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

SBIR topic DON27BZ01-NV004 (U.S. Department of Defense – Navy), Phase I and II. Open to U.S. small businesses. Opens: October 28, 2026. Closes: November 25, 2026. 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…