DON26BZ05-NV070 — Multi-Frequency Coverage Unit with Broad Band Interference and Designed Canceller
Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).
Quick Answer
DON26BZ05-NV070 is a Navy Phase I SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds an interference canceller for CNI (Communications, Navigation, Identification) systems, designed to preserve aircraft-to-aircraft and aircraft-to-ground connectivity during self and co-site interference, including MIDS/JTRS-type frequency-hopping systems. Maximum Phase I award across Base and Option is $315,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.
Executive Summary
Modern CNI systems use rapid frequency hopping to reduce vulnerability to narrowband jamming, but that agility doesn't fully solve the problem of self-interference or co-site interference between systems sharing an airframe or operating near each other. NAVAIR wants a canceller unit that keeps a TDMA-based, frequency-hopping secure data link connected to other aircraft and ground CNI systems at distances of at least 120 nautical miles, even while under self or co-site interference, and the unit needs to handle high transmit power in UHF along with a mix of UHF signal plus interference on receive.
Phase I sets a lower bar than the ultimate goal: demonstrate the canceller concept in a lab environment, showing CNI communication and connectivity out to 70 nautical miles during self or co-site interference. This is explicitly proof-of-concept work, not a fielded unit. Phase II raises the bar substantially, requiring chamber testing against actual interference emitters and demonstrating connectivity at greater ranges, while also imposing a firm physical form factor: less than 6 by 6 by 12 inches, under 30 pounds, and a maximum power draw of 150W at 28VDC.
This is a compact hardware engineering problem as much as a signal processing one. Companies proposing here should have existing RF interference cancellation expertise, since the government is asking for real chamber-validated performance against live jamming, not just simulated results.
Work is expected to become classified in Phase II, and the contractor must be able to obtain and maintain a secret facility clearance and personnel clearances. Phase III looks toward integration with a later-specified aircraft platform and validated operation against MIDS/JTRS jamming scenarios. NAVAIR notes real commercial crossover potential: any commercial airline facing communication interference between aircraft or from ground signals could benefit from the same canceller technology.
Funding
Phase I Base: up to $200,000
Phase I Option: up to $115,000
Maximum Phase I total (Base plus Option): $315,000
Award types: Firm Fixed Price, Basic Ordering Agreement, or Prototype Other Transaction
Phase I period: exactly 6 months Base, exactly 6 months Option
Phase II maximum: up to $2,000,000
Discretionary TABA available: up to $6,500 in Phase I, in addition to the award amount
Timeline
Proposal deadline: September 23, 2026
Submission portal: DoW SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP)
Notifications sent approximately one week after BAA close
Phase I payments: 50% at 15 days, 35% at 90 days, 15% at 180 days, for both Base and Option
Key Requirements
Technical Volume limited to 10 pages
Minimum two-thirds of Phase I work performed by the proposing small business, in both Base and Option
No cost sharing accepted
CMMC Level 2 (Self) projected requirement
Phase II unit must be under 6x6x12 inches, under 30 pounds, 150W maximum at 28VDC
Must be able to obtain a secret facility clearance and personnel clearances for classified Phase II work
Point of Contact
Kristi DePriest, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
navair-sbir@us.navy.mil
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a CNI system?
Communications, Navigation, and Identification systems, in this case a TDMA-based, frequency-hopping secure data link similar to MIDS/JTRS.
What distance must the canceller preserve connectivity at?
The ultimate target is 120 nautical miles, though Phase I only requires demonstrating 70 nautical miles in a lab environment.
What are the physical constraints on the Phase II unit?
Less than 6 by 6 by 12 inches, under 30 pounds, and a maximum power draw of 150W at 28VDC.
How is Phase II tested differently than Phase I?
Phase I uses lab-based proof of concept. Phase II requires chamber testing against actual interference emitters, not simulated interference.
Does this require a security clearance?
Yes. Work is expected to become classified in Phase II, and the contractor must be able to obtain and maintain a secret facility clearance and personnel security clearances.
Is there a commercial application for this technology?
Yes. NAVAIR notes commercial and private airlines facing aircraft-to-aircraft or ground-based communication interference could benefit from the same canceller approach.
How much funding is available in Phase I?
Up to $200,000 for the Base and up to $115,000 for the Option, for a combined maximum of $315,000.
What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026, submitted through the DoW SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP).
