Shallow Jet Spurt Engineering Model

SBIR topic DAF27BZ01-NV001 (U.S. Department of Defense – Air Force), Phase I and II. Open to U.S. small businesses. Opens: October 28, 2026. Closes: November 25, 2026. This topic seeks the development of a computationally efficient engineering-level model to predict the formation and characteristics of the "spurt" in fluid cavity created jets. The hydrodynamic spurt is the initial, often unsteady, ejection of material from the liner, preceding the formation of the main, stable jet. Current hydrocodes can model this phenomenon but are computationally expensive and ill-suited for rapid design iteration. This project will develop a validated, reduced-order model that accurately predicts spurt velocity, mass, and geometry as a function of liner material, geometry, and threat characteristics, enabling faster design and optimization of advanced warheads. Official solicitation: https://www.dodsbirsttr.mil/topics-app/