provide 17 dB of gain at the design frequency in a three-dimensional isotropic ambient noise field as a minimum. The maximum saturation level will be 128 dB/µPa at 100 Hz with a total dynamic range of 96 dB. The sensor solution must be low power and fit within an "A" size sonobuoy (4.875-inch diameter x 36-inch length, weight under 40 pounds). Acoustic data sent to the aircraft from each vector sensor shall consist of Omni, Sine, and Cosine data. The communications link must comply with NATO's STANAG 4718. Long term plans include using the array in a persistent sonobuoy.

Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by 32 U.S.C. § 2004.20 et seq., National Industrial Security Program Executive Agent and Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances. This will allow contractor personnel to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and NAVAIR to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material during the advanced phases of this contract IAW the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), which can be found at Title 32, Part 2004.20 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Field Deployable Welding Technologies for In-Situ Repair of Thermoplastic Composites Components on Naval Aviation Platforms - STTR Topic DON26TZ01-NV011

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $240,000

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Develop and transition a portable induction welding system capable of in-situ repair of thermoplastic composite components on naval aviation platforms enabling rapid, field-ready maintenance capabilities for next-generation naval aircraft.

Description:

Modern aviation platforms are increasingly using high-performance thermoplastic composites such as PAEK, PEEK, PPS, or PEI reinforced with Carbon Fiber for structural and semi-structural components. Their attractiveness is due to their superior damage tolerance, impact, and ability to be reworked for repair. Unlike traditional thermoset composites, which can only be repaired by bonded patches or bolted panels, thermoplastic composites can also be repaired by welding, which restores strength without the need to remove additional material. However, currently available welding systems have a large footprint and are available mostly with OEM and only suited for deployment at the Depots. Thus, without field deployable technofixes, repairs will result in long downtime for repair and likely higher scrap rates.

This STTR topic seeks to leverage the research expertise of academic or government labs in thermoplastic processing and electromagnetic heating to partner with a small business in designing a rugged, portable induction welding system that can be deployed shipboard and/or in Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Detachments.

The proposed system should: (1) be capable of welding aerospace-grade thermoplastics (at temperatures up to 400°C); (2) be lightweight and field operable, including on aircraft carriers; (3) be electromechanically ruggedized and safe to operate near avionics and flight-critical systems; (4) have a closed-loop thermal control for temperature; (5) be able to repair skins, fairings, panels, and access doors; and (6) have a weld strength of at least 70% of the parent material.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Next Generation Tropical Cyclone Analysis, Forecasting, and Dissemination Tactical Decision Aid Software - STTR Topic DON26TZ01-NV010

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $240,000

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Demonstrate an improved automated tropical cyclone forecasting, analysis, and dissemination tactical decision aid capability that uses a modern containerized software backend/frontend and is able to easily integrate legacy and novel component algorithms, models, databases, and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).

Description:

Domestic operational tropical cyclone forecasting at the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (DOW), Fleet Weather Centers (DOW), and National Hurricane Center (NOAA) have relied on the Automated Tropical Cyclone Forecast System (ATCF®) software suite for end-to-end tropical cyclone analysis, forecasting, and product dissemination for over three decades. This one-stop-shop for all data, modeling, post-processing, and user interaction for tropical cyclone information has endured due to its robust assured infrastructure, reliability, speed for executing actions, and long continuity even as forecasters and information have evolved. However, as compute environments and programming languages have changed, it has become more difficult to maintain and upgrade legacy software to take advantage of new capabilities.

This STTR topic seeks the development of a prototype software suite that can learn lessons from the success of ATCF®, but is architected in a modern software ecosystem to mitigate current workflow disadvantages. Fundamentally, the goal is a modular and containerized software application that can variously interact with legacy, current, and future software suites such as components of ATCF®, the Naval Integrated Tactical Environmental System Next Generation (NITES-Next) program, the NOAA Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS), and other back-end and front-end APIs. The software architecture must be designed from the outset to comply with DOW DevSecOps principles and prepare the system for the Risk Management Framework (RMF) process. Desired software requirements include design in a modern broadly supported and maintained open programming language that can run online or offline on premises or in a cloud compute environment; hardening against connectivity and bandwidth issues; separation of functionality between logic, database, analysis algorithms, forecast generation , user interface, and dissemination layers; modular component development where different parts can interoperate with other software; and the ability to quickly address software updates and functionality and revert on the client side.

A dual-pronged approach to improving workflow for the tropical cyclone forecast process is envisioned, with parallel development tracks for software architecture creation and decision support aid integration. While the focus of tropical cyclone tools in the 1980s through 2000s was on track and intensity prediction, the forecasting mission has increasingly expanded. This includes the ability to track before storms have formed; 3D storm structure and rainfall evolution; ocean and wave field information; storm surge and hazards; probabilistic uncertainty; and emerging machine learning tools. The software should be capable of generating and disseminating an automated, objectively optimal analysis and forecast product from available data — that is, without significant manual human effort. It is not expected that all these efforts are achievable within the scope of this STTR effort; however, the priority development schedule must be justified, and the software solution must be able to accommodate all of these components within a future strategic plan.

Back-end capability should include: (1) a modern development software framework that can easily include or remove proprietary and open source algorithms as desired and is built and deployed as a containerized architecture; (2) a robust state management (e.g., database) for storm information and aids with backwards compatibility and export for current ATCF® “deck file” formatting; (3) concurrency for data fetching and processing to reduce data latency for time-critical forecast workflows; and (4) defined APIs to provide data access to clients, such as front-end graphical user interfaces (GUI) or downstream machine-to-machine programs. Further, the back-end capability should support backup capability, likely through a distributed system of servers.

Front-end capability should include: (1) thin client(s) for use on desktop workstations and possibly within web browsers, facilitating both on-site and remote operation with both client-side and server-side rendering tested for DOW network responsiveness; (2) flexible means of calling external scripts/functions/APIs with configurable input data, allowing forecasters to trigger different production pipelines and workflows that could be defined externally; (3) editable runtime configuration facilitating separate profiles for different operational systems or users; (4) means to integrate with internal and/or external AI systems or agents to facilitate future workflows; and (5) GUI and storm management capabilities consistent with ATCF®, with additional emphasis on performant map navigation and rendering, multi-product and format overlays (from gridded and sparse data, such as from kml, kmz, ShapeFiles, GeoTiff, HDF, netCDF, GRIB2, Zarr, GeoJSON, etc.), and dynamic filtering and alerts for data as they populate in real time. It is imperative that software developed be done so with an emphasis that support does not require skills beyond those currently required and normally used by support staff at forecast centers.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Highly Loaded Grain in 2.75" Form Factor - SBIR Topic DON26BZ01-DV004

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $2 Million.

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Design, develop, and demonstrate a Highly Loaded Grain (HLG) technology in a 2.75 inch rocket motor to extend range in a tactically relevant form factor.

The objective of this SBIR Direct to Phase II topic is to utilize HLG to increase the range available in a 2.75” rocket motor and advance the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) of HLG technology. HLG is a propellant technology that improves total impulse in a given volume, as well as provides capability for mission flexibility. The Mk66 is a low cost 2.75” rocket motor utilizing minimum smoke propellent and is in use with unguided rockets and the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS II) All Up Round (AUR). Increasing the range available at an affordable cost in a Mk66 motor case is needed to pace emerging threats.

Description:

Key Technology Guidelines:

Rocket motor case: 2.75" Mk 66 case

Grain design: HLG propulsion technology

Ballistics software: CLWire provided by the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD)

Risk posture: Low/moderate risk for non-HLG specific components

Total Impulse: Increase by 30%

Thrust Profile: Implement all-boost and boost/sustain thrust profile with performance guidelines provided by NAWCWD (Maximum Expected Operating Pressure (MEOP) and initial thrust dictated by legacy Mk 66 system)

Propellant: Objective: Min-Smoke, Threshold: Reduced Smoke

Materials: Maximize compatibility/usage of existing rocket motor materials (propellant oxidizers and binders, insulation, liners, etc.)

Environments: thermal (-65 °F to 160 °F) (-53.9 °C to 71.1 °C) and mechanical environments (shock/vibe) required to enter military usage.

Nozzle and igniter: medium risk with path towards tactical design.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Reentry Test Body Telemetry Antenna - SBIR Topic DON26BZ01-NV039

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $240,000

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Design, develop, and test a reentry body antenna or antenna system capable of transmitting high speed, real time, inflight, encrypted data. The data transmission should be in bands alternate to S band such as the K & Ka bands and communicate with geostationary satellites used as a pass-through mechanism to relay the encrypted data to ground.

Description:

The development of a next-generation telemetry communications antenna for Navy Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) reentering test bodies is critical in advancing developmental technologies being evaluated on flight tests. While common ground tests such as wind tunnels, arc jets, and vibration provide insights into predictable reentry environments, flight testing remains the gold standard in evaluating reentry bodies (RBs) and their onboard technologies. Flight tests evaluate a reentry body’s ability to withstand the harsh and sometimes unpredictable environments of flight to include launch, separation, and reentry.

The current technology to monitor SLBM payloads during flight include a transmitter/receiver system between the reentry body and ground stations. Data is captured during flight and transmitted to the ground in the S band (2-4 GHz), making data transfer slower than higher frequency bands [Ref 3]. Due to the S band being a highly populated frequency band and the power on the RB required to telemeter data in the S band back down to the ground receiver, midflight data transmission is both slow and costly. Additionally, since the transmitter/receiver system today is only between the RB and ground station, real time data transmission is lost during a portion of the flight when the RB is the furthest away from the ground, otherwise commonly known as “over the top” of the flight trajectory as well as during reentry when the body enters plasma blackout. To solve this problem, the technology proposed should use alternate frequency bands, such as K and Ka bands (18-40 GHz) and make use of geostationary satellites as a pass-through mechanism to capture real time data from the RB and telemeter the encrypted data back down to the ground at high speeds in order to minimize data transmission latency and loss. The use of alternate frequency bands allows for high data rate information exchange [Ref 1]. This new technology would solve the issue of losing real-time data transmission midflight.

By having real-time, high-speed data throughout the duration of flight on a flight test, the Navy can better understand technology performance throughout the various environments and environment transitions and can more effectively diagnose issues or failures resulting in faster technology maturation.

Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by 32 U.S.C. § 2004.20 et seq., National Industrial Security Program Executive Agent and Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor must be able to acquire and maintain at least a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances. This will allow contractor personnel to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and SSP in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material during the advanced phases of this contract IAW the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), which can be found at Title 32, Part 2004.20 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Leveraging Machine Learning for Advanced Passive Sonar Tracking - SBIR Topic DON26BZ01-NV025

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $240,000

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Develop advanced automation to detect, locate, classify, and correlate contacts across multiple sonar sensors and multiple display surfaces.

Description:

Passive sonar systems employ a standardized signal processing pipeline to track, classify, and localize underwater contacts. This automated process, often referred to as "automation," begins after front-end processing generates visual displays for sonar operator analysis and automated processing. Existing algorithms that track energy signatures on these displays typically include Kalman filters, probabilistic multi-hypothesis trackers, and particle filters. However, these traditional tracking methods, as implemented in current operational systems, often fail to fully leverage the potential of modern machine learning techniques. This SBIR topic seeks to incorporate cutting-edge machine learning technologies into passive sonar processing to significantly improve tracking, classification, fusion, and localization of current anti-submarine warfare passive sonar systems. The specific threshold and goals for performance improvement are as indicated in the following table.

Targeted Improvement

Metric

Threshold

Objective

TrackingIncrease Hold Time Ratio10%

20%

TrackingReduce Time to Detect10&

20%

ClassificationIncrease Probability of Correct Classification10%

15%

ClassificationReduce Probability of False Alerts10%

15%

Track FusionIncrease Probability of Correct Association15%

20%

LocalizationReduce Area of Uncertainty15%

20%

Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by 32 U.S.C. § 2004.20 et seq., National Industrial Security Program Executive Agent and Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances. This will allow contractor personnel to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and ONR in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material during the advanced phases of this contract IAW the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), which can be found at Title 32, Part 2004.20 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Bridge Environmental Light Pollution Mitigation and Control - SBIR Topic DON26BZ01-NV017

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $240,000

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Develop and deploy a safe, sustainable technology suited for controlling light pollution, thereby reducing ambient light levels across a bridge environment and providing adequate situational task lighting at select workstations across the bridge.

Description:

The Navy seeks a light mitigation technology for adequate situational lighting compliant with the Bridge Light Pollution Mitigation and Control Program (BLPM & CP). A comprehensive review of collisions involving U.S. Navy ships cited bridge lighting conditions as a possible contributing factor, stating the need to adhere to military standards for light producing displays and equipment installed on the bridges of surface combatant ships. The principal BLPM & CP’s objective is to resolve non-compliance of current bridge equipment and hardware with Military Standard MIL-STD-1472H, DOW Design Criteria Standard for Human Engineering [Ref 2]. Existing hardware often fails to satisfy requirements as outlined in the referenced standard (MIL-STD-1472H).

Light pollution mitigation efforts are necessary for all light producing technology installed on surface ship bridges/pilot houses. Reducing the undesirable effects of excessive or poorly designed lighting (i.e., light pollution) on night vision and bridge-watch stander performance will create greater situational awareness for crew members in a darkened bridge environment, therefore enhancing ship safety at sea.

The Navy seeks light mitigation technology for the bridge environment that complies with MIL-STD-1472H and enhances the effectiveness of all lights (e.g., screens, indicator lights, LED) during dark operations. This solution must also include a ruggedized work light that complies with free translation in three-dimensional space and free rotation on all three axes of rotation. There is currently no commercial technology that can meet this need.

The light should comply with all surface ship environmental standards regarding Electromagnetic Environmental Effects (E3), shock, vibration, and power quality and be able to produce light at the levels described in MIL-STD-1772H. The work light shall allow bridge watch standers to observe printed material at nighttime while still preserving night vision. A shipboard bridge work light must provide a focused beam of light with minimal glare, must be adjustable to direct light precisely where needed, and must offer the ability to control brightness levels with a cool color temperature to minimize eye strain while performing detailed tasks like reading or writing notes especially for crew members in a darkened bridge environment.

This scope of this effort includes all light emitting devices on the bridge, and is not limited to the following bridge systems:

Navigation Radar

Surface Search Radar

Situational Awareness Radar

Electronic Charting System

Ship Control Consoles

Voyage Data Recorder

Bridge-to-bridge Radio

Hull, Mechanical, and Electrical (HM&E) Systems

Damage Control Equipment/Displays

Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) Systems

Desired light mitigation solution parameters include but are not limited to:

Overlay applications, easily applied to existing displays, requiring no special tools, equipment, hardware, fixtures, adhesives, tapes, or fasteners.

Collapsible, foldable, stackable, and/or portable solutions to allow effective and easy storage when not in use.

Various optical densities and sizes of Neutral Density filter material may be overlaid on displays.

Solutions shall allow operator adjustment during application or installation.

Temporary covers, fixtures, filters, shades, etcetera must not alter the original design characteristics nor interfere with normal operation of mitigated light emitting sources.

Technology should not require external electrical power nor include additional electronic control systems or require any form of computer network connections.

Solution shall not leave any adhesive residue behind on surfaces after removal.

Mitigations may also include other formed caps to cover various instrumentations to reduce or eliminate light pollution associated with installed bridge equipment and other environmental light polluters.

Solution must be able to withstand extreme environmental conditions (e.g., high humidity, persistent vibration, temperature below 40° degrees Fahrenheit, etc.).

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) Power Interfaces - SBIR Topic DON26BZ01-NV016

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $240,000

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Develop a Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) system to support intermittent pulsed power loads by providing a consistent load to the generation source during pulsed power duty cycle.

Description:

A Navy ship’s electric plant and the electrical load aboard the vessel mimics an electrical microgrid structure to distribute power. Conventional plant designs have separate mechanical propulsion and weapons systems with the electrical plant to support hotel and combat systems. Future all-electric naval ships will require all prime movers to have the functionality of distributed electrical generators to power a wide variety of loads ranging from conventional electronics, electric propulsion systems, and pulsed power systems to drive electric weaponry. The pulsed power systems will draw power from the ship’s electrical distribution to enable continuous operation.

While large-scale energy storage may support operations, high-rate intermittent storage is necessary to ensure the electrical distribution and prime movers are provided with relatively consistent loading. During the charge process of the pulsed power system, a considerable amount of power will be drawn from the electrical grid for time durations on the order of seconds with a lapse in between charges. The large power drawn in an intermittent fashion is difficult to control and difficult for non-stiff electrical generators to supply. Enabling technologies to support a supplemental high-rate storage system is required for pulsed power loads to be effectively used on board the ship without disruption to other loads or damage to the distributed generators.

SMES systems are a relatively new technology that can charge and discharge energy at rates to support the various loads that new Navy ship designs are targeting. Innovative R&D is needed to model and validate novel high-rate, intermittent energy storage and control architectures that can rapidly accept high intermittent currents to load-level prime movers during the pulsed-power duty cycle. The architecture should be designed to minimize the impact this type of operation has on the electrical generators and support the pulsed load modules’ operation. The energy storage must be able to accept rapid charge from the generation system within the constraints of the duty cycle of the pulsed power system and then provide this stored energy on the order of seconds to allow for cyclic capability in a continuous manner. New high-peak power energy storage technologies and designs are needed to accomplish this goal. Control system architectures and algorithms must also be developed to ensure load leveling in all modes of operations while ensuring safety and constant operation. These devices, with the requisite conversion schemes, are necessary in highly dense packages to allow for implementation in volumetrically constrained environments. Proof of principle hardware tests and validated computer design models are desired.

The Navy seeks a full-scale pulsed power SMES system to store energy between 4-10 MJ at a 2-4 MW power level. The energy storage system developed is expected to charge at a rate of > 1 MW and to deliver power > 1 MW. The energy will be pulsed at a power duty cycle > 80% at a discharge/charge ratio of 1:1 and accept power at a sub-second response rate. The Navy desires the energy storage interface to withstand voltages > 1000 V.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below:

Nudging Behaviors for Better Sleep - STTR Topic DON26TZ01-NV016

Disclaimer:
This topic was temporarily posted by the Department of War SBIR Program on March 2nd 2026 and removed the following day.
We believe this topic is planned to be released once the SBIR program is reauthorized; however, this topic may ultimately be modified or withdrawn.

Sign up below to be notified as soon as this topic is released again. In the meantime, we’d recommend you start planning to respond if within your capabilities.

Funding Amount:

Est. $240,000

Deadline to Apply:

Est. April 29th, 2026.

Objective:

Develop software for personalized and adaptive behavioral interventions (i.e., nudges) using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) wearable hardware devices to promote and improve sleep outcomes and human performance in dynamic environments.

Description:

Despite extensive research on the mechanisms of sleep and behavioral modifications to improve sleep, relatively little is known about how context-sensitive behavioral nudging systems—those that dynamically suggest small, adaptive changes based on real-time data—can improve sleep quality and overall performance outcomes in complex, high-stakes settings. Fatigue caused by inadequate sleep negatively affects service members' performance and has contributed to accidents—resulting in deaths and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage to ships, vehicles, and aircraft [Ref 1]. “Nudging” refers to subtle interventions that steer behavior without restricting choices [Ref 2]. For example, non-obvious changes in how options are presented (e.g., ordering, timing, framing) have been shown to significantly affect sleep behaviors and dietary choices [Ref 3]. Recent advances in wearable sensor technology (e.g., smartwatches, rings, sleep trackers, etc.) allow for continuous collection of physiological and behavioral data. Many hardware devices are coupled with software that provide notifications, advice, and suggestions, but these are often canned, static statements that are simply pushed to the user (i.e., a one-way notification) and are not personalized to the user and/or their data.

Delivering adaptive behavioral nudges that learn and track the user’s state and responses, evolve over time, and promote sustained positive behavior change is also critical for mitigating the impact of sleep on operations. The objective of this STTR topic is to develop personalized and adaptive behavioral interventions (i.e., nudges) using COTS wearable devices to promote and improve sleep outcomes and human performance in dynamic environments. Achieving this objective requires: (1) research into integrated theoretical frameworks for personalized behavior change, grounded in cognitive, physiological, and contextual variables, and informed by mathematical tools such as dynamical systems modeling; (2) the development of adaptive algorithms that leverage Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to integrate with existing wearable and embedded sensors to identify optimal timing, modality, and content for real-time, minimally-intrusive, adherence-supporting behavioral nudges across diverse user states and operational contexts; (3) the exploration of human-centered communication strategies for delivering behavioral insights and recommendations, ensuring interventions are not only well-timed but also subtle and capable of supporting an ongoing user-system relationship built on trust and voluntary engagement; and (4) empirical testing in ecologically valid environments, including experiments that collect sleep and performance metrics to evaluate effectiveness, generalizability, and long-term behavioral impact.

Equal emphasis will be placed on (1) advancing theoretical models of behavior change, sleep regulation, and performance adaptation and (2) developing AI/ML systems and communication strategies for delivering behavioral nudges.

This topic focuses on sleep behavior due to its broad applicability to the general population, its foundational role in human performance, and the relative ease and reliability of measurement. Proposed efforts should aim to develop generalizable algorithms that integrate complex mathematical modeling and ML with cognitive-behavioral theory to drive adaptive behavioral interventions. These interventions must be compatible with existing wearable and embedded sensor ecosystems – this topic explicitly does not aim to develop new hardware, but instead to maximize the utility of currently available commercial sensors as inputs to a personalized, adaptive nudging system.

Who will win?

If you can achieve the objective above better than any other company on the market, you have a very high-likelihood of success and should apply.

Who is eligible to apply?

Any company that meets the following criteria:

• For-profit company

• U.S.-owned and controlled.

• 500 or fewer employees (including affiliates)

How Can BW&CO Help?

1) End-to-end support including, strategy, writing of the full proposal, and administrative & compliance support.

2) Proposal strategy and review.

3) Administrative & compliance support.

Request to talk with a member of our team by completing the form below: