Part of the DoW SBIR/STTR FY27 Release 2 topic list. Browse all 83 topics by industry or service.
Topic DON27BZ02-NV024 from the DoW SBIR 2027 BAA, Release 2. Pre-release now; proposals due January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET.
Quick answer
DON27BZ02-NV024 is a Department of the Navy SBIR topic seeking a humanoid or pseudo-humanoid robot that can lift, pivot, and load 70-pound 5-inch projectiles and propelling charges inside an unmodified DDG 51 MK 45 Mod 4 ammunition magazine at Sea State 5. It is a Phase I topic, with Phase I focused on concept design, simulation, and trade studies. Proposals are due January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET.
Solicitation at a glance
- Topic number: DON27BZ02-NV024
- Official title: Zero-Retrofit Robotic Ammunition Handling for the MK 45 Mod 4, 5-Inch Gun Magazine
- 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: Yes. Export-controlled (ITAR/EAR); see topic text
- 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-NV024)
BW&CO's take
What the Department of the Navy wants
DDG 51 5-inch magazines are too tight for fixed robotic arms, and redesigning the compartment is off the table. The Navy wants a mobile robot that adapts to the ship as it is: it fits 24-inch aisles, steps over 6-inch coamings, braces against ship motion, and moves projectiles and propelling charges between stowage racks and hoists at 6 rounds per minute (threshold) to 12 (objective). It needs 2-hour endurance, battery swaps under 60 seconds, EMI/EMP and shock hardening, and no structural changes so human crews can take over if it fails. Phase II delivers a prototype tested in a magazine mockup on a multiaxis motion simulator.
Who is a good fit
- Legged, tracked, or humanoid mobile manipulators that already carry heavy payloads in confined spaces
- Dynamic balancing and stabilization control for robots working on moving platforms
- Bimanual or multi-arm grasping and re-grasping of heavy, awkward objects
- Battery and power design experience with hot-swappable packs, plus MIL-STD-461 and MIL-S-901D hardening know-how
Watch-outs
- The topic metadata marks it ITAR-restricted, so export-control rules apply. It also requires CMMC Level 2 (Self).
- Zero-retrofit is a hard constraint: no structural alteration, standard 24-inch aisles, 6-inch coamings, and the space must stay 100-percent operable by human fallback crews.
- Throughput and endurance targets are specific: at least 6 rounds per minute, 2 hours of continuous operation, and battery swaps in under 60 seconds. A concept that cannot credibly reach these will read as weak.
- Ordnance handling must follow NAVSEA OP 4 protocols, and Phase II requires a demonstration in a land-based magazine mockup mounted on a multiaxis motion simulator replicating Sea State 5.
Think your company fits DON27BZ02-NV024? Talk with BW&CO before the January 6 deadline.
Plan Your DON27BZ02-NV024 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
Zero-Retrofit Robotic Ammunition Handling for the MK 45 Mod 4, 5-Inch Gun Magazine
Objective
Develop a zero-retrofit robotic prototype capable of identifying, lifting, and loading 70-pound, 5-inch projectiles within the unmodified physical constraints of a DDG 51 class ships’ MK 45 Mod 4 ammunition magazine during Sea State 5 conditions. This effort seeks a human-capable equivalent that matches the agility and operational tempo of a well-trained sailor, successfully removing human crews from the most physically exhausting and hazardous steps of the kill chain.
Description
The tight confines of a DDG 51 5-Inch ammunition magazine present a difficult challenge for automation. Traditional robotic arms require fixed mounting and large clearance envelopes, requiring complete compartment redesigns. To avoid extensive shipyard work, the robotic prototype must adapt to the ship. The prototype must navigate narrow aisles, step over "knee-knocker" coamings, and load ammunition into the existing hoists and stowage racks alongside or in place of human sailors.
The robotic prototype must execute capture and lift of 70-pound projectiles and their propelling charges, change their orientations while captured (i.e., pivot), move ammunition between stowage racks and hoists, and safely place the projectiles into the stowage racks and hoists in the proper orientation. Furthermore, the prototype must keep kinematic stability in high sea states (up to Sea State 5) while being able to continue to complete its tasking. The prototype must be resilient to electromagnetic interference (EMI)/electromagnetic pulse (EMP), and have a power supply architecture that enables sustained fire missions without the need for recharge or obstructive cables, and ability to rapidly swap power supplies without substantial downtime.
KEY PARAMETERS FOR ZERO-RETORFIT INTEGRATION:
- Payload Capacity: Continuous capability to lift, pivot, and load 70-pound projectiles and associated propelling charges. System must meet a minimum Threshold of 6 rounds per minute, with an Objective of 12 rounds per minute.
- Form Factor: Must fit within standard 24-inch shipboard aisles and maneuver in confined magazine spaces.
- Locomotion: Able to traverse standard deck plating, step over 6-inch coamings, and brace against ship motion.
- Stability: Maintain balance and load control up to and during Sea State 5 conditions (significant pitch/roll/heave).
- Power: Minimum 2-hour continuous operational endurance with rapidly hot-swappable battery packs (changeable in under 60 seconds).
- Hardening: Built to Military Standard (MIL-STD)-461 (EMI/EMP) and MIL-S-901D (Shock) thresholds.
- Safety/Fallback: Zero-retrofit integration (i.e., no structural alteration), ensuring the space stays 100-percent operational by human fallback crews in case of robot failure.
- Explosive Safety: Must adhere to NAVSEA OP 4 protocols for the safe physical handling of ordnance (Note: meeting specific electrical power level compliance is out of scope for this effort).
Phase I
Develop a concept for a humanoid or pseudo-humanoid robot meeting the key parameters for zero-retrofit magazine operations. Conduct kinematic and dynamic simulations modeling the robot extracting, pivoting, and loading rounds in a virtual MK 45 magazine under Sea State 5 conditions. Perform trade studies on single-arm versus multi-arm torque constraints and bipedal versus pseudo-humanoid (quadruped, tracked, or other) stability. Prepare a report on physical design, power management strategy, and a Phase II prototyping/testing plan.
Phase II
Fabricate a functional prototype based on Phase I designs. Assess the prototype in a land-based magazine mockup. Mount the mockup on a multiaxis motion simulator to replicate Sea State 5 roll and pitch. Demonstrate the robot successfully extracting dummy 5-inch projectiles from standard horizontal racks, navigating an aisle, and vertically seating the propelling charges and projectiles into a simulated hoist. Refine grasping effectors and stabilization software. Deliver a prototype, testing data report, and a Phase III ruggedization and integration plan.
Phase III Dual Use Applications
Ruggedize the Phase II prototype to meet MIL-STD shock, vibration, and EMI/EMP requirements. Integrate the system at a live testing facility (e.g., Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Dahlgren, or NSWC, Port Hueneme) alongside a fully functional MK 45 Mod 4-gun mount. Demonstrate a sustained, full-rate fire mission using the prototype as the primary loader. Finalize production designs, deliver the testing data, and mature the prototype for transition to Navy for shipboard demonstration. Primary commercial dual-use sectors for this technology include: Power Infrastructure, Offshore and Onshore Oil Rigs, Mining, and Nuclear facilities. Ultimately, this technology establishes a commercial benchmark for removing human operators from high-risk, physically grueling industrial roles. Doing so preserves human capital for critical cognitive tasks while drastically reducing injury rates in hazardous environments.
References
Lattimer, B. Y. et al. "SAFFiR: Shipboard Autonomous Firefighting Robot." Virginia Tech/Office of Naval Research (ONR), 2014. https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-FIles/Display-FactFiles/Article/2160601/shipboard-autonomous-firefighting-robot-saffir
Sentis, L. et al. "Design and Control of the Valkyrie Humanoid." NASA Johnson Space Center, Radford, N. A. et al. (2015). "Valkyrie: NASA's First Bipedal Humanoid Robot." Journal of Field Robotics, 32(3), 397–419.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rob.21560
Johnson, M. et al. (2015). "Team IHMC's Lessons Learned from the DARPA Robotics Challenge Trials." Journal of Field Robotics, 32(2), 192–208 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rob.21571
Hwangbo, J. et al. "Learning agile and dynamic motor skills for quadrupedal robots." Science Robotics, 2019. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scirobotics.aau5872
Khatib, O. et al. "Ocean One: A Robotic Avatar for Oceanic Discovery." IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine. 2016. https://ieeexplore/ieee.org/document/7742315
Vahrenkamp, N., Berenson, D., Asfour, T., Kuffner, J., & Dillmann, R. (2009). "Humanoid Motion Planning for Dual-Arm Manipulation and Re-Grasping Tasks." IEEE/RSJ IROS, pp. 2464–2470 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5354625/
Bostelman, R., Hong, T., & Marvel, J. (2016). "Survey of research for performance measurement of mobile manipulators." Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 121, 342-366. https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/jres/121/jres.121.015.pdf
Kaneko, K. et al. "Humanoid Robot HRP-3P: A Robot Operating in the Real World." 2008 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, Nice, France, pp 2471-2478. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4650604
Keywords
humanoid robotics; pseudo-humanoid; biarmed manipulation; quadrupedal robotics; MK 45 Mod 4, 5-Inch Gun; counter unmanned surface and aerial systems, counter-UxS; ammunition magazine; ammunition handling; heavy-lift robotics; zero-retrofit integration; drop-in replacement; manning reduction; confined space navigation; kinematic stability; dynamic balancing; Sea State 5; moving platform locomotion; hazards of electromagnetic radiation to ordnance, HERO; electromagnetic pulse, EMP hardening
Frequently asked questions
What is DON27BZ02-NV024?
It is a Department of the Navy SBIR topic to develop a zero-retrofit robotic prototype that identifies, lifts, and loads 70-pound 5-inch projectiles and propelling charges within the unmodified MK 45 Mod 4 ammunition magazine of a DDG 51 class ship during Sea State 5 conditions.
When is DON27BZ02-NV024 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. After that, questions go through DSIP Topic Q&A.
Is this a Phase I or Direct-to-Phase II topic?
It is a Phase I topic. Phase I covers a humanoid or pseudo-humanoid concept, kinematic and dynamic simulations in a virtual MK 45 magazine under Sea State 5, trade studies on arm count and locomotion type, and a Phase II prototyping and testing plan. Phase II builds and tests the prototype.
Does the robot have to be a bipedal humanoid?
No. Phase I asks for a humanoid or pseudo-humanoid concept and calls for trade studies comparing bipedal stability against pseudo-humanoid options such as quadruped, tracked, or other designs, along with single-arm versus multi-arm torque constraints.