The objective of this Statement of Need was to develop, identify, assess, determine applicability, and test innovative, advanced protective topcoat compositions within military organic coating stack-ups. The effort’s purpose is as follows:

• Improve substrate protective operational and technical properties,
• Require fewer resources,
• Retain or improve lifecycle characteristics, environmental sustainability, and economical viability, and
• Reduce current and future regulatory risk.

Proposals should specifically address how their solution improves coating lifecycle and weapon system compliance to applicable environmental (40 CFR, Parts I and VII) and worker Occupational Health and Safety (29 CFR, Chapter XVII) regulations when compared with current and legacy systems. Numerous U.S. (Federal and State) and International proposed and formal regulations (e.g., European Union’s persistent organic pollutants (POP) and REACH) are increasingly restricting future availability of higher risk chemistries. Regulatory drivers increase and complicate current/legacy composition technical, supply and operational risks going forward. Target compound examples include, but are not limited to, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and isocyanates.

Any successful alternate material and/or technique proposal shall meet, as a baseline, current operational and technical coating and stack-up requirements. The proposer shall address how their proposed composition effectively meets or improves upon the requirements of topcoat military specifications and, at a minimum, address the following characteristics and risks:

• Scalability, less complex application, curing and/or stripping technique(s) or method(s)
• Reduced complex chemistry or composite configurations/layers
• Achieve military weapon system operational and substrate protective properties
• Achieve application throughput
• Achieve energy efficient coating methods and techniques that can reduce friction, thus improving air/water flow dynamics (e.g., roughness, thickness, texturing)
• The ability to selectively strip or apply coatings
• Reduce lifecycle regulatory burden and risk

Proposals must clearly document material/composition reduction target(s) and substrates. In addition, a skeleton material and test methodology leading to a concept validation demonstration that baselines against legacy and current military and commercial corrosion protection and control (CPC) materials, techniques and practices must be documented. Proposals shall address the proposed solution’s technology, its military risk profile, and a plan to reduce current technical and manufacturing maturity. Proposals shall also provide any existing product technical support data, and anticipated improvements to military operational and readiness levels.
Proposals should include a formal task to assess the composition’s lifecycle human health and environmental impacts addressing proposed ingredients, formulations, and byproducts.

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