Part of the DoW SBIR/STTR FY27 Release 2 topic list. Browse all 83 topics by industry or service.
Topic DON27TZ02-NV014 from the DoW STTR 2027 BAA, Release 2. Pre-release now; proposals due January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET.
Quick answer
DON27TZ02-NV014 is a Department of the Navy STTR topic seeking conformal antennas printed directly onto small-diameter, curved carbon-fiber airframes for missiles, weapons, or aircraft, with environmental protection designed in from the start. It is an STTR topic that starts at Phase I; as an STTR, it requires a research-institution partner. Proposals are due January 6, 2027, 12:00 PM ET.
Solicitation at a glance
- Topic number: DON27TZ02-NV014
- Official title: Conformal Printed Antennas for Missile and Weapon Composite Airframes
- Agency: Department of the Navy
- Program: STTR (DoW STTR 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 DON27TZ02-NV014)
BW&CO's take
What the Department of the Navy wants
Antennas on rockets and missiles are usually discrete elements on brackets under separate radomes, wired through coax cables and connectors that add mass, volume, signal loss, and reliability problems. The Navy is developing low-cost counter-UAS effectors in 40 mm, 70 mm, and 5" diameters and wants printed or conformal antennas to cut mass. Proposers must use direct-write methods such as aerosol-jet or inkjet to print radiating elements on carbon-fiber substrates, co-designing the coating for electromagnetic transparency, loss, and detuning. Phase I picks a substrate, preferably 70 mm to 130 mm diameter. Phase II matures the antenna to TRL 6 with MIL-STD environmental qualification and platform-level testing.
Who is a good fit
- Aerosol-jet, inkjet, or other direct-write multi-material printed electronics on curved surfaces
- Antenna design for GPS (including anti-jam), command and control, telemetry, datalink, or seeker functions on small-diameter platforms
- Characterization of printed conductors on conductive carbon-fiber composite substrates
- Coating and environmental protection experience, including electromagnetic transparency characterization and MIL-STD environmental testing
Watch-outs
- This is an STTR topic, so you need a formal research-institution partner performing a meaningful share of the work.
- The coating or environmental protection scheme must be integrated from the outset, with explicit treatment of electromagnetic transparency, loss, and detuning.
- Phase II requires TRL 6, environmental qualification per relevant MIL-STDs, documented print process control and yield, and platform-level integration and test with an identified Navy transition program.
- The topic requires CMMC Level 2 (Self). It is not marked as ITAR-restricted in the topic metadata.
Think your company fits DON27TZ02-NV014? Talk with BW&CO before the January 6 deadline.
Plan Your DON27TZ02-NV014 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
Conformal Printed Antennas for Missile and Weapon Composite Airframes
Objective
Develop and demonstrate conformal printed antennas for Navy missile, weapon, or aircraft composite airframes, addressing the coupled electromagnetic, structural, and environmental design problem inherent to printing radiating elements on small-diameter, high-curvature carbon-fiber substrates with integrated environmental protection. In particular, the Department is developing a number of low-cost counter-UAS effectors in the 40 mm, 70 mm, and 5” diameters. In order to keep costs down, one approach is to provide in-flight guidance updates until the seeker can detect the threat UAS. To reduce mass, we are seeking technology for printed or conformal antennas and circuitry.
Description
Rockets, missiles, aircraft, and tactical weapons are extremely weight constrained. Antennas for Global Positioning Systems (GPS) (including anti-jam), command and control, telemetry, datalink, and seeker functions must coexist with structural, thermal, environmental constraints on curved airframes. Conventional fabrication produces these antennas as discrete elements mounted on brackets inside separate radomes, connected to receivers via coaxial cables and connectors. This architecture imposes parasitic mass, parasitic volume, signal loss through cables and connectors, and long-term reliability degradation as connectors corrode and radomes delaminate over shipboard storage life.
Conformal printed antennas integrated directly onto composite airframe surfaces offer substantial advantages: reduced mass, reduced volume, eliminated cable and connector losses, and structural integration with the airframe itself. The technical challenge: printing radiating elements onto curved carbon-fiber substrates couples electromagnetic design with structural design, environmental protection, and the complex electrical interaction between printed conductors and the underlying conducting carbon-fiber substrate.
Multi-material printed electronics, particularly aerosol-jet and inkjet direct-write processes, have matured to where conductors, dielectrics, and substrates can be co-deposited into conformal structures with controlled electromagnetic properties. The unaddressed capability is the integrated design of printed antennas on airframe substrates, with environmental protection co-designed for operational survival.
The antennas shall be designed using direct-write printed electronics methods (aerosol-jet, inkjet, or comparable approaches) capable of multi-material co-deposition on curved composite substrates. Coating or environmental protection schemes shall be integrated into the design from the outset, with explicit treatment of electromagnetic transparency, loss, and detuning effects.
Phase I
Define a concept for the target antenna application, including the conventional baseline being displaced and quantitative performance, cost, and lead-time targets. In conjunction with the Navy participants. identify a representative composite substrate and configuration with justification of diameter and curvature (preference for the 70 mm to 130 mm diameter range).Identify a coating or environmental protection scheme appropriate to the target application, with justification against the operational environment. Conduct joint research on the coupled electromagnetic-structural-environmental design problem, including initial design methodology, characterization of electromagnetic transparency and detuning effects of candidate coatings, and characterization of printed conductor performance on carbon-fiber composite substrates. Deliver a final report that includes technology base documentation, coating selection rationale and characterization, and baseline comparison; and a Phase II plan.
Phase II
Develop the conformal printed antenna capability prototype and mature to TRL 6 on a representative configuration, including environmental qualification per relevant MIL-STDs on the coated configuration. Demonstrate fabrication and performance at relevant curvature, including documented print process control, inspection, yield characterization, and coating application. In conjunction with identified Navy transition program, demonstrate platform level integration and test, including (where feasible) captive carry, static fire, sled test, or flight demonstration. Document the path to qualified production, including supplier identification, equipment requirements, and cost and lead-time projections at production rate. Prepare a Phase III commercialization/transition plan.
Phase III Dual Use Applications
Transition to the identified target Program of Record. Broader applications include Navy and Marine Corps strike weapons (PMA-242, PMA-201), air-to-air missiles (PMA-259), tactical rockets, small UAS (PMA-263), Marine ground-launched precision fires, and dismounted C4ISR antennas. Cross-service applications include Army PEO Missiles and Space, Air Force Armament Directorate, MDA, and Special Operations Command (SOCOM) antenna requirements on small-diameter platforms.
Commercial small UAS and advanced air mobility (conformal antennas on composite airframes); commercial space and small satellites (conformal antennas on composite stages and bus structures); automotive (conformal antennas for connected and autonomous vehicles); and consumer and industrial IoT. The qualification framework, including coating and protection, transfers to FAA-regulated aviation, commercial space, and other regulated markets where qualification of printed antennas on composites and other conductive substrates would provide weight and power advantages.
References
“MIL-STD-810H, Environmental Engineering Considerations and Laboratory Tests, 2019.” https://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0800-0899/MIL-STD-810H_55998/
“MIL-STD-461G, Requirements for the Control of Electromagnetic Interference Characteristics of Subsystems and Equipment, 2015.” https://quicksearch.dla.mil/qsdocdetails.aspx?ident_number=35789 https://everyspec.com/MIL-STD/MIL-STD-0300-0499/MIL-STD-461G_53571/
“IPC-2292, Design Standard for Printed Electronics on Flexible Substrates.” https://www.ipc.org/
Keywords
printed electronics; aerosol-jet printing; inkjet printing; direct-write deposition; multi-material printing; printed antennas; conformal antennas; carbon fiber composite; composite motor case; conformal coating; environmental protection; rain erosion; GPS antenna; Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS); Controlled Reception Pattern Antenna (CRPA); satellite communications (SATCOM); telemetry antenna; tactical rockets; missiles; weapons; qualification of printed electronics on composites
Frequently asked questions
What is DON27TZ02-NV014?
It is a Department of the Navy STTR topic to develop and demonstrate conformal printed antennas for Navy missile, weapon, or aircraft composite airframes, solving the coupled electromagnetic, structural, and environmental design problem of printing on small-diameter, high-curvature carbon-fiber substrates.
When is DON27TZ02-NV014 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 STTR topic. Phase I defines the target antenna application and baseline, identifies a representative substrate in conjunction with Navy participants and a coating scheme, and conducts joint research on the coupled design problem. Phase II matures a prototype to TRL 6. As an STTR, it requires a research-institution partner.
What airframe sizes is the Navy targeting?
The Department is developing low-cost counter-UAS effectors in 40 mm, 70 mm, and 5" diameters. For Phase I, the topic states a preference for a representative composite substrate in the 70 mm to 130 mm diameter range, with justification of diameter and curvature.