Survivable & Affordable Lens Technology (SALT)

The Solicitation for Survivable & Affordable Lens Technology (SALT) aims to develop a new generation of infrared optical lenses for unmanned drone systems that are both cost-effective and durable in demanding operational environments. Current thermal imaging systems used on attritable drones rely on expensive infrared-transmissive materials like germanium, zinc selenide, and chalcogenide glasses, which significantly drive up the total system cost—sometimes accounting for a third or more of the drone’s price. This initiative seeks to replace these costly materials with alkali-halide compounds such as sodium chloride, cesium bromide, and potassium bromide, which offer superior infrared transmission in the 7.5 to 12.0 micron range at a fraction of the cost. Historically, military systems have avoided alkali-halides due to their sensitivity to moisture and environmental degradation, but this program targets the development of protective coatings or structural innovations to render these materials survivable under humidity, rain, and long-term storage conditions without sacrificing optical performance or affordability. The opportunity is structured as a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) solicitation under a total small business set-aside, mandating that only entities with fewer than 500 employees are eligible to respond. The Office of the Secretary of Defense, under the Department of Defense, is seeking innovative solutions from small businesses to solve this critical supply chain and cost barrier in unmanned systems. Responses must be submitted by July 22, 2026, with the goal of enabling scalable production of low-cost thermal sensors that maintain operational capability in all weather conditions and extended deployments. Success in this effort could transform the affordability and mass deployment potential of unmanned aerial platforms by substantially reducing the cost and logistical burden of their most expensive subsystems.