NAWCAD WOLF Airborne Systems Integration BAA – U.S. Navy (NAVAIR)

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

Executive Summary:

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Webster Outlying Field (WOLF) Airborne Systems Integration (ASI) Division is soliciting white papers for research and development projects supporting advanced naval air platforms, sensors, computing, security, and mission systems. This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) supports rapid development, integration, and demonstration of technologies relevant to manned and unmanned naval aviation. Phase I proposal abstracts may be submitted on a rolling basis through April 9, 2026, with Phase II full proposals by invitation only.

How much funding is available?

Estimated: $500K to $5M. Award amounts are not predetermined. Multiple awards are anticipated, and funding levels will depend on the technical merit of the proposal, relevance to Navy needs, and availability of funds. Funding may be provided incrementally and may include options for follow-on work.

What could I use the funding for?

The NAWCAD WOLF ASI Division is interested in, but not limited to, researching the following areas:

Platform Related Areas of Interest

• UAS/Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV)/Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) autonomous operations, unique payload capabilities, Size Weight and Power (SWAP), powertrain, flight dynamics, and engine enhancements

• UAS powertrain improvements to include improvements in safety, flight duration, solar technologies, alternative power technologies, power capacity, increased performance, and or logistical improvements

•  Manned and UAS audio, visual, heat, and/or RF noise dampening/cancellation techniques

•  Contested airspace payload/remote payload delivery

• Expendable/low-cost surveillance, communications relay, and/or edge processing capabilities

• Innovative technologies for disadvantaged platforms

• Capabilities, improvements, or technologies to increase air systems operational availability and or decrease air platform life cycle cost

• Roll on or bolt on capability enhancements to existing manned and unmanned systems.

• Enhancements in air system survivability

2.1.2 Payload Related Areas of Interest

•  Non-acoustic Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) sensors and systems

•  Acoustic ASW sensors and systems

•  Magnetic sensors and systems

•  Research involving the interrelationship of acoustic and non-acoustic phenomena applicable to ASW

•  Acoustic and optical Mine Counter Measure (MCM) sensors and systems

•  EO systems engineering methodologies, technologies, and techniques

•  Laser Identification Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) components and systems

•  Hyperspectral components and systems

•  Laser components and systems

•  Electronic Warfare (EW) and cyber capabilities

•  Enhanced airborne networking of autonomous vehicles, manned aircraft, and ground/afloat systems

•  Adapted commercial networking technologies on military platforms

•  Unattended remote controlled sensor technology

•  RF techniques and radar technologies for land and maritime target detection, geolocation, Moving Target Identification (MTI), Multi-Moving Target Identification (MMTI),

• Inverse Synthetic-Aperture Radar (ISAR), passive bi-static or multi-static, tracking, and imaging

•  Data link communication technologies and techniques that provide reduced probability to detect, anti-jamming capability, high data throughput, or resilient communications

•  RF antenna technologies and communications techniques

•  Lightweight sense and avoid technologies

•  Low SWAP edge computing with reduced power consumption and heat generations

•  Alternative position, navigation, and timing technologies

•  Passive sensing technologies

•  Reduction of size, weight, power, and cost of proven technologies for implementation in small UAS

2.1.3 Advanced Computing and Processing Areas of Interest

•  Signal processing

•  Information processing

•  Telemetry methods for off-board sensors to and from various platforms

•  Mathematical modeling and techniques for analyzing ASW effectiveness and performance

•  In-sensor acoustic signal processing

•  Techniques for quantum encryption, coding, and computation

•  Multi-domain and UAS networking and communications technologies and techniques

•  Sensor correlation, dissemination, reduction, and recording technologies and techniques

• Insertion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques into airborne sensors for situational optimization

•  Multi-source data correlation fusion including tracks, sensors, and other multi-spectrum inputs

•  Rapid precision detection, identification and targeting technologies and techniques

•  Computational electromagnetic modeling and analysis techniques

•  Precision geolocation technologies and techniques

•  RF analysis and fusion technologies and techniques

•  RF Signal analysis and processing technologies and techniques

•  Machine or deep learning for raw data and/or pattern analysis

•  Autonomy techniques, algorithms, or capabilities that increase lethality, readiness, or effectiveness

2.1.4 Advanced Air System Security and Protection Areas of Interest

•  Technologies or techniques to increase sensor and airframe survivability to include advancements in countermeasure techniques.

•  Near real time Cross Domain Solutions

•  New kinetic and non-kinetic techniques for defeat

•  Technologies or techniques to reduce airframe detection from active and passive remote sensors to include techniques to reduce airframe RF, visual, infrared, and acoustic signatures.

•  Advancements in secure communication, storage, and tamper resistant non-recoverable system hardening.

•  Advancements in tools, techniques, and technologies that provide enhanced Multi-Level Security (MLS) and Multiple Independent Level of Security (MILS).

•  Advancements in cyber hardening techniques and technologies that improve system integrity and survivability against cyber threats

•  Technologies or techniques that reduce security concerns with high probability of loss unmanned vehicles and sensors and or expendable unmanned vehicles and sensors.

Specific Areas of Interest

Proposals are being solicited in the following areas but are not limited to:

• 2.2.1 Collaborative multi-sensor payloads with onboard enhanced data fusion and autonomous operations focused on reducing data throughput on disadvantaged communication links, reducing operator workload, and enhancing multi-domain critical information sharing.

• 2.2.2 Enhanced manned and unmanned airborne payloads providing greater maritime situational awareness with increased effectiveness, reduced SWAP, and reduced total ownership cost.

• 2.2.3 Modification of Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) UASs for military application to include ruggedization, adaptation of engines utilizing non-explosive fuels, hybrid or long endurance engines, implementation of cyber safe software coding and UAS controls, implementation of secure data links, improvements in battery and solar technologies, improved shipboard launch and recovery, and multi-system collaboration and automation.

• 2.2.4 UAS solutions that significantly decrease launch and recovery and support equipment footprint while expanding capability for launch and recovery to alternative operational sites that lack an organic UAS capability and support structure.

• 2.2.5 Advancements in UAS and UAS technologies that provide new and unique capabilities to the Warfighter.

• 2.2.6 Advancements in technologies that provide precision geolocation and network timing in a contested environment, increase airframe survivability, and decrease probability of system detection.

• 2.2.7 Persistent air, ground, and ship communications data links that enable the warfighter to share data securely amongst unmanned and manned assets within line of sight and Over The Horizon (OTH) to include advancement in technologies, techniques, or alternative methods to automate, reduce, secure, and/or condense mission critical information and/or increase throughput, reduce probability of detect, increase availability, or miniaturize OTH communications.

• 2.2.8 Enhanced naval capabilities that can be implemented within a minimally invasive roll-on or bolt-on configuration to existing or emerging naval platforms utilizing open or existing standards and protocols.

• 2.2.9 Technologies or techniques that support increasing operational availability for existing or emerging platforms and or reducing total ownership cost.

• 2.2.10 Manned and unmanned systems, sensors, and sensor technologies that increase naval capabilities by providing new systems or advancements to existing systems through advanced data processing and detection, advanced algorithms, reduced processing and dissemination time, improved detection, reduced SWAP, increased detection range, increased survivability, decreased probability of detection while reducing total ownership cost.

• 2.2.11 Provide technologies, techniques, or alternative methods to provide lightweight low-cost expendable air launched, ship launched, or ground launched UAS and sensor technologies to provide sense and avoid, provide early warning detection, increase lethality, increase probability to detect, support increased survivability of nearby protected platforms, act as force multiplier and/or improve existing naval capabilities at lower total ownership cost.

  2.2.12 Advancements in human-machine teaming technologies, autonomy, machine learning, or advancements focused on reducing threats to Warfighter, increasing effectiveness, consolidation of mission critical actionable information, increasing lethality, and/or acting as a force multiplier.

  2.2.13 Advancement in technologies, techniques or alternative methods to provide a robust immersive training, maintenance, and operational simulation environment focused on providing realistic venues to increase Warfighter proficiency, increasing capabilities to conduct complicated and or high-risk scenarios in a virtual environment, low-cost risk reduction, and provide remote support in a contested environment.

  2.2.14 Novel approaches to improve readiness, improve resilience, or add capability to existing naval air platforms that can be fielded in a rapid manner with minimally intrusion into the air platform.

  2.2.15 Novel approaches to mission system and communication systems that improve cyber resilience, reduce size weight and power, and provide open systems approach that enables an agile and adaptable mission system to support the fleet with capabilities needs for now and in the future.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond direct funding, successful awardees gain strategic validation from the U.S. Navy and NAVAIR, demonstrating alignment with priority naval aviation needs. Participation positions companies for future prototype awards, follow-on production contracts, or Other Transaction (OT) agreements without further competition, where applicable. Projects also gain exposure to Navy program offices and potential transition sponsors, strengthening long-term defense market positioning.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Phase I proposal abstracts may be submitted at any time through April 9, 2026, at 4:00 PM EDT. Proposals are evaluated periodically, with government feedback typically provided within approximately 60 days of submission. Phase II full proposals are by invitation only and do not guarantee an award.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Defense, specifically through the Department of the Navy, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), and the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD).

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include U.S.-based organizations registered in SAM, including:

• Small businesses and large businesses

• Nontraditional defense contractors

• Universities and nonprofit research institutions

Proposals must begin at TRL 4 or higher and comply with all BAA submission and registration requirements.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Projects are evaluated on the following criteria:

• Scientific and technical merit aligned with stated areas of interest

• Relevance and potential operational impact for Navy and DoD missions

• Readiness for rapid demonstration, experimentation, or field testing

• Affordability and feasibility of transitioning to the fleet

• Realism and reasonableness of proposed cost and schedule

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

This BAA is not for general capability statements or engineering support services. Work must qualify as basic research, applied research, or limited advanced development under FAR Part 35. Certain projects may include publication or data restrictions depending on whether the work is considered fundamental or non-fundamental research. SAM registration and compliance with DoD security and export control requirements are mandatory.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

A Phase I proposal abstract is limited to five pages, plus a one-page quad chart, and without BW&CO’s assistance would normally take 20–40 hours, depending on technical complexity and internal approvals.

How can BW&CO help?

Our team specializes in complex federal R&D proposals and can:

• Triple your likelihood of success through proven strategy and insider-aligned proposal development

• Reduce your time spent on the proposal by 50–80%, letting your team focus on technology and operations

• Ensure you are targeting the best opportunity for your project and positioning your company for long-term growth under Federal & State R&D Initiatives.

How much would BW&CO Charge?

For Full Support, $5,000 Initial Fee for the Phase I proposal.

Fractional support is $300 per hour.

For startups, we offer a discounted rate of $250 per hour to make top-tier consulting more accessible while maintaining the same level of strategic guidance and proposal quality.

Additional Resources

See the solicitation here.