Input-Output Unit (IOU) for Secure Processing and Routing of Hull, Mechanical, & Electrical (HM&E) and Navigation Signals

SBIR · Phase: BOTH · Topic DON27BZ01-NV004 · Solicitation 27.BZ

IOUs are used on all Navy DDG 51 class ships to transfer Steering Control, Machinery Control, and Damage Control signals, as well as Interior Communication Alarm and Indication, Synchro and Digital Navigation data. They are also used on USN LHA(R) class ships, in Aegis Ashore facilities, and across a variety of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases. IOUs serve as a translation point when sending and receiving non-Ethernet traffic, such as synchro and low-level serial data, to Ethernet user systems. IOUs are installed in a variety of air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned spaces. Their use in engineering spaces that historically have relied on Halon 1301 (safe for sensitive electronics) for fire suppression has been complicated by the Navy’s transition away from Halon and toward water mist protection systems. Additionally, existing IOUs rely on the integration of a wide variety of circuit card assemblies (CCA) to process different types of signals, creating hardware challenges for lifetime support and technology refresh. The Navy seeks to reduce lifecycle costs with a simplified design that has fewer hardware dependencies, hardware component updates, and more open and modular system architectures. The IOU is intended to be operated continuously. The IOU shall be designed to permit routine maintenance and troubleshooting. Repair actions should be possible while the IOU is energized without loss of required functionality and operating. Reliability and Survivability are essential and all IOU components must demonstrate Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) in excess of 10,000 hours. While the IOU as a whole product does not exist commercially, the base technology required is available in industry. The focus of this SBIR topic is to integrate the capabilities into a synergized product. Requirements: The Navy requires a dust-protected, water splash-resistant (IEC 60529 IP54-rated) IOU capable of interfacing with legacy and future equipment to send, receive, process, and route signals throughout the hull and superstructure of naval vessels. The enclosure must protect the power supply, cooling components, and electronics necessary to connect serial (RS-232, RS-422, RS-485, NTDS-E), fiber Ethernet, Cat 5 Ethernet (unicast, multicast), analog synchro (60 and 400 Hertz), and analog voltage (AC and DC) capabilities. External connections are made by triaxial, 42-pin, and 92-pin cables, as well as fiber optic connectors to redundant Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) shipboard networks. Design must accommodate an additional fifty percent capacity for future growth from initial defined design specifications and capability descriptions. It must also provide adequate internal cooling while meeting or exceeding IP54 dust and spray requirements. All hardware components must be compliant with Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive 2011/65/EU. Enclosure: Maximum size and weight (excludes external mounting dimensions): Weight: 188 pounds; Depth: 17 inches; Width: 26 inches; Height: 27 inches. The IOU must be mountable from the rear or the bottom and allow cable attachment/removal and reasonable access to all user interfaces and cable attachment points in any mounted configuration. Power Supply: Internal Alternating Current (AC) power supply will connect to two independent 120V, 60Hz shipboard lighting circuits (2 of 3 phases) for redundancy. Synchro reference power (400Hz and 60Hz) is necessary for some user interfaces (separate from IOU AC power). IOUs should require less than 600 Watts of power when fully loaded. IOU must strictly comply with MIL-STD-1399-300, operating reliably on both Type I and Type II power. The design must tolerate all specified voltage and frequency fluctuations, withstand severe voltage spikes, and limit maximum instantaneous input current (inrush current) when initially energized. To maintain ship-wide power quality and ensure system compatibility, the IOU must also adhere to strict limits on harmonic distortion, maintain a …

SBIR/STTR 은 미국 중소기업만 지원할 수 있습니다(Small Business Act 법정 요건). • 계열사를 포함해 상시 종업원 500명 이하 • 미국 시민 또는 영주권자 1인 이상이 50%를 초과해 직접 소유·지배 • 미국 내 사업장을 두고 주로 미국 내에서 사업을 영위할 것 • 수행책임자(PI)의 주된 근무처가 신청 기업일 것 출처: https://www.sbir.gov/faq/eligibility-requirements

Primary country

🇺🇸 United States

Also eligible

None

Foreign companies

No

Local entity

Required

Location condition

미국 내 사업장을 두고 미국 시민·영주권자가 50%를 초과해 소유한 중소기업만 신청할 수 있습니다(법정 요건).

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Official URL

https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/topics-app/

Application URL

https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/topics-app/

Last fetched

2026.10.07

Human review

Not reviewed — check the official announcement

First seen

2026.10.07

Data status

Auto-collected, not reviewed

AI enrichment

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