Sonex Awarded Navy SBIR Phase I Contract
5 August 1998
Sonex Awarded Navy SBIR Phase I Contract
ANNAPOLIS, Md.--Aug. 5, 1998--Sonex Research, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board Symbol "SONX") today announced that it has been awarded a six-month, $68,500 Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program contract by the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).Under this Phase I effort, Sonex will investigate the feasibility of utilizing its proprietary Sonex Combustion System (SCS) to meet NAVSEA's objective of designing a low-cost, small, rugged engine capable of starting and operating on shipboard-safe heavy fuels (such as JP-5), for application to small aircraft propulsion (such as in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or UAV's) and electric power generation.
NAVSEA envisions such an engine that would be suitable for launch from guns and missiles and for delivery by airdrop.
The aspects of the design ruggedness and other interface requirements for potential transition opportunities will be performed under subcontract by Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) of McLean, Virginia.
SAIC, an employee-owned company, provides high technology services and products to government and commercial customers in the areas of systems integration, information technology, telecommunications, health systems and services, national and international security, transportation, energy, and environmental systems and engineering.
Specific to this Navy SBIR award, SAIC is a leader in the development of advanced gun weapon systems, including launchers (EM & ETC) and smart projectiles. The results of this SBIR effort would benefit SAIC's Forward Air Support - Marine (FASM), a long endurance, gun launched, loitering weapon incorporating target acquisition sensors.
In Phase I, Sonex will select a commercial gasoline engine and design SCS modifications for conversion of the engine for reliable heavy fuel use. SAIC will guide all Phase I modifications and testing so that the technology developed will be able to meet all requirements and specifications in a possible Phase II development effort.
Under this SBIR program for NAVSEA, the Phase I effort is aimed at designing an engine.
If the program were then to continue, Phase II, the principal research or development effort, would involve the fabrication and delivery of a well-defined operational prototype engine, with documentation and demonstration of its operational performance and ruggedness, while Phase III would involve transition of the prototype into a viable product for sale in military and/or private sector markets.
Sonex believes that this Phase I design effort will provide an innovative extension to the work already done by the Company in the area of small heavy fuel engines for use in UAV's, and that SAIC is well-qualified to transition the results of the SBIR effort to military and private sector applications.
The Navy's SBIR program is a mission-oriented program which integrates the needs and requirements of the Navy through R&D topics which have dual-use potential.
The responsibility for the implementation, administration and management of the Navy SBIR program is with the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Additional information on the ONR and Navy SBIR program can be found on the ONR Home Page (http://www.onr.navy.mil).
Sonex Research, Inc., a leader in the field of combustion technology, has its ULTRA CLEAN BURN(TM) technology protected by numerous patents issued and pending worldwide.
The Company is pursuing licensing agreements for the marketing, manufacture and sale of diesel truck engine pistons incorporating its patented technology for the reduction of emissions in vehicular direct injected turbocharged diesel engines, and has conducted demonstration and development programs with some of the world's largest diesel engine manufacturers.
Other SCS designs are being used to convert small gasoline engines to heavy fuel use for military and commercial applications.
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