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Topic DON27BZ02-NV018 from the DoW SBIR 2027 BAA, Release 2. Pre-release now; proposals due January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET.
Quick answer
DON27BZ02-NV018 is a Department of the Navy SBIR topic seeking a rapid repair process that fusion welds high-temperature thermoplastic patches onto legacy epoxy or BMI composite airframes. It follows a standard Phase I feasibility, Phase II prototype structure. Proposals are due January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET.
Solicitation at a glance
- Topic number: DON27BZ02-NV018
- Official title: Rapid Thermoplastic Patching Capability for Legacy Thermoset Airframe Sustainment
- Agency: Department of the Navy
- Program: SBIR (DoW SBIR 2027 BAA, Release 2)
- Award type: Phase I (see topic text for Phase II)
- Award amount: Phase I base up to $200,000 plus an option up to $115,000. Source: Navy Release 2 instructions in DSIP.
- CMMC level: Level 2 (Self)
- ITAR: No
- Technology areas: None
- Pre-release (direct TPOC contact allowed): November 4 to December 2, 2026, 8:00 AM ET
- Opens in DSIP: December 2, 2026, 8:00 AM ET
- Proposals due: January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET
- Official source: DSIP Topics app (search DON27BZ02-NV018)
BW&CO's take
What the Department of the Navy wants
Composite airframe repairs today rely on secondary adhesive bonds that need 4 to 24 hour cures, environmental controls, and freezer storage. The Navy wants to replace that with fusion welding of pre-consolidated thermoplastic patches (such as Carbon/PEEK or Carbon/PEKK) onto fully cured thermoset structure. The core problem is the interface between dissimilar polymers, so proposals must include an enabler such as plasma activation, chemical tie-layers, or laser-ablated interlocking that works with portable ultrasonic, resistance, or induction welding. Phase II scales to representative structures and targets a return-to-flight cycle under 4 hours and restoration of more than 115% of the parent structure's Design Ultimate Load.
Who is a good fit
- Thermoplastic composite welding experience with ultrasonic, resistance, or induction equipment
- Surface treatment or tie-layer chemistry for bonding thermoplastics to cured epoxy or BMI
- Coupon-level mechanical testing capability, including lap-shear and peel-strength, against adhesive baselines
- Thermal modeling and fatigue, thermal cycling, and damage tolerance testing of composite repairs
Watch-outs
- Phase I must empirically show the weld transfers structural load comparable to or better than baseline epoxy adhesive repairs, so coupon test capacity is needed from the start.
- The welding process must keep the parent thermoset below its degradation threshold, which is one of the stated Phase II target metrics.
- Phase II targets are demanding: complete return-to-flight repair under 4 hours and restoration of more than 115% of the parent structure's Design Ultimate Load.
- The topic metadata lists CMMC Level 2 (Self). It is not marked as ITAR-restricted in the topic metadata.
Think your company fits DON27BZ02-NV018? Talk with BW&CO before the January 6 deadline.
Plan Your DON27BZ02-NV018 Submission
Official topic text (verbatim from DSIP)
The text in this section is copied word for word from the official DSIP topic as published on November 4, 2026. DSIP is the official source and topics can be amended. Always confirm the current version at dodsbirsttr.mil before you submit. Our commentary above is BW&CO's interpretation, not Government guidance.
Title
Rapid Thermoplastic Patching Capability for Legacy Thermoset Airframe Sustainment
Objective
Deliver a rapid, high-strength thermoplastic patching capability for legacy thermoset composite airframes by developing the necessary interfacial enabling technologies to fuse the incompatible polymer systems.
Description
Current composite airframe repair methodologies rely on a combination of wet-layups, B-staged epoxy prepregs, and bonded pre-cured thermoset patches. While pre-cured patches are the standard for high-quality depot repairs due to their autoclave-consolidated strength and “inspectability”, they present significant operational and logistical limitations. All these traditional methods require secondary adhesive bonding (using paste or film adhesives) to attach the repair to the airframe. This secondary bond is the inherent weak link of the repair, demanding long thermal cure cycles (often 4 to 24 hours), strict environmental controls, and burdensome cold-storage logistics (freezers) for the B-staged resins and adhesives. Furthermore, these out-of-autoclave epoxy repairs often struggle to meet the high service temperature requirements of advanced tactical aircraft.
This SBIR topic seeks to evolve the current pre-cured repair methodology by transitioning from secondary adhesive bonding to high-speed fusion welding. The objective is to develop the capability to use pre-consolidated, high-temperature thermoplastic patches (e.g., Carbon/PEEK, Carbon/PEKK) on legacy thermoset aircraft (epoxy/Bismaleimide [BMI]). By replacing the lengthy adhesive cure cycle with a rapid welding process, this technology aims to achieve flight-ready repairs in expeditionary and carrier-based environments in a fraction of the time.
Because thermoplastics melt and thermosets do not, achieving a structural weld between these dissimilar materials is the primary barrier to fielding this capability. The Department of War seeks complete thermoplastic patching solutions that incorporate the requisite chemical or mechanical interfacial enablers—such as plasma surface activation, novel chemical tie-layers, or laser-ablated mechanical interlocking. These enablers must allow the thermoplastic patch to successfully fuse with a fully cured, legacy thermoset airframe using portable ultrasonic, resistance- or -induction welding equipment. The outcome must be a deployable repair process that eliminates cold-storage logistics, restores full structural integrity, meets high service temperature demands, and drastically reduces Aircraft on Ground (AOG) time.
Phase I
Develop a conceptual thermoplastic patching process and demonstrate the physical viability of the proposed enabling interfacial technology (e.g., tie-layers, surface functionalization). Establish the feasibility of the conceptual process. Perform coupon-level mechanical testing (such as lap-shear and peel-strength) to empirically prove that the thermoplastic-to-thermoset weld achieves a structural load transfer that is comparable to, or exceeds, baseline epoxy adhesive repairs. Deliver a detailed theoretical model explaining the fusion mechanism, an initial assessment of the repair's thermal limits (ensuring the parent thermoset is not degraded), and a conceptual workflow for field-level application that eliminates the need for depot-level infrastructure or cold-storage consumables.
Phase II
Develop, optimize, and scale a patching capability prototype to representative legacy airframe structures, such as contoured wing skins or stiffened panels. Perform the proposed thermoplastic patch repair using field-representative heating equipment (e.g., portable induction or resistance welding). Validate the repair through rigorous structural testing, including fatigue spectrum loading, thermal cycling, and damage tolerance assessments, to prove airworthiness. Deliver a prototype repair kit and process documentation. Target metrics must include a complete return-to-flight repair cycle of under 4 hours, restoration of > 115% of the parent structure's Design Ultimate Load, and thermal isolation ensuring the thermoset parent material remains below its degradation threshold during the welding process. Prepare a Phase III commercialization/transition plan.
Phase III Dual Use Applications
Transition the validated thermoplastic patching capability to Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) for integration into legacy platforms. Incorporate the materials, tooling, and process parameters into standardized Structural Repair Manuals (SRMs) for platforms such as the F/A-18, F-35, or V-22, providing expeditionary units with a rapid, out-of-autoclave, room-temperature-storable repair solution.
Commercial dual-use applications include rapid repair for the commercial airline industry, structural maintenance for composite wind turbine blades, and automotive crash repair for high-performance composite vehicles.
References
“NAVAIR 01-1A-1, General Manual for Structural Repair.” https://www.tinker.af.mil/Portals/106/Documents/Technical%20Orders/AFD-082416-1-1A-1.pdf
Fernandes Villegas, Irene and Vizcaino Rubio, Pablo. “On avoiding thermal degradation during welding of high performance thermoplastic composites to thermoset composites, Composites Part A.” Applied Science and Manufacturing, 2015-10, Vol 77, pp. 172-180. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1359835X15002341
Keywords
Thermoplastic Patching; Thermoset Airframe Repair; Fusion Welding; Interfacial Bonding; Rapid Sustainment; Out of Autoclave
Frequently asked questions
What is DON27BZ02-NV018?
It is a Department of the Navy SBIR topic to deliver a rapid, high-strength thermoplastic patching capability for legacy thermoset composite airframes, including the interfacial technologies needed to fuse the two polymer systems.
When is DON27BZ02-NV018 due?
Proposals are due January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET. DSIP pre-release began November 4, 2026, and direct contact with the topic authors is allowed only until the topic opens on December 2, 2026, 8:00 AM ET.
Is this a Phase I or Direct-to-Phase II topic?
The topic describes a standard Phase I to develop a conceptual process and prove interfacial viability with coupon testing, followed by Phase II scale-up and structural validation. It does not state that it is Direct-to-Phase II.
Which aircraft and transition partners are named?
Phase III names transition to NAVAIR and the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, with incorporation into Structural Repair Manuals for platforms such as the F/A-18, F-35, or V-22.