The Department of Defense, specifically the United States Air Force, is seeking innovative manufacturing technologies through the SBIR program to develop rapid and affordable propulsion manufacturing solutions for munitions and autonomous collaborative platforms. The primary objective is to enhance manufacturing and supply chain outcomes for gas turbine engines, focusing on reducing labor time, lead times, and cycle times while increasing manufacturing rates and supply chain capabilities. This initiative is crucial for advancing military capabilities by enabling the production of high-rate, cost-effective turbine engines and associated components, with a strong emphasis on agile casting and additive manufacturing techniques. Interested parties should note that the solicitation is set to open on January 8, 2025, with proposals due by February 5, 2025, and can find more information at the official DOD SBIR website.

## Description

The objective is to develop manufacturing and materials technologies suitable for the development of affordable and high-rate and gas turbine engine solutions for munitions and autonomous collaborative platforms. This objective targets improvements in propulsion manufacturing and supply chain outcomes, to include significant reductions in required labor time, reduced long-lead and cycle times, increased manufacturing rates, and unlocking broader base of supply chain availability and capabilities, all enhanced relative to historical military acquisition experience for these systems. DESCRIPTION: Relevant technology domains include low cost materials and processing, novel manufacturing and assembly approaches (to include assembly fabrication, and inspection automation), as well as processing concepts levered from other mass-market industries. This objective encompasses a focus on innovative development approaches for all engine subsystems and accessory components. This objective also recognizes that historic market dynamics have traditionally led industry design systems to focus on engine performance and endurance over reduced-capability designs manufactured at high rates, and subsequently unique military derivative engines carry a burden of associated complexity and conservatism as a result. This object seeks to explore technology demonstrations on the prospective capabilities of &ldquo;mass-produced&rdquo;, non-man-rated, and in some cases expendable turbine engines. Domains of interest also include design system and manufacturing qualification approaches regarding material property requirements and that enable broader supply chain agility (to include the use of commercial material grades versus aerospace grades, reducing dependence on single-source additive manufacturing systems and vendors, and enhanced &ldquo;build-to&rdquo; design packages that reduce risks to suppliers). This topic expects to deliver at least two manufacturing technology demonstrations for turbine engines and associated accessory hardware with a credible pathway to industry adoption, that enable significant reductions in required labor time, reduced long-lead and cycle times, increased manufacturing rates, and/or unlock a broader base of supply chain availability and capabilities.This objective also recognizes that the adoption of non-traditional technologies and approaches may challenge typical industry standards, design practices, DoD policies, and/or federal regulations, and the objective also seeks to understand the relevant government policies that may require accommodation in order to enable adoption of these new manufacturing technologies and approaches.

## Objective

The objective is to develop innovative manufacturing technologies to enable highly-producible static and rotating structures for small gas turbine engines suitable for affordable, rapidly manufactured modular munitions, with focus on agile casting and additive manufacturing techniques. This objective targets improvements in propulsion manufacturing and supply chain outcomes across several factors, including: significant reduced lead times to initial prototype hardware and quantities suitable engine development activities quantities; demonstration of agility to accommodate minor geometry and scale changes to support rapid development of derivative engine designs; and approaches that enable access to a wide-supply base of capital-intensive casting and/or additive manufactured hardware suppliers (supporting distributed manufacturing concepts). Associated manufacturing technology demonstrations will result in prototype hardware relevant to affordable modular munition concepts, suitable for future rig and test activities, and with a credible approach to propulsion supplier adoption.

## Phase I

This topic is intended for technology proven ready to move directly into a Phase II. Therefore, a Phase I award is not required. The offeror is required to provide detail and documentation in the Direct to Phase II proposal which demonstrates accomplishment of a &ldquo;Phase I-type&rdquo; effort, including a feasibility study. This includes determining, insofar as possible, the scientific and technical merit and feasibility of ideas appearing to have commercial potential. This feasibility study must include an assessment of the state of the casting and/or additive manufacturing service market for turbine engine components, and communicate how offeror&rsquo;s innovations contribute to cost and schedule reductions for labor costs, material costs, non-recurring engineering costs, and/or reductions in initial prototype or serial production cycle times from the view of a propulsion system supplier acquiring components for development activities. This assessment must also identify the offeror&rsquo;s present casting and/additive manufacturing capability and the technology domains it proposes to refine through this topic.

## Phase II

Eligibility for D2P2 is predicated on the offeror having performed a &ldquo;Phase I-like&rdquo; effort predominantly separate from the SBIR Programs. Under the phase II effort, the offeror shall sufficiently develop the technical approach, product, or process in order to conduct a small number of relevant demonstrations. Identification of manufacturing/production issues and or business model modifications required to further improve product or process relevance to improved sustainment costs, availability, or safety, should be documented. These Phase II awards are intended to provide a path to commercialization, not the final step for the proposed solution. The successful Phase 2 effort will deliver at least two manufacturing technology demonstrations resulting in prototype hardware suitable for future rig and engine testing recommended by offeror, and demonstrate agility through an offeror-proposed collection of metrics associated with the objective statement. The Offeror should communicate how their technology approach will result in a credible pathway to propulsion supplier adoption. The Phase 2 awardee will build on the current state of the art to advance the Technology Readiness Level in supporting these outcomes of interest by delivering designs and physical prototypes that demonstrate enhanced performance in one or more of the areas above. The awardee will coordinate with the Department of the Air Force technical point of contact (TPOC) via regular information exchange meetings and technical reports. The final deliverable will be turbine-engine relevant hardware prototypes manufactured via the proposed manufacturing technology demonstration activities.

## Phase III: Dual Use Applications

The contractor will pursue commercialization of the various technologies developed in Phase II for transitioning expanded turbine engine manufacturing capability to a broad range of potential government and civilian users and alternate mission applications. Direct access with end users and government customers will be provided with opportunities to receive Phase III awards for providing the government additional research &amp; development, or direct procurement of products and services developed in coordination with the program.

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