- The Department of the Navy has started the pre-release period for FY26 Release 3 SBIR/STTR topics
- The solicitation targets quantum, artificial intelligence and contested logistics technologies
- The 2026 Navy Summit will explore AI, digital engineering, hybrid fleet and more
The Department of the Navy has opened the pre-release period for its Small Business Innovation Research, or SBIR, and Small Business Technology Transfer, or STTR, Fiscal Year 2026 Release 3 solicitation, featuring 12 conventional broad agency announcement topics and one commercial solutions opening, or CSO, area of interest.
As the Navy advances technology priorities across its fleet and force, government and industry leaders will discuss many of the same modernization efforts at the 2026 Navy Summit. The Aug. 27 event will feature discussions on artificial intelligence, digital engineering, hybrid fleet capabilities, enterprise network modernization, CJADC2 and other emerging technologies shaping naval operations. Save your seat now!
What Are the 3 Critical Technology Areas?
In a LinkedIn post published Wednesday, the Navy SBIR/STTR Program Office said the release seeks technologies supporting fleet and force requirements across three critical technology areas: quantum and battlefield information dominance; applied AI; and contested logistics technology.
In April, the Department of War announced its efforts to advance a redesigned SBIR-STTR initiative following the reauthorization of the programs under the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act. Following the reauthorization, DOW immediately released multiple SBIR/STTR solicitations with more than 90 topics open to industry.
What Are the Conventional SBIR & CSO Open Topics?
The 12 conventional SBIR topics are:
- Adaptive Sensor Management
- Anomalous Behavior Detection and Alerting for Congested Maritime Environments
- Gun Weapon Systems Ammunition Handling and Controls Modernization
- High-Throughput Embarked Data Transfer
- Intra-Satellite Communications
- Long-Range Listening Device
- Multi-Band Approach to Target Discovery
- Optimizing Satellite Imagery Across Commercial Vendors
- Predictive Movement for Object Oriented Tracking
- Real-time Zero Trust Data and Access Control for Combat Systems
- Secure Tasking of Commercial Assets
- Terminal Defense Weapon System Coordinator
The release also includes a CSO open topic for counter-unmanned air systems. Naval Air Systems Command and Naval Sea Systems Command will host a webinar on Tuesday, June 16, about c-UAS.
What Are the Deadlines?
The Navy said companies may communicate directly with technical points of contact regarding technical questions through June 23.
Proposal submissions will open on June 24 and run through July 22.
