Navy STTR DON26TZ05-NV022: Compact Efficient High Energy Pulsed Laser

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Quick Answer

DON26TZ05-NV022 is a Navy STTR topic seeking a compact, high energy, tunable repetition rate pulsed laser system for airborne material ablation and penetration. It falls under NAVAIR and the Scaled Directed Energy critical technology area. Phase I awards go up to 315,000 dollars across a six month base and six month option. Proposals are due September 23. The topic is ITAR and EAR restricted.

What This Topic Is Looking For

The Navy wants a robust, turn-key, long-pulse laser built for airborne platforms, with two parameters ranked above everything else: pulse energy and repetition rate tunability.

Target specifications include pulse energy of 10 joules or greater, repetition rate tunable up to 40 kilohertz, the ability to fire single on-demand pulses, pulse duration above 5 nanoseconds, and thermal management capable of sustaining high repetition rate at full power for at least 10 seconds. That last requirement is called out specifically as longer than any commercially available system can currently handle.

On packaging, the target envelope is roughly 80 inches long by 24 inches wide by 24 inches high, with a clear path to that size even if the Phase I design does not hit it outright. The system also needs to be operable by non-laser specialists for routine functions like startup, shutdown, and changing repetition rate, and it needs to require minimal maintenance. If flashlamp pumping is used, the lamps must be swappable without a laser engineer on hand.

Commercial off-the-shelf components are allowed, but achieving these numbers is expected to require genuinely novel laser engineering. Coherent beam combining is explicitly accepted as a path to reach the required pulse energy. If a proposer cannot hit every parameter, the topic instructions say to state what is achievable and expect evaluation on that basis, rather than being disqualified outright.

Phase I, II, and III Expectations

Phase I is a design and feasibility phase. Deliverables include a detailed system design, full component specification, cost analysis, and supporting modeling or engineering calculations that produce clear performance targets for pulse duration, spectral profile, pulse energy, and timing diagram. Proposers also need a proof of concept or breadboard demo for any high risk elements critical to Phase II success, along with a Statement of Work, development timeline, and personnel plan.

Phase II is where the prototype gets built and validated against the Phase I design, with continuous iteration toward the tunable repetition rate and multi-joule pulse energy goals. Key milestones include demonstrating the laser meeting core objectives, measuring penetration rates on material samples, and assessing far field beam quality. The deliverable is a compact prototype, or one with a clear path to compact, that a non-expert can operate without manually adjusting optics.

Phase III is expected to produce a ruggedized, commercially available laser system starting around TRL 3 to 4, with Navy follow-on funding possible to push toward TRL 6. Beyond military use, the Navy specifically flags high energy physics, machining, plasma science, and solar power or power beaming as likely commercial and scientific applications.

Funding and Timeline

Phase I Base: up to 200,000 dollars for six months of work.

Phase I Option: up to 115,000 dollars for an additional six months.

Combined Phase I maximum: 315,000 dollars, not including TABA.

TABA: up to 6,500 dollars additional if requested.

Phase II maximum: up to 2,000,000 dollars including TABA, though the actual amount depends on the awarding command's available funding.

Proposal deadline: September 23. Submission is only accepted through the DoW SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal, DSIP, and must be certified by a Corporate Official before the BAA closes.

STTR Requirements

Because this is an STTR topic, the proposing small business must partner with a qualifying research institution. The small business must perform at least 40 percent of the work and the research institution at least 30 percent, measured across both base and option costs. Navy laboratories do not satisfy this requirement on their own, though they can be added alongside a qualifying university, FFRDC, or nonprofit research institution.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the deadline for DON26TZ05-NV022? September 23. Proposals must be certified in DSIP before that date.

What is the highest priority requirement in this topic? Pulse energy and repetition rate tunability rank above every other parameter, including pulse duration and center frequency, which the topic describes as flexible.

Does the laser need to hit every listed specification? Not necessarily. If full performance across all parameters is not feasible, proposers are instructed to state what can be achieved, and evaluation will be scored on that basis.

Is a research partner required? Yes. This is an STTR topic, so a formal partnership with a qualifying research institution performing at least 30 percent of the work is mandatory.

Is this topic export controlled? Yes. It is restricted under ITAR and may also fall under EAR. Any planned use of foreign nationals must be disclosed, including country of origin, visa status, and specific tasks.

How much can a company request for Phase I? Up to 315,000 dollars combined across the base and option, plus up to 6,500 dollars in TABA if requested.

What does the Phase I deliverable actually look like? A detailed system design with cost analysis and modeling, plus a proof of concept or breadboard demo for the highest risk elements, not a finished prototype. The prototype comes in Phase II.