Complementaru Flush Air Data System for Subsonic/Transonic Bomber Operations and Weapon Platforms - SBIR Topic DAF26BZ03-DV023

Funding Amount:

Est. $2,000,000

Deadline to Apply:

July 22nd, 2026

Objective:

This effort seeks to mature, develop, and validate a modular, complementary Flush Air Data System (FADS) designed to augment existing pitot-static air data architectures across all AFGSC platforms, including bomber operations, weapon platforms, UAS, and test assets. The system will provide redundant, jam-resistant, and stealth-compatible air data sensing to enhance flight safety, data integrity, and mission resilience in contested environments.

Description:

Targeting Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 6–7, the effort will integrate the complementary FADS within an Agile Pod or fuselage-mounted configuration, enabling non-intrusive flight validation without modification of existing primary systems. The goal is to demonstrate reliable interoperability and data fusion between FADS and the aircraft’s existing air data computers, ensuring cross-verified, all-weather flight parameters for improved survivability, redundancy, and operational assurance.

Key objectives include:

Developing a robust and adaptable flush-mounted pressure sensing system optimized for AFGSC platforms, with scalable designs applicable across the AFGSC portfolio, as well as to other Air Force and Department of War (DoW) aircraft, UAVs, and missile systems, enabling smoother technology transition and broader fleet impact. Ensuring accurate and resilient air data measurement throughout dynamic flight conditions, addressing challenges such as icing, electromagnetic interference, and sensor degradation. Conducting comprehensive ground tests followed by flight validation to demonstrate system reliability, accuracy, and seamless integration with existing aircraft systems.

The desired outcome is a flight-validated complementary FADS that enhances aircraft survivability, minimizes maintenance burdens, and increases data assurance under contested conditions. This effort directly aligns with AFGSC modernization priorities and DoW objectives in maneuver, sensing, and technology protection, ensuring an immediate operational benefit while enabling a smoother, lower-risk technology transition across the AFGSC portfolio. Over time, data and performance collected through this complementary system will inform future modernization pathways, enabling potential transition to a primary flush air data architecture once validated and qualified for operational use.

AFGSC’s B-52 and B-1 bombers currently rely on traditional pitot/static probe systems to measure airspeed, altitude, and trajectory—critical parameters for ensuring flight safety and executing missions effectively. These legacy systems, while proven, are single points of failure and introduce operational limitations in contested and low-observable environments. Protruding pitot probes increase drag and radar cross-section, elevating detectability and reducing effectiveness and survivability. They are also susceptible to icing, contamination, and physical damage, which can drive up maintenance costs and reduce mission flexibility.

Although concerns over legacy air data systems persist, the fundamental pitot-static sensing principle, introduced in the early 20th century, remains the Department of the Air Force’s current state-of-the-art and primary method for air data measurement on bomber and mobility aircraft—despite incremental advances in digital air data computers. While Flush Air Data System (FADS) concepts have existed since the 1970s, no system has yet matured into an operationally qualified, modular, and low-observable solution for subsonic and transonic military platforms. Existing low-observable air data treatments and experimental flush systems have been demonstrated in limited tests or stealth programs; however, these remain platform-specific, non-modular, and not qualified for sustained operational use.

Currently, no DoW air data solution combines low-observable design, modular integration, and jam-resistant redundancy for subsonic and transonic bomber operations. This effort moves beyond the current state-of-the-art by introducing a complementary, fleet-ready FADS architecture optimized for contested, all-weather environments.

A Complementary FADS augments traditional pitot/static architectures rather than replacing them. It embeds precision surface pressure sensors flush with the aircraft skin or within modular pods to provide a secondary, independent data stream that validates and reinforces the primary system. This approach ensures data continuity under jamming, icing, or probe damage conditions, while not impacting aerodynamic drag and radar cross-section.

Unlike prior NASA/AFRL FADS demonstrations focused on hypersonic vehicles, this effort will deliver a mission-qualified, low-observable, and cyber-secure complementary system tailored to the subsonic and transonic flight regimes of AFGSC bombers and weapon platforms. The subsonic and transonic regimes for these heavier aircraft pose unique challenges such as flow separation, shockwaves, complex pressure gradients, and unsteady aerodynamic phenomena that complicate the accurate extraction and processing of air data from flush sensors. These conditions require specialized calibration, signal processing algorithms, and system designs not yet mature for operational use.

This complementary design preserves existing flight-control architectures while introducing an operationally resilient, scalable capability that strengthens flight-data assurance and paves the way for future full-system modernization under separate initiatives.

While starting with AFGSC bomber operations, the design is intentionally modular and mission-agnostic so validated sensors and algorithms can transition to all AFGSC platforms, weapon platforms, UAS, missiles, and other systems. This dual-use potential enhances transition pathways and aligns with broader DoW modernization priorities in hypersonic, test instrumentation, and distributed sensing (supports new DoW CTAs - AAI, Q-BID, and SHY).

The proposed effort seeks to mature and demonstrate a modular, flush-mounted air data sensing system optimized for the unique operational and geometrical complexities of AFGSC bomber airframes, and to provide opportunities to modernize, digitize, and standardize these capabilities across the bomber fleet and other AFGSC aircraft and weapon platforms. The flush system will ensure:

Robust, adaptable pressure port placement tailored to complex airframes or weapon platforms. Accurate and resilient air data measurement throughout subsonic and transonic maneuvers (including climbs, descents, and rapid flight profile transitions), while compensating for flow disturbances. Effective operation in icing conditions and GPS-denied or contested electromagnetic environments. Reduced logistics and sustainment burdens when compared to pitot probe maintenance and susceptibility to fouling or physical damage (indirectly supports new DoW CTA LOG)

The effort will begin at TRL 3-4 (TRL 4 preferred; TRL 3 may require strong prior work) and progress through iterative design, ground, and flight testing to achieve TRL 6–7. The Phase II path will use Agile Pod or non-intrusive fuselage deployment for flight validation to minimize aircraft modification risk. Deliverables include a validated flight test report, verified performance metrics, and a modular, cyber-hardened system architecture compatible with Open Mission Systems (OMS), model-based flight controls, and digital engineering environments.

Effort phases shall include:

Phase I: N/A (prior feasibility work performed)

Phase II: Fabrication of flight-ready sensor modules, integration with aircraft interfaces, ground testing including environmental and EMI/EMC assessments, and in-flight testing for performance validation, accuracy, and reliability. Phase III (Transition):Seamless technology handoff to Air Force program offices for fleet upgrade initiatives and technology insertion, with detailed documentation, manufacturing process development, and sustainment planning.

Minimum acceptable deliverables include a fully documented flight test report demonstrating TRL 6-7 readiness, verified sensor performance metrics across target flight regimes, cyber-hardened system architecture compliant with Air Force digital standards, and a scalable modular design enabling rapid adaptation to multiple platform types.

This capability directly supports AFGSC’s weapon system readiness (AFGSC/CC's #1 priority), bomber program priorities (AFGSC A5/8), bomber modernization programs (AFLCMC), and mission assurance by improving flight data integrity for nuclear deterrence and conventional strike operations in contested airspace. Beyond bombers, the technology offers transition potential across the Air Force portfolios—including weapon platforms, UAVs, hypersonic test assets, and missile platforms—advancing DoW objectives in Technology Maneuver, Manufacturing, and Protect & Defend.

Over time, data and performance collected through this complementary system will inform future modernization pathways, enabling a potential transition to a primary flush air data architecture once validated, further strengthening the resilience and technological readiness of AFGSC’s bomber fleet and weapon platforms. By mitigating vulnerabilities pitot/static systems with a stealth-compatible, all-weather, jam-resistant alternative, this effort enhances platform survivability, reduces lifecycle cost, and ensures enduring global strike readiness.

PHASE I

As this is a Direct-to-Phase-II (D2P2) topic, no Phase I awards will be made. To qualify, the applicant must demonstrate feasibility through prior "Phase I-type" efforts with documentation such as data, reports, feasibility studies, specific measurements, and success criteria from prototype testing. This should show the technology's current maturity and ability to meet AFGSC's operational needs for Flush Air Data Systems.

PHASE II

The Phase II effort will mature, integrate, and flight-demonstrate a prototype complementary Flush Air Data System (FADS) that provides jam-resistance, a reduce radar cross section, and highly accurate real-time air data for all AFGSC platforms. Building on prior feasibility studies and subscale testing at TRL 3-4, this effort will advance the technology to TRL 6–7 through integration within an Agile Pod on a B-52 and follow-on validation across other AFGSC-selected aircraft and/or weapon platforms. This pod-based approach enables rapid demonstration without structural modification, reduces certification risk, and provides a scalable path for later integration across the AFGSC portfolio.

This effort directly supports AFGSC’s modernization and weapon system readiness priorities, enhancing targeting precision, flight-data resilience, and survivability in contested environments while establishing a low-risk foundation for future full-system modernization.

Objectives and Desired Outcomes

The overarching goal is to deliver a validated, flight-tested complementary FADS prototype that meets or exceeds legacy pitot performance while minimizing drag, icing, and radar-signature penalties. Success will be measured by the system’s ability to generate precision, real-time air data across subsonic and transonic flight regimes, with demonstrated resilience to jamming, icing, and fouling. Desired key outcomes include:

Aerodynamic Database (ADB): Develop an aerodynamic model spanning subsonic through transonic flight regimes, leveraging Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and wind tunnel data. Agile Pod Integration: Deliver a fully integrated flush-mounted air data sensing hardware/software system incorporated within an Agile Pod, facilitating rapid platform transition and reduced certification risk without requiring aircraft structural modifications. Ground Testing: Conduct comprehensive ground-based assessments to verify hardware performance and environmental resilience. Flight Demonstration: Execute flight validation on the chosen AFGSC platform (B-52), assessing system accuracy across high-altitude cruise, maneuvering, and transonic profiles. Comparative analyses with legacy pitot systems will quantify improvements in accuracy, redundancy, survivability, and targeting capabilities. System Transition Roadmap: Provide a detailed transition plan including performance validation, manufacturing readiness, and integration paths for AFGSC aircraft and weapon platforms, future aircraft/weapon platforms, and other Department of the Air Force applications.

Technical Goals and Functional Requirements

Port Placement Optimization: Determine optimal flush port configurations/placement for redundancy and survivability while preserving a reduced radar signature.

Algorithm Maturation: Refine system algorithms for real-time processing, targeting jam-resistance precision within ±3% of legacy pitot accuracy across the operational envelope.

Operational Envelope: Demonstrate performance from take-off roll to the maximum operational air speed and altitudes up to the platform’s service ceiling.

Resilience Analysis: Achieve ≥95% valid air-data accuracy despite the loss of up to two pressure sensing ports.

Integration Requirements: Ensure full compatibility with AFGSC aircraft’s power, thermal, and avionics margins while remaining OMS-compliant.

Testing Requirements and Success Criteria

Ground Tests: Wind-tunnel and bench validation of hardware and algorithms.

Success Criterion: Air-data accuracy within 10 percent of nominal values.

Flight Tests: Flight series on the B-52 Agile Pod covering subsonic–transonic regimes.

Success Criterion: FADS outputs demonstrate parity or improvement over pitot/static data within statistical confidence intervals.

Data Analysis: Generate quick-look reports after each sortie and a consolidated validation package comparing FADS and pitot accuracy, latency, and reliability, and any other requested pitot system metrics.

Success Criterion: Reports, analyses, and validation information delivered IAW contract timelines.

Deliverables

Aerodynamic simulation results based on the developed ADB. Integrated FADS hardware and software within a B-52 Agile Pod for testing. Ground-test report documenting design verification, environmental qualification, and EMI/EMC compliance. Flight test quick-look reports and consolidated performance analyses. Final transition package, including integration plan, manufacturing readiness assessment (MRL 4–5 target), cost model, and roadmap for AFGSC and derivative fleets/weapons.

Period of Performance Outcomes

By project completion, this effort will advance FADS technology from TRL 3-4 to TRL 6–7, delivering a flight-validated prototype that enhances radar-signature control, jam-resistance, and air-data precision across AFGSC flight regimes. Beginning with the B-52 Agile Pod demonstration and scaling across AFGSC platforms, the program establishes a clear transition path into AFGSC and AFLCMC bomber modernization portfolios and future digital-flight-control programs. The complementary FADS also lays the foundation for future primary-system modernization across Air Force, unmanned, and hypersonic test vehicles—strengthening operational resilience and readiness in contested airspace.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS

Phase III will transition the complementary Flush Air Data System (FADS) from a flight-tested prototype to a fully operational, production-ready system ready for fleet integration and broader AFGSC and USAF applications. Initial integration and demonstration will occur on the B-52 Agile Pod test platform, with potential for B-1 testing if platform availability permits. After successful transition within the AFGSC bomber portfolio, the effort will expand to other Air Force platforms and later to UAS and subsonic/transonic missile systems where compact, low-drag, and jam-resistant air-data sensing is essential.

At the onset of Phase III, FADS is expected to be at least Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 following Phase II flight demonstrations. The effort will mature the technology to TRL 7-8 through operational testing, certification, and fleet-level integration. Activities will include alignment with USAF and DoW acquisition standards, air worthiness qualification, cybersecurity accreditation, and verification of compliance with Open Mission Systems (OMS) and Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) standards, culminating in readiness for full operational deployment. The project will produce validated documentation packages for Technical Orders (T.O.s), configuration management baselines, and maintenance procedures supporting transition to depot-level sustainment.

Military Applications

FADS augments and modernizes legacy pitot-static architectures on strategic bomber and AFGSC platforms, improving survivability, mission assurance, and flight-safety margins by reducing radar cross-section and mitigating vulnerability to icing or probe damage. It provides high-precision, jam-resistant air-data to enhance navigation, targeting, and flight-control performance in contested environments.

Beyond bomber modernization, the technology supports missile, hypersonic, reentry-vehicle, and UAS applications requiring resilient, low-observable air-data sensing.

Following successful AFGSC integration, FADS will transition through the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Program Offices and the Program Executive Officer (PEO) Bombers, with potential alignment under future Digital Flight Control Modernization or Bomber Avionics Modernization efforts. Technology integration will also be coordinated with AFLCMC/WBD (B-52 Program Office), AFLCMC/WBN (B-1), AFLCMC/WBS (B-21), AFLCMCWBZ (B-2), PEO Mobility, and USSF for future application to mobility aircraft and tankers operating in contested or denied environments.

Commercial Applications

Parallel to military applications, the FADS offers strong commercial potential in sectors facing similar aerodynamic and operational challenges. Business-jet, advanced-air-mobility (AAM), and eVTOL manufacturers seek compact, low-drag, and all-weather air-data systems to replace pitot-based sensors that are prone to icing and require frequent maintenance. FADS offers a lightweight, modular, and high-reliability solution adaptable to civilian certification pathways while improving safety and operational efficiency.

Phase III Effort and Transition Planning

Phase III activities will include:

System refinement based on Phase II flight test data to enhance reliability, accuracy, and jam resistance. Production engineering and scale-up to manufacturing-ready status, including supplier qualification and quality control implementation. Formal integration on selected platforms with necessary certification testing and documentation development. Fleet-level roll-out planning, including logistics, sustainment, and lifecycle cost assessment. Engagement and coordination with key AFGSC, AFMC, AFLCMC, and PEOs for enduring support and technology insertion. Identification of additional transition pathways across USAF and DoW portfolios, including mobility aircraft, UAS, and missile systems.

By the end of Phase III, FADS will achieve TRL 7–8, validated for operational use and production. The complementary system will deliver a scalable, modular, and cyber-secure sensing capability that enhances platform survivability, flight-data assurance, and mission success in contested environments. Its dual-use applicability ensures value across military and commercial aerospace sectors, supporting both AFGSC and DoW modernization priorities while strengthening U.S. industrial leadership in advanced sensing technologies.

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.

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