U.S. Army FUZE: xTech|Adaptive Strike Competition
Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).
Executive Summary:
The U.S. Army FUZE xTech Program has launched the xTech|Adaptive Strike competition, seeking ready-to-deploy, affordable technologies that address urgent battlefield capability gaps in reconnaissance, drones, power generation, and counter-UAS.
The Army intends to award up to $1.5 million in total cash prizes and may pursue follow-on contracts or agreements with finalists or winners.
Registration information and submission upload must be received by 5:00 PM ET on March 13, 2026. Submissions received after the deadline will not be considered.
If you have a commercially available or near-commercial solution that can be fielded rapidly and demonstrated in live Soldier exercises, this is a time-sensitive opportunity to engage directly with Army end-users.
How much funding would I receive?
The total prize pool is $1.5 million under 10 U.S.C. §4025 (Prize Competitions).
Awards are structured as follows:
Part 1 – Concept White Paper
Up to 20 semifinalists
$25,000 each
Part 2 – Semifinals Soldier Exercise
Up to 10 finalists
Additional $50,000 each
Part 3 – Finals Soldier Exercise
Up to five (5) winners
Additional $100,000 each
Total potential per winner (if selected through all phases):
$25,000 + $50,000 + $100,000 = $175,000
In addition to prize money, winners may have an opportunity to submit for a follow-on contract or agreement, subject to availability of funds and technical needs.
What could I use the funding for?
Prize funds are awarded as part of a competitive down-select mechanism and are not described as cost-reimbursable project funding.
The competition is designed to:
Stimulate innovation
Identify promising technologies for national security applications
Enable rapid technology maturation
Accelerate transition to operational forces
Participants must demonstrate solutions in one of four capability areas:
Extended On-Station Time and Range for Medium/Long-Range Reconnaissance (MRR/LRR)
Complete system cost must be less than $350,000
Must provide 10 testable units for the June 2026 Semi-Finals if selected
Affordable Drones and Loitering Munitions for Scaled Operations
Must provide 10 testable units for the June 2026 Semi-Finals if selected
Power Generation for Ground Units with sUAS
Must provide 10 testable units for the June 2026 Semi-Finals if selected
Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (c-UAS) for Soldier Operations
Must provide 6 testable units for the June 2026 Semi-Finals if selected
Are there any additional benefits I would receive?
Participants may receive:
Direct engagement with U.S. Army and Department of War (DoW) subject matter experts
Live Soldier exercise participation
Evaluator feedback during each part of the competition
Exposure to Army end-users and operational units
Potential follow-on opportunities using various statutory authorities, including:
10 U.S.C. § 4114
10 U.S.C. § 4022
10 U.S.C. § 4023
10 U.S.C. § 4001
10 U.S.C. § 4021 (OTA)
10 U.S.C. § 3458
15 U.S.C. § 3703
15 U.S.C. § 638 (SBIR/STTR)
Finalists may be contacted separately for additional proposal opportunities outside the prize competition.
What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?
Registration information and submission upload must be received by 5:00 PM ET on March 13, 2026. Submissions received after the deadline will not be considered.
Proposed schedule (subject to change):
February 23 – March 13, 2026 – Part 1: Concept white paper & video submission period
April 17, 2026 – Semifinalists announced
June 1–19, 2026 – Part 2: Semifinals Soldier Exercise (NTC, Fort Irwin, CA)
July 2026 – Finalists announced
October 29 – November 28, 2026 – Part 3: Finals Soldier Exercise (NTC, Fort Irwin, CA)
November 2026 – Winners announced
Prize payments are tied to advancement through each phase.
Dates and times are subject to change.
Where does this funding come from?
The competition is conducted under 10 U.S.C. § 4025, which authorizes the use of prize competitions to stimulate innovation and identify promising technologies for national security applications.
The initiative is led by:
The U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT))
Joint Innovation Outpost (JIOP)
U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division (3ID)
MARNE Innovation Center
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible entities include:
U.S.-based nonprofit organizations
U.S.-based for-profit organizations (large and small businesses)
Each eligible entity:
Shall be incorporated in, and maintain, a primary place of business in the U.S.
Shall not be a U.S. Federal government entity or employ a U.S. Federal Employee acting within the scope of their employment
Shall not be currently under contract, agreement or otherwise providing similar capabilities to the Government for work described in the problem statement
Must have or be able to obtain a CAGE code if selected to advance
Shall be at the sole discretion of the Government
Only one (1) submission per capability area per eligible entity is permitted.
If submitting to more than one (1) capability area, the technology solutions must be different.
What companies and projects are likely to win?
The Army is seeking commercially available or near-commercial technologies that:
Address urgent operational capability gaps
Are affordable and scalable
Can be delivered within 180 days of challenge completion
Can be demonstrated in live Soldier exercise events
Meet unit quantity requirements for the June 2026 Semi-Finals
Submissions are evaluated using the following criteria and weights:
Introduction – 7%
Army Benefits – 30%
Technical Approach – 20%
System Scalability / Economics – 30%
Commercial Potential – 10%
Submission Quality – 3%
Proposals must include:
A five (5)-page concept white paper using the required template
A pre-recorded video of up to 10 minutes
Evidence of ability to deliver specified test units for the June exercise
Submissions exceeding page or video limits will not be evaluated.
Are there any restrictions I should know about?
Participants must assume risks and waive claims against the Federal Government, except in cases of willful misconduct.
Additional documentation is required prior to exercise events to meet safety protocols.
Failure to meet documentation deadlines or performance standards may result in disqualification.
Full participation in the entire duration of the exercise event is required.
Submissions are treated as privileged information and disclosed only for evaluation and program support.
Intellectual Property:
The Federal Government may not gain an interest in IP developed by a participant without written consent.
The Government may negotiate a license for the use of IP developed during the competition.
Existing Government IP rights remain unchanged.
How long will it take me to prepare an application?
The application requires:
A five (5)-page concept white paper using the required template
A pre-recorded video (up to 10 minutes)
Registration submission through the xTech portal
Self-certification of minimum requirements
The solicitation does not specify an estimated preparation time.
How can BW&CO help?
BW&CO can:
Determine which capability area best aligns with your technology
Position your solution against the published evaluation criteria
Develop a compliant five-page white paper using the required template
Structure your narrative around Army Benefits, Scalability, and Technical Approach scoring weights
Support video content strategy to align with evaluation expectations
Prepare you for Soldier exercise engagement and potential follow-on pathways
We focus on translating commercial capability into Army-relevant value that scores.
How much would BW&CO Charge?
We have both fractional engagements ($250 an hour) and full engagements ($4,000) available.