TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Ground/Sea Vehicles, Materials/Processes, Weapons

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PEO IWS, Naval Surface Fire Support Program (IWS 3C).

The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation.

OBJECTIVE: Develop low-cost, IM compliant, electrically controlled, extuinguishible, solid fuel, divert & attitude control system for high-performance hypersonic airframes.

DESCRIPTION: The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has embarked on an Innovative Naval Prototype of an Electromagnetic Gun System that accelerates projectiles to hypersonic speeds enabling ranges beyond 245 nmi in less than six minutes time of flight. The projectile must function over the entire range of aerodynamic pressures during endo-atmospheric and exo-atmospheric portions of hypersonic flight; thus a control system that can provide effective attitude and divert control over a wide range of thrust levels to enable system accuracy is required. During exo-transit phase of the trajectory, the control system must be able to course correct for trajectory errors imputed during launch and endo-ascent. During reentry the control system must be able to maintain a small angle of attack to maintain stable flight. During descent, the control system must have sufficient divert capability to achieve accuracies on the order of 5-m CEP. Thrust levels commensurate with both endo- and exo-atmospheric dynamic pressures must be achievable and these varying thrust levels must be initiated and extinguished repeatedly over the trajectory in order to preserve fuel and meet the stringent 10 in3, or smaller, packaging constraints. Furthermore, Insensitive Munitions (IM) compliance issues must be addressed via safe solid fuel technologies. Munitions containing energetics are required by section 2389 of title 10, United States Code, to ensure lifecycle safety when subjected to unplanned stimuli. The Mil-Std 2105C hazard assessment tests have revealed that many munitions under development are not insensitive.

PHASE I: Evaluate the feasibility and requirements, via concept studies. The contractor shall identify applicable system operational and environmental requirements, propose solid safe-fuel formulations, perform 6-dof endo-, exo-, endo-flight dynamics study, and develop packaging concepts.

PHASE II: Verify predictions with lab testing to demonstrate electrical-control of thrust levels, thrust durations, and repeated initiations of the candidate safe-fuel formulations. Down select best solid fuel formulation. Perform initial design of MS EDACS. Fabricate, Integrate, and Test MS EDACS in hardware-in-the loop performance simulations. Launch shock EDACS to determine failure modes. Develop thermal performance simulations.

PHASE III: In FY04, the Office of Naval Research embarked on an Innovative Naval Prototype for an Electromagnetic Gun System. Concept hypersonic flight demonstrations will occur in which a series of saboted airframes will be both chemically and electromagnetically launched. The contractor will perform detail design of a gun-hardened MS EDACS to survive 50 kG launch acceleration. Fabricate, Integrate & test gun-hardened MS EDACS into airframe to verify hypersonic aero-thermal performance and ultimately demonstrate a hypersonic divert manuever. Successful demonstrations will facilitate transition into the follow-on System Development & Demonstration Acquisition Program sponsored by NAVSEA IWS3C.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: Low-cost, safe fuel methods for control are always in demand by the aerospace and transportation industries. In particular satellite control systems, unmanned vehicle control systems, and auto airbag initiation.

REFERENCES:
1. http://www.freshpatents.com/Electrically-controlled-solid-propellant-dt20060119ptan20060011276.php

2. http://www.stormingmedia.us/64/6495/A649553.html

KEYWORDS: hypersonic, propellant, insensitive, divert attitude control system, electrically controlled, extuinguishible, exoatmospheric

TPOC: Arthur Mabbett
Phone: (540)653-2031
Fax: (540)653-7706
Email: arthur.mabbett@navy.mil
2nd TPOC: Adam R. Jones
Phone: (540)653-4561
Fax:
Email: adam.r.jones@navy.mil

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between August 1 and September 13, 2006, you may talk directly with the Topic Author(s) to ask technical questions about the topics. Their contact information is listed above. For reasons of competitive fairness, direct communication between proposers and topic authors is not allowed starting September 13, 2006 , when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

However, proposers may still submit written questions about solicitation topics through the SBIR/STTR Interactive Topic Information System (SITIS), in which the questioner and respondent remain anonymous and all questions and answers are posted electronically for general viewing until the solicitation closes. All proposers are advised to monitor SITIS (06.3 Q&A) during the solicitation period for questions and answers, and other significant information, relevant to the SBIR 06.3 topic under which they are proposing.

If you have general questions about DoD SBIR program, please contact the DoD SBIR Help Desk at (866) 724-7457 or email weblink.