Ground-Based Affordable Mass (G-BAM)

Objective: The United States currently faces an "unprecedented" military buildup by China and increasing air and missile threats that demand a robust deterrent. However, the current inventory of long-range strike weapons is dominated by high-cost, low-volume systems or aging strategic assets like the Minuteman III, which dates back to the 1960s. The lack of a cost-effective, ground-launched payload delivery system prevents the Joint Force from achieving producibility at scale, leaving the U.S. vulnerable in high-intensity, multi-domain environments where high-end munitions would be rapidly depleted. The objective of this topic is to facilitate innovative research on low-cost, rapidly manufacturable, payload delivery systems. Description: The Department of War (DoW) is pivotally shifting toward "affordable mass" to counter peer adversaries who are rapidly expanding their military capabilities. While hypersonic systems offer high speeds, their exorbitant costs—exceeding $50 million per round—limit the military's ability to achieve the "magazine depth" necessary for prolonged conflict. This project proposes a ground-based, non-hypersonic, long-range precision payload delivery system that leverages low-cost production methods and commercial technologies to provide a scalable, high-volume alternative that is a tenth of the price of current high-end munitions. NOTE: The following topic number, ARM26BX04-DV011 – Ground-Based Affordable Mass (G-BAM), in this release is tied to a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Challenge Commercial Solutions Openings. The DIU G-BAM Challenge will be used to identify small business concerns that meet the criteria for a potential SBIR Direct-to-Phase II (DP2) award under this topic. Winners selected from the DIU G-BAM Challenge will be the only firms eligible to submit an SBIR DP2 proposal under this topic. Proposals submitted to this topic by non-winners of the DIU G-BAM Challenge will not be evaluated. How to Apply: Visit the DIU Open Solicitations page to read the full Challenge Announcement, topic details, and application instructions here: https://www.diu.mil/work-with-us/open-solicitations Keywords: Low-cost munition; long-range; precision fires; cruise missile; one-way attack; launched effects; scalable; rapid production; advanced manufacturing; internal navigation; autonomous navigation; automated target recognition; terminal guidance. CMMC Level: Level 1