SBIR / STTR #DAF27TZ01-DV001

DAF STTR R&D for Refueling Assessment AI, Edge Cybersecurity, and Uncrewed-Aircraft Sensor Fusion

The Department of the Air Force is seeking Direct-to-Phase-II STTR research and development proposals across three technology topics. - Government buyer: Department of the Air Force (DAF), DAF SBIR/STTR. - Topics and requested work: - DAF27TZ01-DV001 — AI-enabled air-to-air refueling assessment and pilot debriefs: Develop a prototype that analyzes tanker video and available aircraft data to assess tracking, position, closure rates, alignment, stability, refueling geometry, and procedural deviations. Generate debrief products within 15 minutes of video ingestion and target 95% agreement with experienced instructor assessments. The effort includes secure data ingestion, analytics, video protection and filtering, visualizations, instructor review, training integration, and operational demonstration. Initial evaluation may use KC-46 footage and a Government-approved selection of 3–5 receiver platforms; the prototype must support at least one receiver aircraft type and demonstrate integration with at least one operational aerial-refueling training organization. - DAF27TZ01-DV002 — Cyber resiliency for fog and edge computing: Develop protections for edge devices and networks, including autonomous detection and response to supply-chain attacks, remote exploits, and AI-algorithm exploitation. Capabilities should scale across edge nodes and help mission operations continue under attack. - DAF27TZ01-DV003 — Cooperative information sharing and sensor fusion for uncrewed air systems (FOCISAUS): Develop a prototype for distributed sensing nodes to selectively share, prioritize, and fuse mission-relevant information in near real time, while addressing adaptive transmission, bandwidth and latency constraints, and delivery to autonomy, edge, or user applications. - Award and duration: Each topic has a maximum award value of $2,000,000 and a maximum duration of 24 months. No start or end dates, option periods, product quantities, or part numbers are specified. - Notable requirement: The solicitation identifies Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Level 2 (Self) as a requirement. - OEMs and vendors: No OEMs or vendors are named in the provided materials.

Description

The solicitation seeks proposals for an AI-enabled computed-vision system for assessing air-to-air refueling performance and providing automated pilot debriefs. It is a Department of the Air Force topic under the 2027 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Broad Agency Announcement, using a Direct-to-Phase-II approach. The source lists a response deadline of December 4, 2026, and CMMC Level 2 (Self).

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