Navy STTR DON26TZ05-NV023: Detection and Classification of Low Probability of Intercept Radar Waveforms Using FPGA with Cognitive Techniques

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

Quick Answer

DON26TZ05-NV023 is a Navy STTR topic seeking an FPGA based electronic warfare capability that detects and classifies Low Probability of Intercept radar waveforms in near real time. It falls under NAVAIR and the Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance 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

Digital Radio Frequency Memory systems, known as DRFMs, are used to characterize and jam adversarial radar signals. This topic focuses specifically on the detection and classification piece of that problem, using the Field-Programmable Gate Array inside a Radio Frequency System-on-Chip, or RFSoC, device.

Low probability of intercept signals are hard to catch because they run low power, high duty cycle, and wideband, which demands long integration times and sensitive receivers. The topic scopes the work around signal processing and FPGA implementation rather than the RF hardware itself. Acceptable approaches include traditional methods like adaptive matched filtering with FFT frequency detection, filter banks, autocorrelation, and Wigner-Ville or cyclostationary processing, as well as more advanced cognitive techniques such as convolutional neural networks and LSTM based deep learning. The FPGA is specifically valuable here because hardware emulation of these algorithms allows real time or near real time performance.

The Navy's Airborne Threat Simulation Organization at NAWCWD Point Mugu will make real LPI waveform data available to train, validate, and benchmark whatever approach is proposed, and can also provide ground truth data for measuring performance. The target evaluation hardware is an AMD, formerly Xilinx, RFSoC kit. Because real time hyperparameter tuning on the FPGA is not practical, any neural network or cognitive model has to be designed and trained on a high compute PC or Linux platform first, then transitioned to hardware. Non deep learning algorithms can be developed directly in HDL and simulated in tools like ModelSim.

Phase I, II, and III Expectations

Phase I is about building the model and proving feasibility. Deliverables include a large training and validation database, which the topic notes can be built using tools like MATLAB, identification of candidate algorithms, and a feasibility demonstration before anything moves to actual RFSoC hardware.

Phase II moves into hardware implementation. That means additional HDL development, testbenches to track performance as the model transitions from MATLAB and ModelSim into Xilinx Vivado, and deployment onto the actual RFSoC. Initial testing happens on a laboratory benchtop using LPI waveforms transmitted by RF instrumentation such as Keysight equipment. Further validation happens at NAWCWD Point Mugu facilities, including over the air testing in an anechoic chamber. If additional funding becomes available later, the detector could be integrated onto a target platform such as the GQM-163A for live, virtual, and constructive training realism, though that would require added systems engineering support.

Phase III focuses on finalizing hardware and firmware for integration into an operational target platform, ruggedizing the design, running comprehensive operational test and evaluation across live, virtual, and constructive scenarios, and building a transition and manufacturing plan for fleet deployment.

Beyond the military application, this technology has broad commercial relevance anywhere weak or complex signals need to be detected in a crowded spectrum. The topic specifically calls out cognitive radio and cell tower connectivity in low signal environments, automotive radar for ADAS and autonomous vehicles, spectrum monitoring for regulators and private companies, and scientific applications in radio astronomy and atmospheric sensing.

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-NV023? September 23. Proposals must be certified in DSIP before that date.

What kind of company or team fits this topic best? Teams with strength in FPGA and RFSoC development, digital signal processing, and ideally experience with cognitive or deep learning techniques applied to RF signals, paired with a research institution that can support algorithm development.

Does the Navy provide test data? Yes. The Airborne Threat Simulation Organization at NAWCWD Point Mugu will provide access to real LPI waveform data for training, testing, and validating whatever algorithm or model is proposed.

What hardware platform is this built for? An AMD, formerly Xilinx, RFSoC evaluation kit, which is representative of the DRFM RFSoC hardware used in test and evaluation threat simulation systems.

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.

Does this technology have non-defense applications? Yes. The topic specifically names cognitive radio, cell phone connectivity improvements, automotive radar for autonomous vehicles, spectrum monitoring, and radio astronomy as commercial and scientific applications.

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.

DON26BZ05-NV080 — Submarine Cabinet Sound Dampening Alternative

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-NV080 is a Navy Phase I SBIR topic sponsored by Strategic Systems Programs (SSP). It funds development of a structureborne noise mitigation material to replace lead septum foam in electronic cabinets aboard COLUMBIA/Dreadnought-class submarines, targeting a service life exceeding forty years and faster replacement than the current material. Maximum Phase I award across Base and Option is $315,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

Electronic cabinets and consoles on submarines rely on lead septum foam for structureborne noise mitigation, applied to inner enclosure walls before electronics and cabling go in. The problem is practical and costly: on complex electronics assemblies, this foam is difficult or impossible to remove and replace without pulling the entire electronics and cabling package first, and reassembling cable harnesses risks electrical faults, which then requires complete system retesting. For a platform like COLUMBIA/Dreadnought designed to serve for decades, that maintenance burden compounds badly over the ship's life.

SSP wants a replacement material with performance equal to or better than the current lead septum foam, but critically, with a service life exceeding forty years to match the COLUMBIA/Dreadnought platform's own end-of-life horizon, and a meaningfully faster attachment and replacement method than the current baseline. The material also has to pass the Structureborne Noise MIL-SPEC testing criteria under MIL-STD-740-2, and be reproducible in sheet sizes matching the existing baseline product to support Navy production needs.

This will be installed specifically in Strategic Systems Programs Fire Control, NAV, and TEMPALT equipment cabinets aboard COLUMBIA/Dreadnought SSBNs, so companies should understand this is a submarine-specific, SSP-owned program rather than a general surface fleet effort, which is also reflected in the different point of contact for this topic compared to the rest of this release.

Phase I is a comparative concept study: identify or develop candidate materials, evaluate them against the baseline across noise mitigation, sound absorption, shelf life, density, interface requirements, removal and replacement time, low-smoke properties, and size, and deliver a trade study comparing multiple design options directly against the baseline 53711-3203197 lead septum product, working with SP23 to understand the government's actual performance priorities.

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 and dual-use potential extend to Virginia-class and other underwater platforms using similar structureborne noise mitigation materials, plus SSP's own NAV and TEMPALT common cabinets across other programs.

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
Material must exceed 40-year service life and pass MIL-STD-740-2 testing
ITAR-restricted, with mandatory foreign national disclosures
Must be able to obtain a secret facility clearance and personnel clearances for classified Phase II work

Point of Contact

Scott Steward, Strategic Systems Programs (SSP)
ssp.sbir@ssp.navy.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

What material is this trying to replace?
Lead septum foam, the current baseline structureborne noise mitigation material, referenced in the topic as part number 53711-3203197.

Why is a 40-year service life required?
To match the expected end-of-life horizon of the COLUMBIA/Dreadnought submarine platforms these cabinets will be installed on.

What testing standard must the material meet?
MIL-STD-740-2, the Structureborne Noise MIL-SPEC criteria.

Which specific systems will use this material?
Strategic Systems Programs Fire Control, NAV, and TEMPALT equipment cabinets aboard COLUMBIA/Dreadnought SSBNs.

Who is the point of contact for this topic?
Scott Steward at Strategic Systems Programs, a different SYSCOM point of contact than the NAVAIR topics elsewhere in this release.

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 an application for this beyond COLUMBIA/Dreadnought?
Yes. SSP notes potential use on Virginia-class and other underwater platforms, plus other SSP NAV and TEMPALT common cabinet programs.

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).

DON26BZ05-NV078 — Tech Data Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals Convertor

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-NV078 is a Navy Phase I SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds a tool that automatically converts existing Navy technical manuals, regardless of original format, into standardized XML for Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (IETMs), with NLP-driven search and AR/XR-based step-by-step display for maintainers. Maximum Phase I award across Base and Option is $315,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

The Navy is standardizing its technical manual format to make IETMs easier to create, manage, and publish, but a large volume of existing manuals hasn't been converted yet, and those manuals exist in inconsistent legacy formats that are hard for automated tools to parse and hard for users to navigate. NAVAIR wants a tool that automates that conversion, regardless of the manual's original specification, while correctly preserving distribution markings and DFARS markings from the source document.

The format range this tool needs to handle is specific: PDFs, MIL-STD-3001-1, MIL-DTL-81310, S1000D v3.0, and S1000D v4.0. The converted output has to be viewable in the Navy's designated IETMs viewer, and it needs to feed into a COTS or GOTS tool that generates step-by-step instructions, ultimately displayed to a technician through an XR headset or tablet in an AR environment during actual maintenance or troubleshooting.

Phase I is analysis and pipeline design: study existing legacy formats, work with Navy stakeholders to define target format compliance such as S1000D or MIL-STD-3001 XML, select one product to build a content library around, and develop extraction algorithms for text, tables, images, and diagrams, plus a plan for integrating NLP-driven search so users can query specific tasks within the converted content.

Phase II sets a concrete accuracy bar worth pricing carefully: at least 95 percent conversion accuracy, with error correction bringing the residual error rate down to 1 percent or less. Phase III raises that bar again, targeting roughly 99 percent accuracy for information retrieval, matching current industry standards for AI chatbot tools, and includes a live test event pairing a maintainer using the new tool against a maintainer using today's typical laptop-based technical manual workflow.

This topic is ITAR-restricted, though it does not carry the standard classification notice seen elsewhere in this release. Commercial potential extends to any industry relying on standardized technical documentation, including aerospace, automotive, and energy, where the same query-based search and AR-integrated instruction delivery could reduce downtime and improve technician productivity.

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
ITAR-restricted, with mandatory foreign national disclosures
Phase II conversion accuracy must reach at least 95 percent, with error correction to 1 percent or less residual error

Point of Contact

Kristi DePriest, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
navair-sbir@us.navy.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

What legacy formats must this tool be able to parse?
PDFs, MIL-STD-3001-1, MIL-DTL-81310, S1000D v3.0, and S1000D v4.0.

What accuracy standard does Phase II require?
At least 95 percent conversion accuracy, with an error detection and correction mechanism reducing the residual error rate to 1 percent or less.

How is the converted content ultimately displayed to a maintainer?
Through an XR headset or tablet, in an Augmented Reality environment, with step-by-step instructions generated by a COTS or GOTS tool.

What accuracy target does Phase III use?
Approximately 99 percent accuracy for information retrieval, matching current industry benchmarks for AI chatbot tools.

Does this preserve the original document's security markings?
Yes. The transformed output must contain distribution markings and DFARS markings matching the original inputted technical manual.

Is there a commercial application for this technology?
Yes. NAVAIR points to aerospace, automotive, and energy industries that rely on standardized technical documentation and could benefit from the same query-based search and AR integration.

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).

DON26BZ05-NV077 — Multi-Core Parallel Processing for Sensor Fusion Architecture

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-NV077 is a Navy Phase I SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds a modular, platform-agnostic sensor fusion architecture using multi-core parallel processing, designed to eliminate track loss and reduce latency in fighter aircraft sensor fusion without falling back on today's data-prioritization filters. Maximum Phase I award across Base and Option is $315,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

Fusing data from multiple sensors, both homogeneous and heterogeneous, improves target tracking and situational awareness, but current fusion architectures are largely serial, which creates latency and forces a tough tradeoff: to keep up, systems apply a prioritization ranking that processes higher-value tracks while dropping others. That tradeoff risks track loss and incomplete situational awareness for operators, especially in high-workload environments. NAVAIR wants a parallel processing architecture that eliminates that tradeoff entirely rather than optimizing around it.

The architecture needs to decompose fusion tasks (spatial alignment, temporal correlation, attribute fusion) into sub-tasks that run concurrently across multiple processing cores, without losing track integrity to serial bottlenecks or aggressive filtering. Size, weight, and power constraints are specific and non-negotiable: the processing unit needs to fit 5th-generation or later tactical aircraft, typically 0.5 to 1.0 cubic feet at 28VDC power. The design also needs to scale to handle a growing mix of data sources including AESA radar, Distributed Aperture Systems, and Electro-Optical Targeting Systems.

Phase I is architecture and modeling work: define a scalable fusion framework, build a discrete-event simulation to assess throughput, latency, and track correlation accuracy against current serial benchmarks, and map fusion sub-tasks to physical CPU, GPU, or FPGA cores within tactical SWaP constraints. If the Option is exercised, it culminates in a Preliminary Design Document with finalized architectural constraints and a hardware-software roadmap into Phase II.

Phase II has a specific, checkable performance target: approximately a 50 percent reduction in end-to-end track latency compared to Phase I benchmarks, validated through Hardware-in-the-Loop integration on a multi-core System-on-Chip that meets a 28VDC, 80-pound weight envelope, and a real sensor data demonstration. The deliverable is a TRL 6 prototype with a full Test and Evaluation report and transition plan.

Work is expected to become classified in Phase II, requiring a secret facility clearance and personnel clearances. Phase III dual-use applications are broad and specific: search and rescue, home and private security, autonomous driving and robotics, and smart grid and energy management, anywhere multi-sensor fusion under real-time constraints matters.

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
Processing unit must fit 5th-generation tactical aircraft SWaP constraints, 0.5-1.0 cubic feet 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 problem does current sensor fusion architecture have?
It's largely serial, creating latency, and to compensate, systems apply prioritization filters that process higher-value tracks while dropping others, risking incomplete tracks and reduced situational awareness.

What specific performance improvement does Phase II target?
Approximately a 50 percent reduction in end-to-end track latency compared to Phase I benchmarks.

What are the size, weight, and power constraints?
The processing unit must fit within 0.5 to 1.0 cubic feet and operate at 28VDC power, compatible with 5th-generation or later tactical aircraft platforms.

What sensor types must the architecture scale to support?
AESA Radar, Distributed Aperture Systems (DAS), and Electro-Optical Targeting Systems (EOTS), among others.

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.

What TRL does Phase II need to reach?
TRL 6, delivered as a prototype with a comprehensive Test and Evaluation report and transition plan.

Is there a commercial application for this technology?
Yes. NAVAIR points to search and rescue, home and private security, autonomous driving and robotics, and smart grid and energy management as dual-use applications.

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).

DON26BZ05-NV076 — Open, Layered, Yielding Modular Platform for Unified Systems (OLYMPUS)

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-NV076 is a Navy Phase I SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds OLYMPUS, a modular, open architecture system for below-deck ship infrastructure under PMA-213's larger Zeus system-of-systems effort, aimed at fusing data, streamlining decision-making, and cutting long-term hardware and sustainment costs across the fleet. Maximum Phase I award across Base and Option is $315,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

The Navy's current shipboard systems portfolio developed piecemeal over time, and that history now creates a real cost and readiness problem: multiple disparate systems doing similar jobs, a bloated logistics tail, redundant documentation and training, and a lack of commonality that makes it hard to integrate new capabilities like AI or digital engineering without touching every system individually. PMA-213 is addressing this at the portfolio level through Zeus, a modular, open system-of-systems architecture. This topic funds OLYMPUS, the sub-project focused specifically on below-deck ship infrastructure within that larger Zeus framework.

OLYMPUS is meant to improve situational awareness, decision-making, and fleet-wide interoperability through data fusion, real-time analytics, and secure communication networks, using AI, machine learning, and digital engineering. The cost argument is concrete and worth noting for pricing conversations: NAVAIR's own example is standardizing hardware so the Navy buys 25 identical computers to serve five systems, rather than five different computer types for five systems. This will apply across CVNs, L-Class ships, and DDGs.

Government ownership of the majority of data rights for this portfolio is explicitly part of the story here. That ownership is what allows the resulting technology to be fielded gradually through Engineering Change Proposals as part of routine sustainment and technology refresh, rather than through a disruptive one-time system replacement. Companies proposing on this topic should understand that data rights posture going in, since it shapes how their solution gets transitioned.

Phase I is a feasibility study: scope definition, high-level system design and architecture for the modular framework and data fusion capabilities, proof-of-concept demonstrations for critical components, a comprehensive risk assessment, and a feasibility report with a Phase II roadmap. Phase II builds and tests a prototype integrating sensors, processing units, interfaces, and communication networks, with both lab and field testing.

This topic is ITAR-restricted. It does not carry the standard classification notice seen in several other NAVAIR topics in this release, though the platform touches sensitive shipboard systems. Phase III and dual-use potential extend to infrastructure monitoring, industrial operations, transportation systems, and emergency response, anywhere that needs integrated sensing, real-time data fusion, and resilient communications.

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
ITAR-restricted, with mandatory foreign national disclosures
Solution must fit within the government-owned data rights and ECP-based transition model

Point of Contact

Kristi DePriest, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
navair-sbir@us.navy.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Zeus and how does OLYMPUS relate to it?
Zeus is PMA-213's broader portfolio-wide modular, open architecture system-of-systems effort. OLYMPUS is the sub-project within Zeus specifically focused on below-deck ship infrastructure.

What problem is this solving?
Decades of piecemeal system development have created a fragmented, costly logistics tail with redundant documentation, training, and hardware across systems that do similar jobs, limiting the Navy's ability to integrate new AI and digital engineering capabilities.

What is the cost-savings example NAVAIR gives?
Standardizing hardware procurement so 25 identical computers serve five systems, instead of five different computer types for five separate systems.

Why does government data rights ownership matter for this topic?
Because government ownership of the majority of data rights allows the resulting OLYMPUS technology to be fielded gradually through Engineering Change Proposals during routine sustainment, rather than requiring a disruptive full system replacement.

Which platforms will this affect?
Air-capable fleet platforms including CVNs, L-Class ships, and DDGs.

Does this topic require a security clearance?
The topic is ITAR-restricted, but it does not carry the explicit classification notice seen in several other NAVAIR topics in this release.

Is there a commercial application for this technology?
Yes. NAVAIR points to infrastructure monitoring, industrial operations, transportation systems, and emergency response as sectors needing the same integrated sensing and resilient communication 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).

DON26BZ05-NV075 — High Performance Electrolytic Coating Touch-Up Repairs for Aluminum

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-NV075 is a Navy Phase I SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds a portable touch-up applicator for electrolytic conversion coating repairs, bridging the performance gap between weaker chromate touch-up pens and depot-only anodizing, to give fleet-level maintainers a stronger corrosion protection repair option for aluminum aircraft components. Maximum Phase I award across Base and Option is $315,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

Aerospace aluminum corrosion protection relies mainly on two coatings: anodizing, which gives superior salt-water protection but is complex and generally restricted to depot or OEM facilities, and chromate conversion coating, which is easy to apply with simple touch-up pens but offers weaker protection. When an anodized part needs a field repair, maintainers often fall back on chromate touch-up pens, which creates a weak point that's more vulnerable to corrosion than the surrounding anodized surface.

NAVAIR has already validated a third option in internal research: electrolytic conversion coating, where applying a small electrical current, several hundred milliamps per square foot, during the conversion process meaningfully improves corrosion resistance over standard chromate. The catch is that the equipment for this process currently only exists in depot chemical processing shops. This topic funds making that same electrolytic process portable enough for fleet-level touch-up use.

The requirements list reads like a checklist for a genuinely field-deployable tool: no chemical spills, environmental release, or operator exposure, simple and low-training operation, minimal hazardous waste generation, coating performance meeting or exceeding MIL-DTL-81706, no damage to the underlying aluminum through pitting or fatigue, compatibility across 2000, 6000, and 7000 series aluminum alloys, and no use of hexavalent chromium. That last point is notable given ongoing regulatory pressure on hexavalent chromium in coatings generally.

Phase I is design and feasibility: concept a portable applicator, prove it can deposit effective coatings including in tight spaces like fastener holes, and run initial corrosion and paint adhesion studies. Phase II builds and delivers a working prototype to NAVAIR, refines portability and material compatibility, and tests against MIL-DTL-81706 and MIL-PRF-8625, while the company is expected to pursue additional outside funding for fatigue testing.

Notably, this topic does not carry an ITAR restriction or classification notice, making it more accessible to companies without cleared facilities. Phase III and commercial potential are substantial, since anodizing and chromate touch-up repairs are routine maintenance across airliners, helicopters, corporate jets, and general aviation, all facing the same durability gap this technology addresses.

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
Must meet MIL-DTL-81706 corrosion performance without using hexavalent chromium
No security clearance requirement stated in the topic description

Point of Contact

Kristi DePriest, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
navair-sbir@us.navy.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

Why not just use existing chromate touch-up pens?
Chromate touch-up pens are easy to use but offer weaker corrosion protection than anodizing, and repairing an anodized part with chromate creates a point of weakness more susceptible to corrosion.

What has NAVAIR already validated about electrolytic conversion coating?
Internal studies show applying a small electrical current, several hundred milliamps per square foot, during the coating process significantly improves corrosion resistance compared to standard chromate conversion.

Why is hexavalent chromium specifically excluded?
The process must not use hexavalent chromium, reflecting the coating industry's broader move away from that chemistry due to environmental and safety concerns.

Which aluminum alloys must this work on?
Primarily 2000, 6000, and 7000 series, though the application method must perform equally well across all aluminum alloys.

Does this topic require a security clearance?
No. The topic description does not include an ITAR restriction or classification notice.

Is there a commercial market for this technology?
Yes. NAVAIR notes commercial airliners, helicopters, corporate jets, and general aviation aircraft all rely on the same anodizing and chromate touch-up repair processes and face the same durability gap.

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).

DON26BZ05-NV074 — Automated Post-Mission De-Brief and Re-Planning for Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) Missions

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-NV074 is a Navy Phase I SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds automated analytics and decision-support tools that speed up post-mission debriefs and generate rapid re-planning recommendations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) missions in contested environments. Maximum Phase I award across Base and Option is $315,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

Multi-day CCA missions need fast turnaround between engagements, but current post-mission analysis is resource-intensive and too slow to feed timely, actionable insight into the next mission's planning. NAVAIR wants to automate that debrief-to-replan cycle using advanced analytics, diagnostics, and algorithms, so operators get explainable, traceable recommendations instead of waiting on manual analysis.

The topic organizes the problem into three areas. Blue Force Optimization refines CCA operational parameters, autonomy behaviors, task allocation, and tactics based on mission outcomes, and must identify expected benefits, survivability implications, and confidence in the projected result. Red Force Modeling improves planning through analysis of adversary tactics and behaviors, and critically, must flag uncertainty and offer alternative threat interpretations when the evidence doesn't support a single high-confidence conclusion, rather than forcing a false level of certainty. Autonomous Re-Planning uses machine learning and optimization to generate and compare follow-on mission plans, recommending multiple feasible courses of action with confidence levels and traceable rationale for operator review.

That last point matters: NAVAIR wants recommendations an operator can actually interrogate and approve, not a black-box output. The topic also poses open research questions worth addressing directly in a proposal, including what data points matter most for post-mission analysis, how to enable rapid iterative plan updates, and how to select and adapt algorithms in real time based on available data.

Phase I is a strategy and literature-grounded effort: select suitable AI/ML approaches supported by a review of existing research. Phase II implements the chosen approach in a Navy-approved simulation environment and demonstrates it across multi-day mission simulations, with documentation for operational use and integration with existing CCA systems.

This topic is ITAR-restricted, and work is expected to become classified in Phase II, requiring a secret facility clearance and personnel clearances. Phase III looks toward integrating this into operational CCA and autonomy frameworks, and the topic notes that industry already using AI-driven decision support could adapt similar frameworks for commercial systems.

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
ITAR-restricted, with mandatory foreign national disclosures
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 are the three main focus areas of this topic?
Blue Force Optimization (refining CCA tactics and operations based on outcomes), Red Force Modeling (analyzing adversary behavior and flagging uncertainty), and Autonomous Re-Planning (generating and comparing follow-on mission plans).

Does the system need to give a single definitive answer for adversary behavior?
No. NAVAIR specifically wants the system to identify uncertainty in Red Force assessments and provide alternative threat interpretations when the evidence doesn't support one high-confidence conclusion.

How are recommendations meant to be reviewed?
With traceable rationale supporting operator review and approval, not as an opaque automated decision.

What environment is Phase II tested in?
A Navy-approved simulation environment, demonstrated across multi-day mission simulations.

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 industry already using AI-driven decision support frameworks could adapt similar approaches for commercial and civilian systems.

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).

DON26BZ05-NV073 — Portable Digital Metrology System for Measurement of Defects on Optically Transparent Canopies and Windscreens

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-NV073 is a Navy Phase I SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds a portable digital metrology tool that lets squadron-level maintenance personnel accurately measure scratches, pits, and cracks on aircraft canopies and windscreens directly on the aircraft, replacing a difficult-to-use optical micrometer. Maximum Phase I award across Base and Option is $315,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

Scratches and pits on aircraft canopy and windscreen acrylic cause both optical distortion and structural weakness, and whether a damaged transparency can be repaired or must be scrapped depends entirely on accurate measurement of the defect's dimensions. The problem is that the only current portable measurement method, an optical micrometer, is user-dependent, not ergonomic, requires extensive training, and is genuinely difficult to use on a transparent surface, especially on-aircraft or outdoors, often forcing removal of the canopy or windshield just to measure it.

This is a comparatively narrow, well-scoped engineering problem relative to other topics in this release. NAVAIR gives a concrete example of the kind of defect the tool needs to characterize: a scratch with roughly 1 inch length, under 0.125 inch width, and about 0.1 inch depth. The tool needs to work directly on the aircraft, in the field, in the hands of squadron maintainers who are not measurement specialists.

Phase I is a concept and demonstration effort: define a measurement concept and portable tool, then perform analysis or testing showing it can meet the description's requirements. Phase II moves into a real facility, with prototype testing and demonstration performed at the canopy shop at Fleet Readiness Center Southwest, North Island.

Notably, this topic carries no ITAR restriction notice and no classification or security clearance requirement in the description, unlike most of the other topics in this release, which may make it more accessible to companies without an existing cleared facility.

Phase III testing will evaluate practical adoption factors: total training time to reach full competency, precision and accuracy compared to existing tools, clarity of the measurement documentation given to the end user, and how well the tool works across multiple aircraft platforms and transparency materials. The commercial angle is direct and specific: commercial airline MRO and automotive glass inspection are both called out as dual-use markets facing the same optical transparency measurement problem.

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 demonstration must occur at Fleet Readiness Center Southwest, North Island
No security clearance requirement stated in the topic description

Point of Contact

Kristi DePriest, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
navair-sbir@us.navy.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

What problem does the current optical micrometer have?
It is user-dependent, not ergonomic, requires extensive training, and is difficult to use on transparent materials on-aircraft or outdoors, often requiring canopy or windshield removal just to take a measurement.

What size defect does the tool need to measure?
NAVAIR gives an example scratch of about 1 inch length, under 0.125 inch width, and roughly 0.1 inch depth, on optically transparent materials.

Where does the Phase II demonstration happen?
At the canopy shop at Fleet Readiness Center Southwest, North Island.

Does this topic require a security clearance?
No. Unlike most other topics in this release, this description does not include an ITAR restriction or classification requirement.

What will Phase III testing evaluate?
Training time to reach full competency, measurement precision and accuracy versus existing tools, clarity of output documentation, and applicability across multiple aircraft platforms and transparency materials.

Is there a commercial market for this technology?
Yes. NAVAIR specifically points to commercial airline MRO and automotive glass inspection as dual-use applications.

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).

DON26BZ05-NV072 — Digitally Enhanced Weapon System Technical Data

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-NV072 is a Navy Phase I SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds a solution that can produce and deploy digitally enhanced, interactive weapon system technical data, including video and animations, within 24 hours of an emergent fleet issue being identified. Maximum Phase I award across Base and Option is $315,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

When a critical fleet issue emerges, current practice can take weeks or months to get clear, actionable maintenance instructions into the hands of operators, largely because technical data is still captured as static text and images that don't convey the complexity of the systems being repaired. NAVAIR wants a rapid, "just in time" alternative: a solution that turns SME knowledge into visual and interactive animations, and delivers that enhanced content within 24 hours of capture, for both unclassified and classified content.

This isn't a slow, polished production pipeline. It's built for speed under pressure, with a "Red Flag" capability specifically for completing and delivering digital media applications within 24 hours. Output has to integrate with the Navy's existing All Weapon Information System (AWIS) Repository and be accessible on laptops and tablets already used by fleet maintainers, so this needs to slot into existing infrastructure rather than requiring new hardware.

Phase II adds real technical rigor: the interactive animations and videos must align with MIL-STD-3001 Parts 1 through 4, covering general digital data preparation, principles of operation content, testing and troubleshooting procedures, and maintenance information with illustrated parts breakdown. This is a meaningful compliance lift, since it means the rapid content pipeline still has to produce output that maps cleanly onto a formal military technical documentation standard, not just a video that looks good.

This topic is not marked ITAR-restricted in the description, but work is expected to become classified in Phase II, and the contractor needs a secret facility clearance, personnel clearances, and CAC-enabled access to work with classified technical data. Phase I also requires demonstrating CMMC 2.0 certification capability and CUI handling protocols.

Phase III and commercial potential lean on the same digital engineering and technical data management trends already reshaping commercial aviation MRO, industrial equipment servicing, and logistics, where reduced downtime and improved data accessibility carry direct cost benefits.

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, with CMMC 2.0 certification capability demonstrated in Phase I
Phase II output must comply with MIL-STD-3001 Parts 1 through 4
Must be able to obtain a secret facility clearance, personnel clearances, and CAC access for classified Phase II work

Point of Contact

Kristi DePriest, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
navair-sbir@us.navy.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

How fast does the solution need to deliver enhanced technical data?
Within 24 hours from the time of capture, for both unclassified and classified emergent critical discrepancies.

What repository must the output integrate with?
The Navy's All Weapon Information System (AWIS) Repository, accessible on laptops and tablets already used by fleet maintainers.

What standard must Phase II output comply with?
MIL-STD-3001 Parts 1 through 4, covering general data preparation, principles of operation, testing and troubleshooting procedures, and maintenance information with illustrated parts breakdown.

Does this topic require a security clearance?
Yes. Work is expected to become classified in Phase II, requiring a secret facility clearance, personnel security clearances, and CAC-enabled access.

Is this topic ITAR-restricted?
The topic description does not include the standard ITAR restriction notice found in several other topics in this release, but classified work is still expected in Phase II.

Is there a commercial application for this technology?
Yes. NAVAIR points to commercial aviation maintenance, industrial equipment servicing, and logistics as sectors that could adopt the same rapid digital technical data 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).

DON26BZ05-NV071 — Dynamically Generated, Articulated 3-Dimensional Training Content

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-NV071 is a Navy Phase I SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds a low-code/no-code toolkit that converts Navy data sources into photorealistic, articulated 3D assets for AR/MR training and Live-Virtual-Constructive environments, using AI-driven generation to cut content creation time from months to days. Maximum Phase I award across Base and Option is $315,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

Building interactive 3D training content today takes months of specialized modeling and coded scripting, which slows curriculum updates and limits how much realistic, scenario-based training the Navy can actually deploy. NAVAIR wants to close that gap using recent breakthroughs like neural radiance fields, 3D Gaussian Splatting, and generative AI diffusion models, which allow near-instant scene creation from minimal source material such as smartphone photos, video, or CAD files.

The critical design requirement is accessibility: this has to be a low-code or no-code platform that lets Subject Matter Experts, not programmers, verify content outputs, embed adaptive training cues, and export directly to existing simulators and LVC systems. NAVAIR specifically calls out dynamic articulation (parts that move and respond to user actions), multi-user networking, SME oversight, and standards-compliant export as the real transition hurdles, more so than the underlying content generation technology itself.

Key technical elements include AI-assisted generation of 3D assets and animations, natural language processing to convert textual data like maintenance records or after-action reports into scenario logic, low-code/no-code authoring interfaces, and export compatibility with Unity, Unreal, and Navy-deployed headsets or mobile devices.

Phase I builds an end-to-end pipeline prototype: ingest operational or training data, output usable AR/MR scenarios, and validate core technical components like data parsing and no-code editing, while tracking ROI metrics such as time to generate, test, and integrate content. Phase II expands to multiple asset classes with automated kinematics and collision physics, connects to adaptive tutoring models and multi-user systems, and targets an IL-4/IL-5-accredited or higher solution.

The commercial case here is well-argued in the topic itself: any industry with complex, hands-on procedural training and frequent updates, including commercial aerospace, advanced manufacturing, energy, and medical technology, faces this same content bottleneck. NAVAIR envisions this leading to a tiered SaaS commercialization model, distinguishing it from game engines that require specialized developers or no-code tools that only produce static visuals.

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
Must be usable by Subject Matter Experts without software development skills
Phase II targets IL-4/IL-5 accreditation or higher

Point of Contact

Kristi DePriest, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
navair-sbir@us.navy.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of source material can generate the 3D training content?
Minimal inputs such as smartphone photos, video, CAD models, or schematics, converted using techniques like neural radiance fields, 3D Gaussian Splatting, and generative AI diffusion.

Does this require programming skills to use?
No. The platform must be low-code or no-code, letting Subject Matter Experts create, verify, and customize training content without software development skills.

What makes this different from existing 3D modeling tools?
Existing tools often lack dynamic articulation, physics, and logic for hands-on procedural practice, and typically require specialized developers rather than SME-driven, no-code workflows.

What export compatibility is required?
Common AR/MR engines including Unity and Unreal, plus Navy-deployed headsets and mobile devices, with compatibility for existing LVC systems.

What accreditation level does Phase II target?
IL-4/IL-5 accreditation or higher.

Is there a commercial market for this technology?
Yes. NAVAIR points to commercial aerospace, advanced manufacturing, energy, and medical technology as industries facing the same procedural training content bottleneck.

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).

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).

DON26BZ05-NV069 — Wearable Real-Time Command-and-Control Interface for Enhanced Naval Situational Awareness

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-NV069 is a Navy Phase I SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds a production-ready, wearable Mixed Reality command-and-control interface that fuses multi-domain naval sensor data from JADC2, built for test range operations and REPLICATOR autonomous swarm integration. Maximum Phase I award across Base and Option is $315,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

NAVAIR is looking for something meaningfully more capable than existing augmented reality wearables. This topic explicitly requires Mixed Reality (MR), which spatially anchors digital information to real-world objects, handles environmental occlusion so digital displays don't obscure real hazards, and provides the kind of environmental understanding that safety-critical maritime operations demand. Console-based combat information systems and handheld tactical computers limit mobility, and commercial MR platforms like HoloLens 2 or Apple Vision Pro lack maritime environmental qualification and military-grade cybersecurity.

The performance bar here is unusually detailed and worth reading closely before proposing. The system must operate from -10°C to +50°C, carry an IPX6 water resistance rating, run continuously for 12+ hours, process data with under 30ms latency, integrate 10+ simultaneous sensor inputs, and deliver 1 arc minute display resolution at 90Hz refresh with sub-1-degree angular tracking accuracy. It also has to handle FOUO/CUI data, comply with ANSI Z136.1 and MIL-STD-1425 laser safety standards for Class 4 laser environments, meet MIL-STD-1472H human performance standards, and meet MIL-STD-810 durability requirements. NAVAIR explicitly ties this to the REPLICATOR program, meaning the interface needs autonomous system interfaces and Common Control System compatibility for single-operator swarm management.

The topic itself is candid about technology maturity gaps: integrated MR systems sit at TRL 6-7, maritime-qualified implementations at TRL 5-6, and JADC2 sensor fusion with laser safety integration at only TRL 4-5. That last gap, laser-safe optics combined with full MR functionality, is called out as a breakthrough innovation area, not an integration task. Companies should expect this to be one of the harder technical bars in this release.

This topic is ITAR-restricted, and work is expected to become classified in Phase II, requiring a secret facility clearance and personnel clearances. Phase II calls for 5 delivered prototype systems with a complete technical data package and source code under Government Purpose Rights.

Phase III and commercial potential are spelled out in unusual financial detail: NAVAIR estimates a $2.3 billion total addressable market by 2030 across commercial maritime ($850M), industrial safety ($1.1B), and government/defense ($350M+) segments, including offshore energy, port security, and emergency response coordination.

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
ITAR-restricted, with mandatory foreign national disclosures
Must be able to obtain a secret facility clearance and personnel clearances for classified Phase II work
Must meet ANSI Z136.1, MIL-STD-1425, MIL-STD-1472H, and MIL-STD-810 compliance

Point of Contact

Kristi DePriest, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
navair-sbir@us.navy.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this require Mixed Reality instead of standard AR?
MR provides spatial anchoring of digital information to real-world objects, environmental understanding for safety-critical work, and occlusion handling so displays don't obscure real hazards, none of which basic AR delivers.

What performance standards must the wearable meet?
Operating temperature of -10°C to +50°C, IPX6 water resistance, 12+ hours of continuous operation, under 30ms data latency, 10+ simultaneous sensor inputs, and 1 arc minute display resolution at 90Hz.

What is REPLICATOR and why does it matter here?
REPLICATOR is the DoD's autonomous swarm systems initiative. This topic requires the wearable to support autonomous system interfaces and Common Control System compatibility so a single operator can manage swarms through the device.

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.

What is the hardest technical gap in this topic?
Laser-safe optical systems combined with full MR functionality for Class 4 laser environments, which NAVAIR rates at only TRL 4-5, versus TRL 6-7 for general MR systems.

Is there a commercial market for this?
Yes. NAVAIR estimates a $2.3 billion addressable market by 2030 across commercial maritime, industrial safety, and government/defense segments.

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).

DON26BZ05-NV068 — Intelligent Tools for Naval Aircrew Performance and Readiness

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-NV068 is a Navy Phase I SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds an intelligent human performance system that tracks, predicts, and helps mitigate cognitive, physical, and psychological vulnerabilities in Naval aircrew, built as a tool for aeromedical officers rather than a replacement for them. Maximum Phase I award across Base and Option is $315,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

Naval aviation places heavy cognitive, physical, and psychological demands on aircrew, and today's tools for tracking that burden rely mostly on static assessments and subjective observation. NAVAIR wants a system that moves beyond that, using physiological sensors, eye-tracking, performance metrics, voice analysis, and validated instruments like the Military Readiness Scale (MRS-15) to continuously monitor aircrew state and predict vulnerabilities before they become safety issues.

Critically, this is explicitly framed as a tool that empowers aeromedical officers, not one that replaces their judgment. The system needs to deliver personalized, data-driven insights that aeromedical officers can use to recommend training protocols, prehabilitation exercises, and psychological resilience strategies. It also needs to analyze aircrew-aircraft system interactions to flag human-system interface problems, and to support trust calibration, meaning giving aircrew and officers transparent, objective data about when automation should and shouldn't be relied on.

Phase I is a feasibility study and preliminary design effort: a CONOPS, identification of key performance and trust metrics including MRS-15 integration, a proof-of-concept simulation or analytical model, an evaluation methodology that accounts for human subject safety and data privacy, and prototype interface designs for aeromedical officers.

Phase II is where this topic gets demanding. It requires rigorous validation studies with real statistical targets: a 15 to 20 percent reduction in tactical or procedural errors under simulated stress, and a 10 to 15 percent improvement in decision-making latency without losing accuracy. Any company proposing here needs a credible plan for human subjects research, since Phase II work involving human data must comply with 32 CFR Part 219, DoDI 3216.02, and 10 U.S.C. 980, and requires both local IRB approval and secondary approval from the Navy's Human Research Protection Official before any testing begins. NAVAIR explicitly instructs offerors to separate human-use research tasks from general technical development tasks in the SOW and cost proposal to avoid delaying the whole award.

Phase III applications extend well beyond the cockpit. NAVAIR calls out healthcare (patient recovery tracking, clinician burnout prevention), emergency response (firefighters, paramedics, law enforcement), and sports and athletics as natural adjacent markets for the same predictive, physiological monitoring approach.

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 requires IRB approval and DoN Human Research Protection Official approval before human testing
Strict PII/PHI anonymization protocols required in Phase II

Point of Contact

Kristi DePriest, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
navair-sbir@us.navy.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this system replace aeromedical officers?
No. It is explicitly designed as a tool that empowers and augments aeromedical officers, providing actionable insights for their expert-led interventions rather than automating their role.

What kind of data does the system need to monitor?
Physiological sensors, eye-tracking, performance metrics, voice analysis, and validated self-report instruments such as the Military Readiness Scale (MRS-15).

What statistical improvements does Phase II require?
A 15 to 20 percent reduction in tactical or procedural errors under simulated stress, and a 10 to 15 percent improvement in decision-making latency without accuracy loss.

Do I need IRB approval to propose on this topic?
Not for Phase I, but any Phase II work involving human subjects or physiological data requires both local IRB approval and secondary approval from the Navy's Human Research Protection Official before testing begins.

Is there a commercial market for this outside the Navy?
Yes. NAVAIR points to healthcare, emergency response, and sports and athletics as natural adjacent markets for the same predictive human performance 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).

DON26BZ05-DV087 — Edge-Deployed Explainable Digital-Twin CBM+ Platforms for Carrier-Based Systems

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-DV087 is a Navy Direct to Phase II (DP2) SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds an edge-deployed, explainable AI digital twin platform, referred to as a CBM+ Workstation, that predicts faults in carrier-based Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) despite limited shipboard connectivity. Maximum Phase II award across Base and Option is $1,400,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 (confirm against the official BAA posting).

Executive Summary

Carrier aviation systems like the Advanced Arresting Gear, steam catapults, hydraulic deck handlers, and fuel management valves generate constant, high-frequency streams of voltage, current, pressure, vibration, and temperature data. The problem is getting insight out of that data at sea. Denied, Disrupted, Intermittent, and Limited (DDIL) connectivity on carriers forces maintenance crews to physically download raw logs and ferry them ashore for analysis, which delays detection of early warning signs like seal leakage, actuator fatigue, or control valve drift, drives up unscheduled maintenance costs, and puts sortie rates and aircrew safety at risk.

NAVAIR's answer is a CBM+ Workstation that runs at the edge, meaning on the ship itself, and does the reasoning locally rather than waiting for a shoreside connection. The platform needs to do several things well. It has to ingest and reduce high-rate sensor streams onboard in real time, using model-order-reduction and adaptive sampling to turn raw sensor traces into compact, information-rich features that can move under DDIL bandwidth limits. It has to fuse first-principles digital twin models with maintenance-domain knowledge graphs and shipboard context, producing human-readable fault diagnostics with isolation down to the Lowest Replaceable Unit, rather than opaque alerts a maintainer has to interpret blindly. It needs a secure developer API so new subsystem-specific workstations can be spun up without touching source code, and it must meet shipboard resilience standards with under one second anomaly-detection latency and under 10 MB per hour of data transferred to shore when connectivity reconnects.

This directly supports two existing Navy mandates: DoDI 4151.22, which requires CBM+ to be examined, evaluated, integrated, and incorporated into weapon system engineering and sustainment plans, and OPNAVINST 4790.16C, which requires program managers to document CBM+ implementation and assess its maturity at every acquisition and sustainment review. A workstation built to this spec gives program offices a direct way to satisfy both.

Phase I feasibility centers on the Advanced Arresting Gear as the representative subsystem: NAVAIR expects proposers to have already established feasibility of the edge-deployed, explainable CBM+ concept using AAG as the test case. Phase II builds on that foundation with a prototype running on representative edge hardware, processing live AAG test site data, demonstrating semantic AI fault inference for at least two critical AAG failure modes such as seal leakage or valve blockage, complete with confidence metrics and natural language explanations. It also requires a second demonstration: generating a lightweight workstation for a different carrier subsystem, like the catapult accumulator system, to prove the plug-and-play architecture actually works across systems, not just for AAG.

Phase III moves toward a fully operational, supported, scalable solution for the MK15 Advanced Arresting Gear specifically, with broader commercial potential in any industrial or commercial site facing limited connectivity, such as additive manufacturing facilities or HVAC systems.

Funding

Phase II Base: up to $1,000,000, period of performance up to 30 months
Phase II Option: up to $400,000, period of performance up to 12 months
Maximum total (Base plus Option): $1,400,000
No separate Phase I award is issued under DP2
Award types considered: Cost Plus Fixed Fee, Firm Fixed Price, Basic Ordering Agreement, or Prototype Other Transaction
Discretionary TABA available: up to $25,000 per award, included in the Phase II award amount

Timeline

Step one: submit a Phase I Feasibility Proposal through DSIP
Step two: if selected, the SYSCOM contacts the company directly with instructions to submit a Full DP2 Proposal
Proposal deadline: September 23, 2026 (verify against the official BAA close date for this release)
Notifications sent approximately one week after BAA close, based on the Cover Sheet email address

Key Requirements

Must demonstrate completed Phase I-type R&D independently, not solely from prior federal SBIR/STTR funding
Must show established feasibility using the Advanced Arresting Gear as the representative subsystem
Must meet under one second anomaly-detection latency and under 10 MB per hour data transfer to shore
Must demonstrate fault inference for at least two critical AAG failure modes with confidence metrics and natural language explanations
Technical Volume limited to 30 pages total: 20 pages for Phase I feasibility, 10 pages for the Phase II snapshot
Minimum 50 percent of Phase II work performed by the proposing small business, in both Base and Option
CMMC Level 2 (Self) projected requirement

Point of Contact

Kristi DePriest, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
navair-sbir@us.navy.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a CBM+ Workstation?
An edge-deployed, explainable AI digital twin platform that ingests high-rate sensor data from carrier-based systems, fuses it with physics models and maintenance knowledge graphs, and produces human-readable fault diagnostics locally, without relying on a shoreside connection.

Why does this need to run at the edge instead of ashore?
Carriers operate under Denied, Disrupted, Intermittent, and Limited connectivity, so waiting for a shore connection delays detection of problems like seal leakage or actuator fatigue and increases unscheduled maintenance and safety risk.

What subsystem is used for Phase I feasibility?
The Advanced Arresting Gear, as the representative NAVAIR subsystem for establishing feasibility of the edge-deployed CBM+ concept.

What does Phase II require beyond the AAG demonstration?
A second demonstration showing the platform can generate a lightweight workstation for a different carrier subsystem, such as the catapult accumulator system, without requiring source code changes.

What performance standards must the platform meet?
Under one second anomaly-detection latency and under 10 MB per hour of data transfer to shore when intermittent links reconnect, on MIL-SPEC or ruggedized hardware.

Which Navy policies does this topic support?
DoDI 4151.22, which mandates CBM+ integration into weapon system sustainment plans, and OPNAVINST 4790.16C, which requires documented CBM+ maturity assessments at acquisition reviews.

Is there a commercial application for this technology?
Yes. NAVAIR points to any industrial or commercial site with limited network connectivity, including additive manufacturing and HVAC systems, as a natural extension of an edge-deployed digital twin approach.

How much can a Phase II award be worth?
Up to $1,000,000 for the Base and up to $400,000 for the Option, for a maximum of $1,400,000.

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026

DON26BZ05-DV086 — Customized Aerospace Lightweight, High Power, High Frequency Bandwidth, Nanocrystalline EMI Filters

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-DV086 is a Navy Direct to Phase II (DP2) SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds development of lightweight, high power, high frequency bandwidth EMI filters using nanocrystalline core materials for aerospace power generation systems, targeting more than a 50 percent weight reduction compared to existing commercial off-the-shelf filters. Maximum Phase II award across Base and Option is $1,400,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 (confirm against the official BAA posting).

Executive Summary

As the Navy pushes toward more electrified aircraft power and propulsion systems, it is leaning heavily on wide bandgap power conversion technology to get there. That technology solves one problem and creates another: it introduces significant electromagnetic interference and compatibility challenges that, if left unaddressed, can degrade avionics or mission systems and put warfighting readiness at risk. NAVAIR's answer is a better filter, specifically a common mode voltage cancellation EMI filter built around nanocrystalline core materials.

Nanocrystalline materials are attractive here because of their high saturation flux density, high temperature tolerance, and low core losses, all of which translate into weight savings for common mode inductors. The catch is that existing commercial nanocrystalline cores were built for different use cases: high power at low frequency for industrial drives, or low power at high frequency for radio frequency systems. Military aerospace applications need both high power and high frequency bandwidth simultaneously, which existing commercial parts do not deliver, and the power density and EMI requirements are notably more stringent than what commercial electric vehicle components are designed to meet.

The performance target is concrete and easy to evaluate: greater than 50 percent weight reduction compared to existing COTS CMVC filter and inductor components, achieved through customized high power, high frequency bandwidth nanocrystalline core materials, while still meeting EMI performance requirements defined in DO-160 and MIL-STD-461.

Phase I feasibility here is about materials pedigree: NAVAIR expects proposers to demonstrate real experience developing, manufacturing, and testing passive nanocrystalline magnetic core materials across various end-use applications, along with the technical depth to integrate those materials into CMVC EMI filter devices. This is a topic suited to companies with an existing materials science and magnetics engineering base, not a systems integration play.

Phase II is structured around Technology Readiness Level maturation: reach TRL 5 through lab testing and demonstration as a threshold requirement, then push to TRL 6 in a relevant end-use environment, while designing to both DO-160 and MIL-STD-461. The deliverable is concrete: at least two CMVC EMI filter units, each demonstrating the targeted weight reduction along with measurable improvements in filter attenuation.

Phase III moves toward flight-representative prototypes integrated into an aerospace generator or power system, with ground and flight test. NAVAIR notes the dual-use case directly: commercial aerospace faces the same demanding size, weight, power, and cooling constraints alongside similarly strict EMI and EMC requirements, making this a technology with a real path outside the military market.

Funding

Phase II Base: up to $1,000,000, period of performance up to 30 months
Phase II Option: up to $400,000, period of performance up to 12 months
Maximum total (Base plus Option): $1,400,000
No separate Phase I award is issued under DP2
Award types considered: Cost Plus Fixed Fee, Firm Fixed Price, Basic Ordering Agreement, or Prototype Other Transaction
Discretionary TABA available: up to $25,000 per award, included in the Phase II award amount

Timeline

Step one: submit a Phase I Feasibility Proposal through DSIP
Step two: if selected, the SYSCOM contacts the company directly with instructions to submit a Full DP2 Proposal
Proposal deadline: September 23, 2026 (verify against the official BAA close date for this release)
Notifications sent approximately one week after BAA close, based on the Cover Sheet email address

Key Requirements

Must demonstrate completed Phase I-type R&D independently, not solely from prior federal SBIR/STTR funding
Must show prior experience developing, manufacturing, and testing passive nanocrystalline magnetic core materials
Must target greater than 50 percent weight reduction versus existing COTS CMVC filters
Must design to DO-160 and MIL-STD-461 EMI performance requirements
Technical Volume limited to 30 pages total: 20 pages for Phase I feasibility, 10 pages for the Phase II snapshot
Minimum 50 percent of Phase II work performed by the proposing small business, in both Base and Option
CMMC Level 2 (Self) projected requirement

Point of Contact

Kristi DePriest, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
navair-sbir@us.navy.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the Navy need a new EMI filter design?
Increased use of wide bandgap power conversion for electrified aircraft systems introduces electromagnetic interference that can degrade avionics and mission systems if not properly filtered.

Why can't existing commercial nanocrystalline components solve this?
Commercial nanocrystalline cores are built either for high power at low frequency, like industrial drives, or low power at high frequency, like RF systems. Military aerospace applications need both high power and high frequency bandwidth together, along with more stringent EMI requirements than commercial electric vehicle parts are designed for.

What is the specific performance target?
Greater than 50 percent weight reduction compared to existing COTS CMVC filter and inductor components, while meeting EMI performance requirements in DO-160 and MIL-STD-461.

What kind of company background does NAVAIR expect for Phase I feasibility?
Demonstrated experience developing, manufacturing, and testing passive nanocrystalline magnetic core materials, along with the expertise to integrate those materials into EMI filter devices.

What TRL does Phase II need to reach?
TRL 5 through lab testing as a threshold requirement, with further testing to reach TRL 6 in a relevant end-use environment.

What does NAVAIR expect as a Phase II deliverable?
At least two CMVC EMI filter units demonstrating the targeted weight reduction and improved filter attenuation compared to existing COTS designs.

Is there a commercial market for this technology?
Yes. NAVAIR points to commercial aerospace as facing similarly demanding size, weight, power, cooling, and EMI/EMC requirements.

How much can a Phase II award be worth?
Up to $1,000,000 for the Base and up to $400,000 for the Option, for a maximum of $1,400,000.

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026

DON26BZ05-DV085 — Persistent Non-Destructive Inspection System for Airfield Readiness and FOD Mitigation

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-DV085 is a Navy Direct to Phase II (DP2) SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds a continuous, sensor-based system that inspects airfield pavement, reproduces Pavement Condition Index (PCI) assessments in line with ASTM D 5340 and FAA guidance, and detects Foreign Object Debris (FOD) risks, all without interfering with active airfield operations. Maximum Phase II award across Base and Option is $1,400,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

Airfield pavement condition and Foreign Object Debris are directly tied to flight safety, and today's inspection process depends on periodic manual surveys. NAVAIR wants a sensor-based system that inspects continuously, reproduces the standard Pavement Condition Index that airfields and funding sponsors already use to prioritize maintenance, and detects and classifies surface features including markings, vegetation, and debris, all while operating persistently without disrupting flight operations.

"Without interfering" is defined precisely in this topic: the system cannot require additional runway, taxiway, or apron closures, cannot introduce operational delays, and cannot increase operator burden. That is a meaningfully higher bar than simply automating an existing inspection, since it rules out solutions that need dedicated inspection windows or closures to operate.

The system also needs a credible path to autonomy. NAVAIR specifies that any platform used must be capable of transitioning to an autonomously operated system that plugs into a larger airfield management digital architecture, described as the beginning of a FOD Operational Decision Network.

Phase I feasibility centers on sensor development and qualification, with a specific statistical bar: the system must quantify probability of detection well enough to identify, distinguish, and quantify PCI features within a 95 percent confidence interval, and must be able to distinguish those features from markings, vegetation, and FOD. AI and machine learning may be used to categorize features, but the core requirement is measurable sensor performance, not just an algorithm.

Phase II moves from sensor validation to full system integration on an active airfield, with 100 percent coverage of accessible pavement sections, documented handling of any inaccessible areas, and reproduction of a legacy-format PCI report for both asphalt and concrete per ASTM standards. The system must also produce near-real-time condition updates and integrate with existing FOD data systems and digital twins, plus a Phase III commercialization and transition plan.

This topic's Phase III path is unusually well-defined: it feeds directly into NAVAIR's Zero FOD program, and its outputs are expected to inform facilities commands including NAVFAC, MCICOM, and CNIC. The civil aviation crossover is explicit as well, since the FAA faces the identical 40-year pavement mandate and airfield recapitalization challenge, and the Zero FOD program is already coordinating with the FAA on a shared operational condition index built from this kind of data.

Funding

Phase II Base: up to $1,000,000, period of performance up to 30 months
Phase II Option: up to $400,000, period of performance up to 12 months
Maximum total (Base plus Option): $1,400,000
No separate Phase I award is issued under DP2
Award types considered: Cost Plus Fixed Fee, Firm Fixed Price, Basic Ordering Agreement, or Prototype Other Transaction
Discretionary TABA available: up to $25,000 per award, included in the Phase II award amount

Timeline

Step one: submit a Phase I Feasibility Proposal through DSIP
Step two: if selected, the SYSCOM contacts the company directly with instructions to submit a Full DP2 Proposal
Proposal deadline: September 23, 2026 (verify against the official BAA close date for this release)
Notifications sent approximately one week after BAA close, based on the Cover Sheet email address

Key Requirements

Must demonstrate completed Phase I-type R&D independently, not solely from prior federal SBIR/STTR funding
Must quantify probability of detection for PCI features within a 95 percent confidence interval
Must operate without requiring closures, delays, or increased operator burden
Must have a credible path to autonomous operation and integration into a digital airfield architecture
Technical Volume limited to 30 pages total: 20 pages for Phase I feasibility, 10 pages for the Phase II snapshot
Minimum 50 percent of Phase II work performed by the proposing small business, in both Base and Option
CMMC Level 2 (Self) projected requirement

Point of Contact

Kristi DePriest, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
navair-sbir@us.navy.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Pavement Condition Index and why does it matter here?
PCI is the standard, ASTM D 5340-aligned method airfields use to assess pavement condition and prioritize maintenance. NAVAIR wants a sensor system that can reproduce PCI assessments automatically and continuously.

What does "without interfering with airfield operations" mean specifically?
The system cannot require additional runway, taxiway, or apron closures, cannot introduce operational delays, and cannot increase operator burden.

Does the system need to detect Foreign Object Debris specifically?
Yes, along with distinguishing FOD from pavement markings and vegetation, as part of the broader PCI feature detection requirement.

What statistical performance is required in Phase I?
Probability of detection sufficient to identify, distinguish, and quantify PCI features within a 95 percent confidence interval.

Does the platform need to be autonomous?
It must be capable of transitioning to autonomous operation and integrating into a larger airfield management digital architecture, described as the start of a FOD Operational Decision Network.

What is the connection to the Zero FOD program?
Zero FOD, managed by NAVAIR, is the primary Phase III transition partner for this topic, and its outputs will also inform Navy facilities commands including NAVFAC, MCICOM, and CNIC.

Is there a civil aviation angle to this topic?
Yes. The FAA faces the same airfield recapitalization and pavement lifecycle challenge, and the Zero FOD program is coordinating with the FAA on a shared operational condition index.

How much can a Phase II award be worth?
Up to $1,000,000 for the Base and up to $400,000 for the Option, for a maximum of $1,400,000.

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026

DON26BZ05-DV084 — Innovative Flexible Fuel Cell Design

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-DV084 is a Navy Direct to Phase II (DP2) SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds advanced manufacturing processes and materials for producing Class A, Type I crashworthy, self-sealing aircraft fuel cells compliant with MIL-DTL-27422F, with a focus on faster production timelines and fewer defects. Maximum Phase II award across Base and Option is $1,400,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026 (confirm against the official BAA posting).

Executive Summary

Aircraft fuel cells (fuel bladders) have to survive crash impacts, stay flexible enough to fold into tight airframe cavities during installation, and self-seal if punctured, all while meeting a decades-old but still governing specification, MIL-DTL-27422F. NAVAIR's problem is not the performance target itself but the production process behind it: current manufacturing takes months, and the Navy wants materials and processes that get fuel cells built in weeks instead, without sacrificing quality or increasing defect and rework rates.

The technical bar is specific. The finished fuel cell must remain lightweight, pliable, and foldable enough for installation into structural airframe cavities, while still withstanding crash impact loads at velocities of 65 feet per second. It must self-seal and continue operating at temperatures down to negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit and pressures of 1.5 psi. This is a materials and manufacturing engineering challenge as much as a design challenge, since the same fuel cell needs to be both flexible for installation and rugged enough to survive a crash.

Phase I feasibility here is comparatively lean relative to other topics in this release: NAVAIR asks for availability of material-level data and a defined proof of concept for fuel cell construction designs or applications that validates the approach. Companies with existing material characterization data and a credible construction concept are well positioned to qualify.

Phase II work aligns directly with MIL-DTL-27422F qualification activities, prioritizing crash impact, gunfire performance, and flexibility evaluation. Deliverables include material coupons, panels, and cubes, along with testing that demonstrates the materials and processes meet the spec.

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 scaling to aircraft-representative articles and validating compliance on a rotary platform, with clear crossover potential into Foreign Military Sales and commercial aircraft, where NAVAIR notes FAA requirements are actually less stringent than the military standard this topic targets, making commercial adaptation comparatively straightforward.

Funding

Phase II Base: up to $1,000,000, period of performance up to 30 months
Phase II Option: up to $400,000, period of performance up to 12 months
Maximum total (Base plus Option): $1,400,000
No separate Phase I award is issued under DP2
Award types considered: Cost Plus Fixed Fee, Firm Fixed Price, Basic Ordering Agreement, or Prototype Other Transaction
Discretionary TABA available: up to $25,000 per award, included in the Phase II award amount

Timeline

Step one: submit a Phase I Feasibility Proposal through DSIP
Step two: if selected, the SYSCOM contacts the company directly with instructions to submit a Full DP2 Proposal
Proposal deadline: September 23, 2026 (verify against the official BAA close date for this release)
Notifications sent approximately one week after BAA close, based on the Cover Sheet email address

Key Requirements

Must demonstrate completed Phase I-type R&D independently, not solely from prior federal SBIR/STTR funding
Must show material-level data and a defined proof of concept for fuel cell construction
Must target compliance with MIL-DTL-27422F Class A, Type I requirements
Technical Volume limited to 30 pages total: 20 pages for Phase I feasibility, 10 pages for the Phase II snapshot
Minimum 50 percent of Phase II work performed by the proposing small business, in both Base and Option
CMMC Level 2 (Self) projected requirement
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 specification does this fuel cell need to meet?
MIL-DTL-27422F, for Class A, Type I crash-resistant, ballistic-tolerant aircraft fuel cells.

What is the main problem NAVAIR is trying to solve?
Current fuel cell manufacturing takes months. NAVAIR wants processes and materials that produce compliant fuel cells in weeks, without increasing defects or rework.

What performance must the fuel cell survive?
Crash impact loads at velocities of 65 feet per second, operation down to negative 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and pressures of 1.5 psi, while remaining flexible enough to fold into airframe cavities during installation.

What does NAVAIR expect for Phase I feasibility?
Availability of material-level data and a defined proof of concept for fuel cell construction designs or applications that validates the approach.

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 or allied-nation application for this technology?
Yes. NAVAIR points to Foreign Military Sales and commercial aircraft applications, noting FAA requirements are less stringent than the military standard, which supports an easier commercial adaptation path.

How much can a Phase II award be worth?
Up to $1,000,000 for the Base and up to $400,000 for the Option, for a maximum of $1,400,000.

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026

DON26BZ05-DV083 — Solution to Reduce Towing Based Mishaps During Flightline Operations

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-DV083 is a Navy Direct to Phase II (DP2) SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds retrofit technology that improves situational awareness and prevents collisions during aircraft towing operations, both at land-based airfields and on shipboard flight decks. Maximum Phase II award across Base and Option is $1,400,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

Towing aircraft is one of the most routine and unavoidable tasks on a flightline, and it is also a persistent source of costly mishaps. NAVAIR wants a retrofit solution that can be added to existing Navy tow tractors, specifically the Mid-Range Tow Tractor, Shipboard Tow Tractor, and Large Land-Based Tow Tractor, to give towing crews better situational awareness and prevent unintended collisions.

The operating environment is demanding. Any solution must function whether or not the unit is actively towing, must operate correctly in an Emission Controlled environment, must meet electromagnetic interference requirements for both shipboard and shore-based use, and must give the towing crew enough advance warning to make an informed decision while accounting for the acceleration and inertial effects of a large towed object. NAVAIR is explicitly open to the approach: this can be a low-tech, human-in-the-loop alerting system or a high-tech, fully autonomous intervention system, as long as it meets the mission need of reducing mishaps.

Unlike most of the other DP2 topics in this release, this one does not carry an explicit classification or ITAR restriction in the topic description, and it does not require a security clearance, which may make it more accessible to companies without existing cleared facilities.

The Phase I feasibility bar is specific and demanding: NAVAIR expects proposers to already have prototyped and tested core sensing, alerting, and control functions in relevant operational conditions, with prior validation of real-time proximity detection, operator alerting performance, and integration with representative towing platforms. This is a topic for companies who have already built and tested a working system, not one starting from a concept.

Phase II centers on a real-world demonstration. Deliverables include a Technical Data Package, maintained system specifications, an evaluation and analysis report covering reliability, maintainability, sustainability, and Supply Chain Risk Management, plus training documentation and manuals. The effort concludes with a final prototype demonstration at NAS Lakehurst or NAS Pax River, tested directly on the MRTT, STT, and LLTT during standard towing operations.

Phase III looks toward low-rate or full-rate production and fleet-wide deployment, along with training program rollout. NAVAIR also flags a genuine commercial pathway: towing is just as critical to commercial airport operations, where the same technology could reduce schedule-impacting incidents and improve ground safety at major airports.

Funding

Phase II Base: up to $1,000,000, period of performance up to 30 months
Phase II Option: up to $400,000, period of performance up to 12 months
Maximum total (Base plus Option): $1,400,000
No separate Phase I award is issued under DP2
Award types considered: Cost Plus Fixed Fee, Firm Fixed Price, Basic Ordering Agreement, or Prototype Other Transaction
Discretionary TABA available: up to $25,000 per award, included in the Phase II award amount

Timeline

Step one: submit a Phase I Feasibility Proposal through DSIP
Step two: if selected, the SYSCOM contacts the company directly with instructions to submit a Full DP2 Proposal
Proposal deadline: September 23, 2026 (verify against the official BAA close date for this release)
Notifications sent approximately one week after BAA close, based on the Cover Sheet email address
Final Phase II prototype demonstration occurs at NAS Lakehurst or NAS Pax River

Key Requirements

Must demonstrate completed Phase I-type R&D independently, not solely from prior federal SBIR/STTR funding
Must have already prototyped and tested sensing, alerting, and control functions in relevant conditions
Must be compatible with the MRTT, STT, and LLTT tow tractor platforms
Technical Volume limited to 30 pages total: 20 pages for Phase I feasibility, 10 pages for the Phase II snapshot
Minimum 50 percent of Phase II work performed by the proposing small business, in both Base and Option
CMMC Level 2 (Self) projected requirement

Point of Contact

Kristi DePriest, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR)
navair-sbir@us.navy.mil

Frequently Asked Questions

What towing equipment must this be compatible with?
The Navy's Mid-Range Tow Tractor, Shipboard Tow Tractor, and Large Land-Based Tow Tractor.

Does the solution have to be fully autonomous?
No. NAVAIR accepts either a low-tech, human-in-the-loop alerting system or a high-tech, fully autonomous intervention system, as long as it meets the mission need.

Does this topic require a security clearance?
No. Unlike several other topics in this release, DV083 does not include a classification or clearance requirement in the topic description.

What kind of prior work does NAVAIR expect for feasibility?
Prototyped and tested core sensing, alerting, and control functions in relevant operational conditions, with validated real-time proximity detection and integration on representative towing platforms.

Where does the Phase II demonstration happen?
At NAS Lakehurst or NAS Pax River, tested on existing MRTT, STT, and LLTT tow tractors during standard towing procedures.

Is there a commercial market for this outside the Navy?
Yes. NAVAIR specifically notes applicability to commercial airports, where reducing towing mishaps improves both safety and schedule reliability.

How much can a Phase II award be worth?
Up to $1,000,000 for the Base and up to $400,000 for the Option, for a maximum of $1,400,000.

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026

DON26BZ05-DV082 — Cross-domain Interface for Trusted Access & Data Exchange Logic (CITADEL)

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

Quick Answer

DON26BZ05-DV082 is a Navy Direct to Phase II (DP2) SBIR topic sponsored by NAVAIR. It funds a bi-directional software Cross Domain System (CDS) guard that runs on small form factor, PCIe-based commercial computer modules aboard Navy aircraft and ships. The government references CITADEL as a demonstrated approach to this problem. Maximum Phase II award across Base and Option is $1,400,000. Proposals are due September 23, 2026.

Executive Summary

Navy aircraft and ships need to move data securely between networks with different classification or trust levels, and doing that today typically requires large, expensive, purpose-built hardware guards. NAVAIR wants a bi-directional software CDS guard that instead runs on small, modular, removable, commercially available computer systems with an open PCIe interface, so the capability can be fielded more cheaply and updated faster.

The hardware baseline is specific: at minimum a 10-core processor, 64 GB of DDR5 RAM, 2 TB of SSD storage, at least four 1 GigE ports, four USB ports, and one HDMI or DisplayPort interface. On top of that hardware, the software architecture needs to support rapid rule set updates so the guard can be re-certified and re-approved by the NSA more efficiently than legacy guard systems allow, and it needs an affordable licensing model that keeps acquisition and sustainment costs down for the Navy over the life of the program.

Functionally, the guard must parse up to 100 Mbps of mixed data types, including video streams, tracks, messaging, and voice, and it must log that data. Business rules will be provided by the government as classified Government Furnished Equipment after award, and the architecture needs to let the contractor maintain and update those rules in a data library without requiring a full software rebuild every time a rule changes.

The Phase I feasibility bar here is unusually specific: NAVAIR references CITADEL directly, describing a system that has already demonstrated a cross domain guard on commercial single board computers while emphasizing affordability, modularity, and rapid prototyping, all while maintaining high assurance through hardware and software controls. Companies proposing on this topic should be prepared to show a comparable level of demonstrated capability, since the government is essentially describing the shape of qualifying prior work.

Phase II calls for a working demonstration: a bi-directional guard running across four COTS, removable, plug-and-play computer modules, parsing IP-based HF track data, voice, and messaging, with one module hosting the guard itself. The software architecture also needs to be structured in a way that supports NSA approval through a partitioned layout, minimizing how often the whole system needs re-approval when rules change.

This work is expected to become classified, and the contractor must be able to obtain and maintain a secret facility clearance and personnel clearances. Dual-use potential is strong for critical infrastructure operators such as energy, transportation, and port authorities, along with financial services, healthcare networks, and cloud providers who need to move data across trust boundaries under regulatory or cybersecurity constraints.

Funding

Phase II Base: up to $1,000,000, period of performance up to 30 months
Phase II Option: up to $400,000, period of performance up to 12 months
Maximum total (Base plus Option): $1,400,000
No separate Phase I award is issued under DP2
Award types considered: Cost Plus Fixed Fee, Firm Fixed Price, Basic Ordering Agreement, or Prototype Other Transaction
Discretionary TABA available: up to $25,000 per award, included in the Phase II award amount

Timeline

Step one: submit a Phase I Feasibility Proposal through DSIP
Step two: if selected, the SYSCOM contacts the company directly with instructions to submit a Full DP2 Proposal
Proposal deadline: September 23, 2026 (verify against the official BAA close date for this release)
Notifications sent approximately one week after BAA close, based on the Cover Sheet email address

Key Requirements

Must demonstrate completed Phase I-type R&D independently, not solely from prior federal SBIR/STTR funding
Must show prior work comparable to the CITADEL description: a cross domain guard on commercial single board computers emphasizing affordability, modularity, and rapid prototyping
Technical Volume limited to 30 pages total: 20 pages for Phase I feasibility, 10 pages for the Phase II snapshot
Minimum 50 percent of Phase II work performed by the proposing small business, in both Base and Option
CMMC Level 2 (Self) projected requirement
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 CITADEL?
CITADEL is referenced in the topic as the type of cross domain guard capability NAVAIR expects proposers to have already demonstrated: a bi-directional software guard on commercial single board computers, built for affordability, modularity, and rapid prototyping.

What hardware must the guard run on?
Small form factor, modular, removable commercial computer systems with a PCIe open systems interface, with a minimum baseline of a 10-core processor, 64 GB DDR5 RAM, 2 TB SSD storage, four 1 GigE ports, four USB ports, and one HDMI or DisplayPort interface.

How much data must the guard be able to handle?
Up to 100 Mbps of parsed data, including video streams, tracks, messaging, and voice, with data logging support.

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.

What does Phase II deliver?
A demonstrated bi-directional CDS guard running across four COTS, removable, plug-and-play computer modules, parsing IP-based HF track data, voice, and messaging, with a software architecture designed to minimize repeated NSA re-approval as rules change.

How much can a Phase II award be worth?
Up to $1,000,000 for the Base and up to $400,000 for the Option, for a maximum of $1,400,000.

What is the proposal deadline?
September 23, 2026