SBIR-STTR_2016_Year_in_ReviewV6-WEB
SBIR-STTR_2016_Year_in_ReviewV6-WEB
SBIR-STTR_2016_Year_in_ReviewV6-WEB
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FISCAL YEAR 2015<br />
There are three phases to <strong>SBIR</strong> and <strong>STTR</strong>. The Phase I<br />
contracts are for less than a year of effort. S<strong>in</strong>ce Phase<br />
II contracts are two years long, each year, the Air Force<br />
<strong>SBIR</strong>/<strong>STTR</strong> budget <strong>in</strong>cludes a mix of current and past<br />
Phase II contracts, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g extended Phase II contracts,<br />
as well as the new Phase I awards that are put on<br />
contract.<br />
other federal agencies, or fund<strong>in</strong>g from private sources,<br />
such as major defense contractors. In Fiscal <strong>Year</strong> 2015,<br />
the Air Force obligated $56.5 million <strong>in</strong> fund<strong>in</strong>g to Phase<br />
III contracts.<br />
However, Phase III contracts are not part of the annual<br />
budget s<strong>in</strong>ce, by law, they must be funded with non-<strong>SBIR</strong><br />
dollars. The goal for the Phase III contracts is to f<strong>in</strong>d<br />
external mission dollars, whether from the Air Force or<br />
Success<br />
AIR FORCE RESEARCH YIELDS HAND-HELD CUTTING TORCH<br />
FOR SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES<br />
Special operations forces operat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> war-zone<br />
environments are not welcomed with open arms as<br />
adversaries typically deploy a variety of obstacles to keep<br />
them at bay. That led special ops personnel to request a<br />
compact, lightweight, hand-held tool that would allow them<br />
to cut through locks, bars and other barriers<br />
Round Rock, Texas-based Energetic Materials & Products<br />
Inc., also known as EMPI, developed a product to meet that<br />
need.<br />
The Air Force <strong>SBIR</strong>/<strong>STTR</strong> program is provid<strong>in</strong>g transition<br />
fund<strong>in</strong>g that will give special operations forces personnel,<br />
law enforcement and first responders a small, hand-held<br />
thermal erosive cutt<strong>in</strong>g torch, an option to current systems<br />
which require large oxygen tanks, hoses and separate<br />
ignition systems. The program also leverages more than $1<br />
million <strong>in</strong> non-<strong>SBIR</strong> funds, which will help ensure the new<br />
technology successfully transitions <strong>in</strong>to military and private<br />
sectors.<br />
Courtesy photo<br />
WANT THE FULL STORY?<br />
More success stories onl<strong>in</strong>e at afsbirsttr.com<br />
or pick up our 2015 Success Stories book.<br />
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