Trusted and Elastic Military Platforms and Electronic Warfare (EW) System Technologies (TEMPEST)
Funds research and development of secure, open-architecture avionics, electronic warfare, sensor, and multi-domain platform technologies for Air Force and DoD weapon systems and tactical platforms.
⚑ Federal contract opportunity; eligibility is governed by the solicitation/contracting vehicle rather than an assistance award. · Focuses on avionics, EW, open system architecture, cyber protection, and platform integration/demonstration. · Close date has been administratively extended multiple times.
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 45 partial | funds applied research; prototyping/demonstration stage; deep-tech content |
| IPPRA | 15 none | university cannot apply directly (ineligible) |
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 15 none | university cannot apply directly (ineligible) |
Description
UPDATES January 2026: Minor administrative update to extend the solicitation close date. UPDATES November 2025: Minor administrative update to extend the solicitation close date. UPDATES September 2025: minor administrative update to extend the solicitation close date. UPDATES April 2025: to update technical points of contact, remove all references to the Model Contract and Section K in this announcement as these documents wil be provided with each Call, and makes minor administrative updates to the announcement .AFRL/RYW has a need to investigate and develop methodologies, tools, techniques, and capabilities to identify susceptibilities and mitigate vulnerabilities in avionics systems, protect those systems against cyber-attack, provide simulation capabilities required to develop, mature and transition advanced sensor and avionics technologies, develop platform architecture technologies that enable revolutionary and agile capabilities, and expand emerging open system architecture standards and approaches for existing and next-generation Air Force and DoD weapon systems in multi-domain environments. The goal is to explore new and emerging concepts related to development, integration, assessment, evaluation, and demonstration of cyber security, open system architecture (OSA), novel avionics and sensor technologies, and multi-domain technologies. For this solicitation, avionics is defined to include manned, unmanned, autonomous, and remotely piloted vehicles, on-board Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems, Electronic Warfare (EW) systems, munitions, and any equipment, component, or subsystem that could compromise mission assurance of the Air Force weapon system or tactical platform.
Eligibility
Applicant restrictions (federal contract). Set-aside: . Notice type: Presolicitation. Organization: DEPT OF DEFENSE / DEPT OF THE AIR FORCE / FA8650 USAF AFMC AFRL PZL AFRL/PZL.
Apply
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · Department of Defense (BAA-style) conventions SEE A DOD EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — Department of Defense (BAA-style)'s document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.