AFWERX and SpaceWERX, divisions of the Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, have issued new Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer solicitations following the enactment of the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act.
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What Do the New Solicitations Support?
AFRL said Wednesday AFWERX and SpaceWERX are seeking proposals from U.S.-owned small businesses with up to 500 employees to contribute to research, development, test and evaluation programs supporting Department of the Air Force missions.
Brig. Gen. Jason Bartolomei, AFRL commander and DAF Technology Executive Officer, said, “We are asking for your disruptive ideas, your investment and your partnership to help supercharge the American industrial base.”
What Are the Solicitations' Priority Areas?
The latest SBIR and STTR solicitations target high-priority capability gaps, including combat collaborative aircraft and command, control, communications and battle management. Other focused cohorts involve contested logistics, counter-unmanned aircraft systems, manufacturing and readiness. Additionally, the programs seek ideas in small unmanned aircraft systems and weapons technology.
How Are AFWERX & SpaceWERX Changing Their Approach?
The AFRL divisions are adopting a cohort-based model that groups related technologies around defined capability gaps, supported by AFRL integrated product teams that link science and technology efforts to warfighter needs. This structure connects industry, acquisition stakeholders and private capital to specific requirements while coordinating funding and experimentation early.
AFWERX, SpaceWERX Advance Industrial Base Initiatives
In a related move aimed at reinforcing the defense industrial base, AFWERX and SpaceWERX partnered on the 25.5 Release 9 Manufacturing Focused Open Topic Direct-to-Phase II Solicitation, which sought proposals centered on engine production with advanced manufacturing, advanced composite structures, semiconductor production innovations, radiation-tolerant electronics, system integration and interoperability, or affordable energetics.
