OSW26BZ05-NP016: Desktop Instrument for Measuring Boresight Error as a Function of Incident Angle
Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).
Quick Answer
OSW26BZ05-NP016 is a 2026 OSW-Reliance 21 SBIR topic under the DoW SBIR Program funding a benchtop instrument that measures boresight error and boresight error slope in infrared window materials as a function of temperature, temperature gradient, and angle of incidence. Phase I offers a base award of $300,000 over 12 months with a 10-page technical volume limit. This topic does not have a Direct to Phase II track. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 and must be submitted through DSIP.
Overview
Interceptor vehicles use infrared tracking systems to determine an object's position along the line of sight between the vehicle and the target. That line of sight passes through a protective window or dome. In supersonic and hypersonic flight, aerodynamic heating creates a temperature gradient across that window, which distorts the measured line of sight relative to the actual line of sight. That distortion is called boresight error, or BSE. As the vehicle's angle changes, BSE changes too, in a pattern known as boresight error slope, or BSES. Negative BSES is especially problematic because it prevents the guidance system from compensating accurately.
Right now, characterizing BSE and BSES relies on wind tunnel and flight testing, which are accurate but expensive and hard to schedule. This topic seeks a desktop testing apparatus that reproduces the relevant thermal and angular conditions without high-speed air flow, so companies developing novel IR window materials, including ceramics intended to reduce BSE and BSES, can iterate faster and de-risk expensive flight testing.
The instrument needs to measure unmounted or mounted IR window materials between 25mm and 100mm wide, across an incidence angle range of 0 to 75 degrees, temperatures from room temperature up to 1200 degrees Celsius, and at three wavelengths: 633 nanometers, 4 microns, and 10 microns. It needs an integrated computer and a usable graphical interface, plus the ability to create and measure a controlled temperature gradient between the top and bottom surfaces of the sample.
This is a strong fit for companies with backgrounds in optical instrumentation, laser and detector system integration, thermal testing, or materials characterization equipment. Phase I is a design and simulation exercise, with mockups of the data collection software as the deliverable. Phase II builds and delivers a working instrument to the Army Research Laboratory, including installation, training, and documentation.
Funding and Timeline
Phase I base award: $300,000 Phase I period of performance: 12 months Phase I technical volume limit: 10 pages Direct to Phase II: not available for this topic Proposal deadline: September 23, 2026 Submission portal: DSIP only, no other submission method is accepted Additional funding available: TABA funding, up to $6,500 for Phase I awardees and up to $50,000 per Phase II project Critical Technology Area: Scaled Hypersonics CMMC level requirement: Level 1
Who Should Apply
Companies building optical test and measurement equipment, especially those with experience in laser-based sensing, cryogenic or high-temperature test rigs, or hypersonic materials testing, should take a close look at this topic. Prior experience delivering instrumentation to a government laboratory is a plus given the Phase II delivery and training requirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the deadline for OSW26BZ05-NP016? The proposal deadline is September 23, 2026. Proposals must be submitted through DSIP before the topic closes.
How much funding is available for Phase I? Phase I offers a base award of up to $300,000 for a 12 month period of performance.
Is Direct to Phase II available for this topic? No. This topic is only open to standard Phase I proposals.
What temperature and angle range does the instrument need to cover? The instrument must operate from room temperature to 1200 degrees Celsius and across incidence angles from 0 to 75 degrees, at three wavelengths: 633nm, 4 microns, and 10 microns.
What is delivered at the end of Phase II? A working instrument delivered to the Army Research Laboratory, along with documentation on safe operation and standard operating procedures, ideally with troubleshooting guides and training manuals, plus on-site installation and training.
Does this topic require flight testing experience? No. The entire point of the topic is to build a benchtop alternative to wind tunnel and flight testing, so simulation and bench-level instrumentation expertise is what matters most.
Who evaluates these proposals? Government technical evaluators may come from Army DEVCOM C5ISR Center, Army DEVCOM Army Research Lab, the Naval Research Laboratory, and the Air Force Research Laboratory.
Is TABA funding available for this topic? Yes. Phase I awardees may request up to $6,500 in TABA funding, and Phase II awardees may request up to $50,000 per Phase II project.
