TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Air Platform, Materials/Processes, Electronics

ACQUISITION PROGRAM: PMA-276, USMC Light/Attack Helicopter; PMA-274, Presidential Helicopter

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 innovative, affordable technology and processes to improve the resistance of transparent canopy and window materials to electromagnetic interference (EMI) or attack and/or low-power laser exposure.

DESCRIPTION: The Navy has an ongoing interest in improving the resistance of helicopter canopies and windows to threats from both radio frequency energy and laser effects while maintaining or improving system functionality. Emerging technologies based on advanced materials may meet these needs. This topic seeks to incorporate application of advanced coating materials or transparency compositions to reduce the susceptibility of cockpit avionics to EMI and microwave energy and improve resistance to low-power laser energy while maintaining adequate and desired optical properties necessary for normal aircrew functions including operation with night vision equipment.

Coating or material technology that offers EMI control or multi-function benefits for canopies are of interest. Canopy/window material compositions or coatings that filter, absorb or reflect portions of the laser spectrum can be explored. Canopy and window technology can include consideration for polycarbonate, acrylic, glass, or new window materials as well as composite constructions from multiple laminated transparency layers since there are many air platforms of differing designs with potential for application. For aircraft, protection for some windows and canopy sections may have different priorities or different limitations on the impact to visual transmission (e.g., passenger windows versus aircrew canopy or even different canopy sections). Therefore it is understood that technology not suitable for one particular window application may still have direct application in another window location for the same platform or other platforms

PHASE I: Determine the feasibility of developing coatings and/or window materials or systems that can be used to increase resistance to electromagnetic and/or laser energy.

PHASE II: Optimize formulations and processes and demonstrate them. Verify canopy resistance to or shielding from electromagnetic interference or attack or laser effects. Verify daytime visual transmission performance and night vision performance capabilities.

PHASE III: Perform treatments for or fabricate canopies or windows for the Navy and DoD or transition the processes to an application or manufacturing entity.

PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The commercial aviation community is likely to benefit from coatings or window manufacturing processes optimized for providing electromagnetic and/or laser resistance for aircraft canopies. Any integration of laser effects protection capability into the processes may have a major benefit for civil aviation as a counter to potential emerging threats from terrorists using lasers to disrupt civil aircraft aircrews.

REFERENCES:
1. Twists of Carbon Nanotubes by Paul Glatkowski, Phillip Wallis, and Michael Trottier, SPIE�S OE Magazine, April 2005.

2. Properties and Characterization of Carbon Nanotube Based Transparent Conductive Coating, C.M. Trottier, P. Glatkowski, P. Wallis, J. Luo.

3. NAVAIR public web site, http://pma276public.navair.navy.mil/

4. www.optra.com

KEYWORDS: Helicopter; Canopy; EMI; Laser; Coatings; Survivability; Materials

** TOPIC AUTHOR (TPOC) **

DoD Notice:   Between November 12 and December 7, 2008, you may talk directly with the Topic Authors 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 December 8, 2008, when DoD begins accepting proposals for this solicitation.

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