Projects were sought to demonstrate and validate more environmentally sustainable (fluorine-free) firefighting aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) against the current performance requirements outlined in MIL-PRF-24385F and/or alternative foam delivery methods that enable the Department of Defense (DoD) to meet current performance requirements. The intent was to determine the maximum available performance using mature fluorine-free firefighting foams against the current military requirements.

Proposals could have also included evaluation of current test methodologies in MIL-PRF-24385 to determine minimum performance requirements that were needed to mitigate fires in operational environments or development of novel test methodologies for screening firefighting foams for liquid pool fires.

The materials and processes to be demonstrated/validated should have already been developed to at least a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 4, and the proposed project should have brought them to TRL 7 or higher. Alternative foams should have been production level materials rather than laboratory batch level samples. Projects must have demonstrated producibility, which is defined as the ability to be produced in the near term to meet the current DoD airfield or shipboard use requirement. Field testing in military relevant environments should have been included in the proposed project. Alternative foams must have been compatible with generally used storage equipment (e.g., polyethylene) and piping (steel, copper-nickel, bronze alloys), while providing comparable corrosion rates to current AFFF. Foams should have met requirements with fresh and salt water at multiple delivered concentrations.

Proposals should have included an assessment of the human health and environmental impacts of proposed ingredients, formulations, and byproducts. This should have expanded on commonly used aquatic toxicity, chemical oxygen demand and biodegradability testing required in the MIL-PRF- 24385. These proposals should have established a baseline lifecycle framework and identify the elements of a life cycle inventory that were already known, those that would be investigated during the course of the project, and those that were beyond the scope of the proposed work.

All projects were required to involve at least one DoD organization as a funded co-performer that was considered a stakeholder for the intended application. Proposals should have also indicated the involvement of other DoD stakeholders at least at the consultant level.

Funded projects will appear below as project overviews are posted to the website.