Air Force SBIR and STTR awards and R&D opportunities
The Department of the Air Force runs SBIR and STTR for both the Air Force and the Space Force through AFWERX and SpaceWERX. It makes more SBIR awards than any other DoD component. Air Force's official SBIR/STTR site has its current topics and deadlines.
- Awards, 2022–2026
- 5,976
- Awarded
- $5 billion
- Phase II share
- 50%
- Open Air Force R&D notices
- 123
Open Air Force R&D opportunities, due soonest
123 open notices on SAM.gov have an R&D NAICS code or a BAA, SBIR, STTR or commercial solutions opening in the title.
- QuickSink Notice of Contract Action ( NOCA)
Due in 4 daysOct 15, 2026
- FA8629-26-S-C001(Call-001)_Air Force - Small UAS & Asymmetric Capabilities - Commercial Solutions Opening
Due in 5 daysOct 15, 2026
- Amendment #10: Common Very Low Frequency Receiver (VLF) Increment 2 (CVRi2) Modernization
✦ The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center is asking for proposals to design and build a common Very Low Frequency receiver for nuclear command and control aircraft and ground systems.
Due in 8 daysOct 19, 2026
- Broad Agency Announcement (BAA): Cost Estimating Modeling Data, Analytics Research (CEMDAR)
✦ The Air Force (SAF/FM and the Cost Analysis Agency) is asking for white papers on cost-estimating data and analytics research: building cloud data pipelines, relational cost…
Due in 8 daysOct 19, 2026
- Rendezvous, Proximity Operations (RPO) Threat Response (RTR) VICTUS Responsive Launch Space Vehicle (SV)
✦ The U.S. Space Force (Space Systems Command, Space Safari program) is asking industry for information, not offers, about a future small spacecraft that can launch on short notice…
Due in 9 daysOct 19, 2026
- Call 03 M-DASH - Joint All Domain Persistent Adaptive Collaborative Technologies II (JADPACT II)
✦ The Air Force Research Laboratory is inviting companies to bring AI and software tools that help battle managers make faster, better decisions to a two-week hands-on sprint event…
Due in 11 daysOct 21, 2026
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Get R&D alertsAir Force and the 2026 SBIR restart
SBIR and STTR lapsed from October 1, 2025 until the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act reauthorized them on April 13, 2026, through September 30, 2031. DoD pre-released its first post-reauthorization topics on April 13, 2026 (open May 6 to June 3) and has released new topics every month since. Its first fiscal year 2027 release pre-released October 7, 2026 and accepts proposals October 28 to November 25, 2026, through the DoD SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP).
Air Force SBIR and STTR awards by year
| Award year | Phase I | Phase II | Dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (so far) | 5 | 19 | $29.4 million |
| 2025 | 389 | 652 | $1.4 billion |
| 2024 | 888 | 778 | $1.4 billion |
| 2023 | 997 | 683 | $1.2 billion |
| 2022 | 697 | 868 | $1 billion |
| 2021 | 1,137 | 605 | $632.9 million |
| 2020 | 958 | 628 | $707.6 million |
| 2019 | 1,171 | 516 | $825.7 million |
| 2018 | 360 | 253 | $280.5 million |
| 2017 | 384 | 246 | $328.3 million |
| 2016 | 372 | 289 | $343.6 million |
1,281 of the 5,976 awards since 2022 were STTR, which requires a research institution partner.
2025 and 2026 are low because the programs' authority lapsed from October 2025 to April 2026, and because agencies report new awards to SBIR.gov months late (some agencies' newest reported awards are from 2024 or 2025).
Top Air Force SBIR recipients
Small businesses with the most Air Force SBIR and STTR dollars since 2022:
| Company | State | Awards | Dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Umbra Lab, Inc | CA | 4 | $62.6 million |
| Portal Space Systems Inc. | WA | 8 | $50.7 million |
| Physical Sciences Inc. | MA | 71 | $49.3 million |
| Piasecki Aircraft Corp | PA | 5 | $45.4 million |
| Toyon Research Corporation | CA | 49 | $43.1 million |
| Idaho Scientific LLC | ID | 1 | $42.7 million |
| Sarcos Group LC | UT | 1 | $38.6 million |
| Turion Space Corp | CA | 13 | $37.3 million |
| Electra.Aero Inc. | VA | 7 | $34.2 million |
| Apex Technology, Inc. | CA | 3 | $33.6 million |
| Archer Aviation Inc | CA | 2 | $32.8 million |
| Urban Sky Theory Inc | CO | 11 | $32.8 million |
| Varda Space Industries, Inc. | CA | 3 | $30.9 million |
| K2 Space Corporation | CA | 10 | $27.5 million |
| Zeroeyes, Inc. | PA | 11 | $23.5 million |
Newest Air Force SBIR and STTR awards
| Awarded | Company | Project | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 23, 2026 | Oblate Optics Inc | SBIR Phase II Inverse-designed lightweight, planar focus lenses for Vis to LWIR hyperspectral imaging | $1.8 million |
| Jan 23, 2026 | Busek Co., Inc. | SBIR Phase II Compact Stored Propellant Propulsion System for VLEO Satellites | $1.7 million |
| Jan 23, 2026 | Aspect Aerospace | SBIR Phase II Single Board Satellite for VLEO SBEM | $1.9 million |
| Jan 22, 2026 | Aroboticscompany, Inc | SBIR Phase I Snake Paint-R: Robotic Coating for Confined Aircraft Ducts | $139,980 |
| Jan 20, 2026 | Pulse Space Inc | SBIR Phase II Nexus | $1.9 million |
| Jan 9, 2026 | Aerobotix, Inc. | SBIR Phase II Robotic Adaptive Sanding System (RASS) | $1.2 million |
| Jan 7, 2026 | Slip Robotics Inc. | SBIR Phase II Omni-Directional Movement of F-16 Aircraft With a Modified and Adapted Slipbot Mobile Robot | $1.2 million |
| Jan 1, 2026 | Intellisense Systems Inc | SBIR Phase I Tethered Robot for Coating Application and Inspection | $139,999 |
| Jan 1, 2026 | Towflexx Miltech Inc | SBIR Phase II Omni Directional Aircraft Mover Platform (OD-AMP) | $1.2 million |
| Jan 1, 2026 | Aerosens, Inc | SBIR Phase II AeroISU: Real-time Visibility and Mission Readiness of Industrial Storage Units (ISU), Containers & other… | $1.5 million |
| Nov 6, 2025 | Lineaje Inc. | SBIR Phase I Trusted OSS Analysis and TTP Automation for Secure Software Enclaves | $139,931 |
| Nov 6, 2025 | Beast Code LLC | SBIR Phase II Creating a Digital Twin of Legacy Aircraft - B-52 | $1.7 million |
Frequently asked questions
How many SBIR awards does Air Force make?
Air Force and Space Force made 5,976 SBIR and STTR awards worth $5 billion from 2022 through the latest SBIR.gov data, 3,000 of them Phase II. The average Phase I award was about $110,119 and average Phase II about $1.6 million.
Where does Air Force post SBIR topics?
On its official SBIR/STTR site (afwerx.com/programs/sbir-sttr/sbir-sttr-overview). All DoD components release topics and accept proposals through the DoD SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP). Related R&D solicitations and broad agency announcements are also posted on SAM.gov.
Is Air Force accepting SBIR proposals in 2026?
SBIR and STTR lapsed from October 1, 2025 until the Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act reauthorized them on April 13, 2026, through September 30, 2031. DoD pre-released its first post-reauthorization topics on April 13, 2026 (open May 6 to June 3) and has released new topics every month since. Its first fiscal year 2027 release pre-released October 7, 2026 and accepts proposals October 28 to November 25, 2026, through the DoD SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP).
Other SBIR agencies
Navy · Army · DARPA · MDA · DHA · DLA · SOCOM · OSD · CBD · DTRA
Award data from SBIR.gov's public award file, updated monthly; contact and researcher names are left out. Open notices from SAM.gov, updated daily.