DAF SBIR Direct-to-Phase-II Topic DAF26BX05-DV509: High-Voltage Radiation Hardened Power Switches for Space Power and Propulsion

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

The Department of the Air Force is offering a Direct-to-Phase-II SBIR award of up to $2,000,000 for companies that can design, fabricate, and demonstrate high-voltage radiation hardened power switches for space power and propulsion systems. This is topic DAF26BX05-DV509 under the DoW FY26 SBIR CSO Release 5. There is no Phase I award for this topic. Applicants must already have feasibility data in hand and submit directly to Phase II. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through DSIP.

What This Solicitation Is

This is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) topic, which means the government is skipping straight to Phase II funding under the authority of 15 U.S.C. 638(cc). There is no separate Phase I contract. Instead, applicants must prove they already completed Phase I-type feasibility work on their own dime, using resources other than federal SBIR or STTR funding, and submit that evidence as part of the Phase II proposal package.

The topic sits under the Microelectronics Component Technology Priority Area and carries a projected CMMC Level 2 (Self) cybersecurity requirement. It is also restricted under ITAR and EAR export control regulations, so companies planning to use foreign nationals need to plan for that disclosure early.

What DAF Is Looking For

The Space Force is moving from a static, benign space posture to an active "Maneuver Without Regret" concept, which requires high-voltage architectures in the 200V to 800V range to support next-generation electric propulsion. That shift demands power switching electronics that can handle much higher voltages than current silicon rad-hard switches, which typically derate to around 350V max.

Specifically, DAF wants radiation hardened semiconductor power switches that can operate above 350V up to 1kV, with efficiency greater than 80 percent. The switches need to survive single event burnout at a linear transfer energy of 85 MeV cm2/mg with a fluence of at least 1E6 ions per square centimeter, and withstand 300 krad total ionizing dose without failure. Testing needs to happen at credible domestic facilities, with NASA's Space Radiation Laboratory at Brookhaven National Laboratory called out as an example. By the end of Phase II, wafer yield needs to be above 50 percent.

Because there is no Phase I, the feasibility bar for the Phase II proposal itself is high. Applicants need to show their device can be built on a commercially viable semiconductor foundry process, provide a preliminary assessment of space rated packaging that can handle both high voltage and thermal extraction in a vacuum, and back it up with TCAD simulation data, bench testing, or other practical demonstration. This feasibility work cannot be based on or extend from any prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR or STTR work. It has to be work the applicant paid for and performed itself.

Phase II deliverables center on a working prototype plus a full test data package covering technical performance, radiation survivability, and manufacturability, structured to support qualification and reliability testing in Phase III. Phase III is framed around dual use commercialization: product design kit development, high voltage packaging, and MIL-PRF-19500 screening, with target markets including commercial satellite systems, in space transportation, and advanced power electronics broadly.

Funding and Timeline

Award maximum is $2,000,000 with a maximum duration of 24 months. Any proposal exceeding either number will not be considered. The technical volume page limit is 25 pages.

On top of the award amount, DAF provides Technical and Business Assistance funding of up to $50,000 per Phase II award, which can be split 50/50 across a first and sequential Phase II award if applicable. TABA funding can cover things like market research, IP protection, cybersecurity assistance, and manufacturing plan development, but any request has to include a detailed breakdown of the provider, their qualifications, tasks, and costs. A bare dollar figure in the cost volume without that detail will not be considered.

Proposals are due September 23, 2026 through the DoW SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal, known as DSIP. DAF anticipates evaluation and selection will wrap up within roughly 90 calendar days after the solicitation closes.

Who Should Apply

This topic fits small businesses that already have a working handle on wide bandgap or advanced semiconductor power device design, ideally with some silicon carbide, gallium nitride, or similar high voltage switching experience, and that have already put real money and engineering time into a feasibility effort before ever touching this solicitation. Companies without existing device-level data, TCAD modeling, or bench test results proving voltage and efficiency performance will have a hard time meeting the feasibility bar, since there is no Phase I runway to develop that evidence.

It also fits companies comfortable with ITAR and EAR compliance obligations, since this topic is explicitly export controlled and requires disclosure of any foreign national involvement.

Eligibility and Compliance Notes

At least one third of the research effort must be performed by the awardee, measured by direct and indirect costs. All research and development work must happen in the United States, with rare exceptions requiring written approval from the funding agreement officer, requested at initial proposal submission.

The principal investigator's primary employment must be with the applicant company at time of award and throughout the period of performance, meaning more than half their working time. Only one PI can be designated per proposal.

Applicants also need to be aware DAF now runs a foreign risk evaluation and due diligence review on every proposal under 15 U.S.C. 638(vv), covering things like foreign ownership, financial ties to countries of concern, and any listing on a range of federal restricted entity lists. This is a newer layer of scrutiny companies should budget time and legal review for before submitting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a Phase I award for this topic?
No. This is a Direct-to-Phase-II topic. Phase I awards will not be made. Applicants must independently complete and document a Phase I-type feasibility effort before submitting the Phase II proposal.

How much funding is available?
Up to $2,000,000 for a Phase II award with a maximum period of performance of 24 months, plus up to $50,000 in additional Technical and Business Assistance funding.

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted electronically through DSIP.

What technical performance does DAF require?
Power switches must operate above 350V up to 1kV, achieve at least 80 percent efficiency, survive 300 krad total ionizing dose, demonstrate single event burnout immunity at 85 MeV cm2/mg LET with fluence of at least 1E6 ions per square centimeter, and reach a wafer yield above 50 percent by the end of Phase II.

Can feasibility work from a prior SBIR or STTR contract count?
No. Feasibility documentation cannot be based on or logically extend from any prior or ongoing federally funded SBIR or STTR work. It must be work the applicant substantially performed independently.

Is this topic export controlled?
Yes. It is restricted under both ITAR and the Export Administration Regulations. Any use of foreign nationals must be disclosed along with their country of origin, visa or work permit status, and the specific tasks they would perform.

What is the page limit for the technical volume?
25 pages.

What cybersecurity certification level is expected?
CMMC Level 2, Self-assessed.

Where should test data for radiation survivability come from?
Credible domestic test facilities. The topic specifically references the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory at Brookhaven National Laboratory as an example.

What happens in Phase III?
Phase III focuses on commercialization and transition into both DoW and commercial applications, including product design kit development, high voltage packaging, and MIL-PRF-19500 reliability screening, targeting markets like commercial satellites, in-space transportation, and advanced power electronics.