Thermally Tolerant Optical Fire Detectors
STTR Opportunity Analysis
The U.S. Navy is seeking an AI/ML-enhanced optical fire detector for aircraft engine nacelles that can operate in temperatures up to 400°F and improve fire safety in high-temperature environments. The work calls for developing and demonstrating a detector that can identify hydrocarbon flames while reducing false alarms from benign heat or light sources, using thermal design improvements plus software-based signal classification. Phase I focuses on proving the concept and prototype plans, while Phase II targets a production-scalable drop-in replacement with mounting and wiring compatibility and performance evaluation under MIL-F-23447 and MIL-STD-810H. The solicitation, DON26TZ01-NV001, is open with applications due June 3, 2026 at 16:00 UTC.