Defense Research Sciences

Will examine control of cellular envelope and deoxyribonucleic acid supercoiling by cellular magnesium in pathogenic species to determine mechanisms by which cellular growth can be manipulated and controlled; investigate the directed evolution of thiamine-dependent proteins into artificial metalloenzymes to enable new-to-nature chemical…

Will investigate the adsorption of biomolecules and their reaction and transformation pathways on different mineral surfaces (i.e., oxides, clays, and carbonates) to better understand how surface-biomolecular interactions impact biomolecule transformations; design and synthesize novel two-dimensional (2D) high entropy materials capable…

Will investigate meso-scale magnonic topological insulator materials and explore their utility to enable the first-ever assessment of topological magnon edge states and topological magnon devices; study the interplay between complex light fields and metamaterials and explore the physical properties of 3-Dimensional (3D) structured light…

Will investigate the design, arrangement, and structural/optical properties of Aluminum Gallium Nitride (AlGaN) quantum dot epitaxial nanoridge waveguide laser structures, and assessment lasing operation in the mid and deep ultraviolet (UV) spectrum; investigate and design a bioelectronic synaptic system capable of neuromorphic computing…

Will explore a new class of amorphous coordination polymers with tunable and programmable electronic and magnetic properties; design and synthesize liquid crystal elastomer materials with embedded photonic crystals and local head control, and study the ability of these materials to dynamically change color and/or surface texture; study…

Will develop a new random probability distribution modeling framework that enables the systematic description and integration of model uncertainties in molecular dynamics simulations, that if successful will provide simulation-based predictive capabilities for robust material design and multiscale mechanistic studies; investigate the…

Will develop machine learning algorithms capable of accurately processing highly uncertain data and mathematically guaranteeing well-calibrated predictions under practical conditions; create robust machine learning models that can analyze and learn relationships across data input components and develop methods for enforcing consistencies…

Will develop new models, based on algorithmic game theory and machine learning, capable of strategic decision making in adversarial environments marked by uncertainty and information asymmetry; identify metrics, tools, and methods to enhance network resilience that accounts for scenarios with different amounts of knowledge and leverages…

Will develop mathematical models to study the information processing capability of coupled guanosine triphosphate hydrolase enzyme (GTPase) switches which will enable critical insights into the biochemical and/or mechanochemical events that enable precision in cellular decision-making; explore the integration of statistical mechanics…

Will expand the research base of partner institutions particularly among R2 and HBCU performers, targeting principal investigators new to the Army to provide increased knowledge and understanding in fields related to long-term future force needs; continue supporting faculty immersion program where HBCU/MI faculty are aligned with R1…

Will explore the synthesis and characterization of new materials, taking advantage of the multi-pathway conductive nature of rare earth oxides towards novel single-phase oxides suitable for electrode and electrocatalytic applications such as novel batteries and fuel cells; conduct research on reversible non-passivated electrodeposition…

Will continue supporting basic research contributing to Army modernization needs conducted by outstanding scientists and engineers beginning their careers at HBCU/MI institutions through HBCU/MI Early Career Awards at a cost of $1.1875M each over a duration of 5 years.

Will support fundamental research to understand and model the cross-level influences ranging from individuals to small groups to large populations on emergence and sustainment of factors predictive of nation-state and non nation-state characteristics (such as stability, interests, and potential for conflict).

Material Sciences: Will explore ferroelectric material nanostructures for new capabilities in secure communication, computing, and electronics; examine precursory ceramic materials for extreme temperatures and pressure applications; investigate complex severe plastic deformation pathways for robust electronic and optoelectronic devices…

Computing Sciences: Will explore data fusion for enhanced mobile sensing; investigate hardware-software interfaces for improved computing resilience; analyze reinforcement learning algorithms for autonomous decision-making. Mathematical Sciences: Will analyze algorithms for data fusion and prediction; validate mathematical tools for…

Chemical Sciences: Will explore polymer synthesis approaches for multi-dimensional architectures; identify novel material coatings for protective materials. Energy Sciences: Will examine the hydrocarbon conversion for more reliable, portable power sources; investigate ion conduction for higher energy density batteries. Mechanical…

Will investigate neural mechanisms for improved learning and retention; conduct research on nucleic acid repair to assess impacts of stress on endurance; study protein synthesis for production of new materials and sensing paradigms; validate protein self assembly for scalable catalysts and protective materials.

Will expand a research base of partner institutions among ranked and HBCU performers including studies to explore artificial intelligence systems for decision-making; continue supporting faculty immersion program to grow organic research capabilities at the HBCU/MI institutions; continue to increase research support to establish…

Will investigate the utilization of machine learning to influence shock response of materials; improve predictive capabilities and ballistic impact outcomes through deeper understanding of large deformations, dynamic fracture, and shear localizations, in engineering metals, ceramics, polymers, and additively manufactured materials…

Will investigate the addition of synthetic microstructures to inform a robust machine learning model that is generalizable to multiple materials systems; analyze microstructural contributions to property predictions to further fundamental understanding of the composition-process-structure-properties-performance relationships in metal…

Will investigate methods for studying damage progression and interactions between dissimilar materials at microscale for materials under extreme thermal and mechanical loading.

Will produce bi-material samples for characterization and refinement of convergent manufacturing processes, including combinations of additive and subtractive manufacturing, and energy-field driven processes; investigate non-equilibrium methods for modeling heat transfer in these materials; perform dynamic nano-indentation and modeling…

Will explore the role of temperature and high-pressure in processing of films and develop an understanding of the impact to ballistic performance; develop films that exploit non-linear behavior to tune optical properties; study modeling to design structures and phase compositions for desired ballistic protection and optical properties.

Will conduct research toward predictive organism selection and genetic engineering to modify material performance; investigate novel, rapid characterization and selection techniques to explore new pathways to materials discovery.

Will investigate and analyze the feasibility of low level and higher order guidance, navigation, and control techniques given uncertain, dynamic, and contested flight environments; develop, validate, and incorporate higher fidelity computational fluid dynamics models to better capture flow phenomena of maneuvering high-speed munitions…

Will synthesize high performing energetic materials, binders, and advanced metals and metal alloys designed to enhance lethality and increase range for explosive and propulsion applications; devise bridge-scaling models for prediction of combustion behavior for propellants and explosive effects; devise novel machine learning tools to…

Will investigate and devise techniques and methods incorporating field experiments to inform model development of environmental effects on the detection of small UAS and other acoustic and electromagnetic signals propagating in urban and complex environments; conduct experiments to further investigate alternative methods and techniques…

Will conduct research into slurry coating energetic materials and alloy coatings for corrosion prevention; conduct research for developing alternate synthesis methods for precursors required for plasticizers in order to safeguard against supply chain disruptions; conduct additional research which will include investigating alternatives…

Will conduct synthesis and characterization studies to assess use of novel designs in armor systems; perform initial ballistic design and assessment.

Will develop an understanding of the gradient layers among dissimilar materials, utilizing advanced composites and functionally graded materials for the fabrication of high performance and multifunctional structures.

Will explore fundamental properties of materials that provide novel sensing, low Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) detection and extreme environment performance; expand the exploration of novel material development by leveraging advances in manufacturing material processes of meta materials and integrated heterogeneous materials, with an…

Will finalize the generic framework of a machine learning model that can be used to develop arbitrary alloys and processing routes for better extensibility into relevant material properties; validate a constitutive model of novel alloy systems utilizing high-rate testing and ballistic assessment; assess the mechanical response of powder…

Will investigate novel decentralized strategies leveraging learning-based approaches for the control of extremely heterogeneous networks; explore directional networking capabilities within extremely heterogeneous networks through opportunistic beamforming to increase network performance and enhance stealth; explore resource-adaptive…

Will explore eye movement tracking in augmented reality (AR) display for controlling autonomy assets for human-agent teaming; investigate rule-based algorithms and data-driven machine learning methods for knowledge network construction and information extraction approaches applied to natural language interpretation to enable effective…

Will analyze the accuracy and resource requirements of competing approaches for quantum state characterization in networks, including shadow tomography, full-state tomography, and machine learning-based techniques; study various approaches and platforms for performing basic quantum networking tasks, such as quantum frequency conversion…

Will study field programmable neural array (FPNA) to understand performance and computational efficiency on small neural networks; conduct research on analog neurons and use for complex, symbolic processing and inferencing; investigate strategies to characterize and predict analytic performance in resource-constrained, heterogeneous…

Will explore the ability to leverage advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models optimized via an automated pipeline on resource constrained edge devices enabling local processing without significant reach back over Denied, Disrupted, Intermittent, and Limited environments (DDIL) networks; conduct research into adaptive methods for…

Will investigate and conduct research on methods grounded in information theory and/or game theoretic approaches for collaborating multi-agent systems to share information in constrained environments; investigate machine learning (ML) methods for computer vision to enable autonomous systems to detect objects in high dynamic range (HDR)…

Will investigate adversarial machine learning methods to understand vulnerabilities of artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) vision-language models to protect against adversarial attacks.

Will conduct research into microelectronic design processes and techniques that renders device purpose unclear to frustrate reverse engineering while preserving efficiency and function; explore diamond heterostructure and transistor acceptor layer material properties; identify charge traps, impurities, and interface atomic bonding…

Will examine novel anapole resonators for coupling to single site color centers in solids for enhancing quantum sensor sensitivity; explore large sample characterization throughput for material optimization; experimentally investigate the simulated prediction that operating in a nonlinear regime could enable steeper discriminator and…

Will analyze Distributed Virtual Proving Ground (DVPG) meteorological array databases to understand the evapotranspiration cycle and flash drought onset; investigate and understand boundary layer process impacts on climatology in complex environments.

Will conduct research on architectures and representations for joint object detection, localization, and classification from multiple sensor modalities; research techniques for on-demand generation of synthetic data and model tuning for adapting to changing environments; investigate methods to manage information flow and communicate in a…

Will conduct research on initial human-guided machine learning approaches using large language models to generate courses of actions at different scales; investigate how human-guided machine learning-based course of action generation influences trust amongst human users with different roles.

Will explore fundamental issues in characterizing and communicating the uncertainty within unstructured data, task execution, information sources, and machine learning models that decrease the accuracy and robustness to dynamic environments of autonomous agents and intelligent systems; explore computational models of uncertainty to…

Will conduct research into leveraging self-play learning to explore strategies leading to the identification and exploitation of WoO; examine neuro-symbolic information fusion strategies that build upon the various modalities, such as video and language, and connect them to knowledge representations to enhance the identification of WoO…

Will explore the resilience of distributed analytics that account for dynamics in multi-domain environments and constrained network and computational resources; conduct research on novel methods for the control of distributed analytics involving multiple information modalities and dynamic environments; explore novel architectures for…

Will conduct research into minimizing deep learning model complexity, mitigating model bias, incorporating algorithmic rule-based approaches, enabling sequential artificial reasoning, and increasing explainability in foundation models and generative artificial intelligence (AI); investigate methods for enabling intelligent software…

Will validate algorithms that enable autonomous energy distribution between ground and air vehicles for sustained increase in operational duration; investigate algorithms for optimized vehicle route planning for robot teams which factor in energy availability into mission constraints; conduct experiments for alternative power generation…

Will explore new architectures and navigation techniques that are resilient to unexpected operational and environmental conditions; develop algorithms capable of determining salient observations over long duration (hours) of operation; develop methods and techniques for increasing robustness of state estimation with limited sensor…

Will investigate modeling and simulation software tools to enable structural, aerodynamic, and power and energy analysis of new concepts for small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) that include reconfigurable and resilient structures, super maneuverability, and extreme endurance; conduct basic experimental fluid mechanics studies leveraging…

Will conduct experimental and computational investigations of the interactional aerodynamics of multi-rotor configurations; continue coupled computational fluid dynamics and structural dynamics investigations to apply novel algorithms and numerical methods to rotary-wing aeromechanics problems including high-speed forward flight.

Will study artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) algorithms for accomplishing multi-objective mission, that can adopt or reorganize into viable formations; study AI/ML approaches for anticipating adversarial behaviors.

Will investigate stability of new electrolyte salts and solvents and their compatibility with high capacity and high voltage electrode materials; examine methods to promote necessary stability and transport in high-capacity electrode materials; explore advanced computational chemistry methods that can be integrated with experimental…

Will study multi-robot mission planning methodologies, specifically associated with attritable systems and their ability to deliver complex effects across various autonomous mission tasks; explore energy distribution methods across attritable autonomous robotics for air-ground robotic formations; investigate new multi-agent coordination…

Will research adaptive flight control strategies and aerodynamic structures for structurally-reconfigurable small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to enable agile maneuvering in unpredictable, hostile, and cluttered conditions with adaptable maneuver behaviors for enemy engagement; study fundamentals of structural, sensing, and actuation…

Will investigate the transport and stability of new electrolytes, salts, and solvents as well as their compatibility with high capacity and high voltage electrode materials; study molten salt and eutectic electrolyte composition along with their structure, transport properties, physiochemical properties, and their interactions with…

Will further extend fundamental understanding of the Earth surface including features, patterns, and dynamic processes. Carry out novel terrain science investigations to exploit emerging high-dimensional geospatial, remote sensing, or numerical data. Will explore innovative methods, modalities, and techniques for wide area geospatial…

Will gain fundamental scientific knowledge of how environmental phenomena impact engineering system performance. Will investigate novel multi-scale characterization and materials modeling to inform multi-scalar understanding and predictive methodologies for comprehensive materials engineering, including fundamental energy mechanics of…

Will continue fundamental research to develop a scalable solution for artificial photosynthesis of fuel by catalytic reduction of CO2, in water, using self-assembled 3D- plasmonic molecules with over 90 percent conversion efficiency.

Will continue fundamental research to understand basic principles of governing natural processes of the environment. Will compute non-stationary EDS and the production rates of excited and fragmentary species in atmospheric gases, using first-principles simulations. Will explore how this super radiant behavior is compatible with…

Will explore fundamental mathematical underpinnings and computational methods, investigate foundational data science and analytic methods, and identify foundational methods to improve the speed, reduce the complexity, or improve the completeness of the complex decisions required for agile military system development.

Will expand simulation models to generate novel abstract mapping relationships that go beyond what has been observed in mammalian brain activity; expand the capabilities of brain inspired spatial reasoning neuronal networks to include tasks that require flexibility and adaptation; explore the translation of breakthroughs in understanding…

Will investigate extending single agent human-guided machine learning techniques to multi-agent reinforcement learning settings; explore novel approaches to integrate generative language models and human feedback to speed up learning; create algorithms to incorporate ranking-based feedback from small groups of humans for the adaptation…

Will explore initial ideas for the application of theory-driven approaches and methods to the analysis of very large datasets to identify the potential for generalizability of approaches across a wide range of human-centric data sets; assess computational/statistical models consistent with a theory-driven Big Data framework to establish…

Will investigate distributed forms of information processing where joint human-intelligent agent decision making is performed while aggregating informational elements from many human and non-human sources.

Will investigate large-scale, multi-human, multi-agent complex decisions that require many diverse and complex subtasks; perform experiments that target surveying a large decision space and rapidly settle on creative solutions in a hybrid human-technology complex scenario; investigate avenues of decision correction with rapidly evolving…

Will conduct research on novel approaches to assess multiple cognitive (e.g., ability to learn new information) and non-cognitive (e.g., personality) constructs; will conduct research to improve prediction of individual and team performance.

Will conduct research to improve scientific models of organizational functioning (e.g., team and multi-team performance and organizational effectiveness).

Will conduct research to optimize learning and development across the lifecycle of a Soldier's career.

Will conduct basic research to advance the science of assessment to develop whole-individual profiles that capture and incorporate within-person variability to better predict real-world success; explore team mechanisms to understand how much individuals drive overall teamwork by linking readiness states, behavioral processes during…

Will expand neuro-inspired networks to improve performance of multiple coordinated systems performing spatial reasoning; investigate algorithms for multi-timescale mathematical relationships to understand performance of large groups in tasks that require adaptation; use neuro-inspired designs to improve, explain, and develop agentic…

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects realignment to Synthetic Biology for Dynamic Responses and Materials within this project.

FY2026 plans — current year Will explore the temporal and spatial effects of altering communities of altered environmental microbes to understand control of desired behavior towards predictive models; mature sense and respond processes of modulated organisms with a focus to understand the effect on natural community dynamics; continue to identify and characterize novel pathways, enzymes, and molecules from natural organisms for modulation of microbial communities associated with Army systems.

FY2025 accomplishments Will explore the effects of altering communities of environmental microbes to achieve predictable responses and build an understanding of community interactions towards predictive models; continue to investigate sense and respond processes and mechanisms in modulated organisms and identify targeted affects for models; identify novel pathways from natural organisms for modulation of environmental microbial communities.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects realignment to Synthetic Biology for Dynamic Responses and Materials within this project.

FY2026 plans — current year Will continue to study the dynamic response of genetic control mechanisms in indigenous organisms; inform and validate models of how sense and respond mechanisms affect organisms and their environment over time and distance; study the orthogonal properties of novel sense and reporter mechanisms through comparative characterization across representative indigenous organism families; explore synthetic biology tools for in situ modification of microbial communities with a focus on studying temporal and spatial persistence of the biological products and effects.

FY2025 accomplishments Will use synthetic biology to investigate and tune novel sense and reporter mechanisms to expand range of processes for modulation of organisms; study the effects of control mechanisms on the temporal and spatial control of the new sense and respond mechanisms in organisms across Army environments; study how sense and respond mechanisms affect organisms and their environment over time and distance; continue to investigate synthetic biology tools for in situ modification of microbial communities and study specificity, stability, and control of these tools.

FY2027 planned work Will conduct laboratory and modeling experiments to understand how molecular/cellular interactions with energy-fields drive further biological responses and behaviors; use modeling and simulation to understand how novel energy fields lead to biological responses; use biotronic and bioelectronic approaches discovered in related extramural programs to understand and manipulate intrinsic biological energy fields.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding increase reflects additional research in the area of biotronics and bioelectronics.

FY2026 plans — current year Will conduct comprehensive laboratory experiments at the molecular and cellular level to identify mechanisms by which energy fields interact with biological function; investigate additional input waveforms identified by modeling and simulation and examine biological effects from those novel energy fields; conduct initial biological experiments using a multi-omics approach.

FY2025 accomplishments Will establish laboratory facilities and equipment to investigate biological effects from energy fields; conduct initial laboratory experimentation at the molecular/cellular level to discover the mechanisms by which energy fields at frequencies higher than typically characterized in biological studies affect biological functions such as charge transfer; conduct initial assessment of laboratory data compared to ongoing modeling/simulation.

FY2027 planned work Will explore the effects of multi-stimuli input on dynamic response of genetic control mechanisms in indigenous organisms as single species and/or communities; expand understanding of sense and respond mechanisms to include their effects across species, time, and distance; study the orthogonal properties of novel sensing and reporter mechanisms to differentiate and optimize performance in select organisms; investigate implementation of synthetic biology strategies for reproducible and amplified biological products and effects in situ; collect data sets on microbial communities during bioengineered response studies to pioneer novel artificial intelligence (AI) models; explore deployment…

FY2026 to FY2027 change This is not a new start effort. FY 2027 funding increase reflects the consolidation of other ongoing efforts within this project from Engineered Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology for Dynamic Materials to support the creation of Synthetic Biology for Dynamic Responses and Materials.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects realignment to In-House Laboratory Independent Research (ILIR) within this project.

FY2026 plans — current year Will conduct fundamental research to support core elements of chemistry, biology, material science, and engineering; conduct research in bioengineering, synthetic biology, metamaterials, obscurants, and sensing properties; where applicable, machine learning will be utilized on existing problem sets to supplement research; focus on basic principles that establish the foundation for biomanufacturing, novel material processing, and particle dispersion; special consideration will be given to understanding the fundamental properties of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with an emphasis on their behavior as chemical barriers, the nature of oil- and water-based penetration of materials to…

FY2025 accomplishments Conducted first principal research in the areas of chemistry, biology, material science, and engineering that address technical performance and knowledge gaps relevant to Warfighter requirements that align to Army Modernization Priorities. Topics for research include biomanufacturing, metamaterials, reactive coatings/surfaces, material structure and processing, sensing, and analytical characterization. Research will be aided by employing artificial intelligence, machine learning, and predictive modeling and analytics as applicable.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects realignment to In-House Laboratory Independent Research (ILIR) within this project.

FY2026 plans — current year Will study fundamental aspects of phenomena and observable facts in fields of chemical, computational sciences, materials, and life sciences related to weapons, fire control, pyrotechnics, explosives, projectile and munition technologies; identify methodologies to predict and prevent cracking and delamination of coatings; investigate high strength ceramic and metallic materials and structures; explore advanced algorithms in support of complex design and dilemma resolution; study synthesis of novel energetic compounds.

FY2025 accomplishments Conducted research in chemical, computational sciences, material, and life sciences with a potential for future applications in weapons, fire control, pyrotechnics, explosives, projectile and munition technologies; investigate burn rate augmentation methodologies for energetic materials to provide precise and consistent ignition processes; research energetic material design workflow algorithms and methodologies for novel approaches to new energetic molecules; explore biology-based sensors for real-time detection of hexavalent chromium below current detection thresholds.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects realignment to In-House Laboratory Independent Research (ILIR) within this project.

FY2026 plans — current year Will competitively select in-house basic research topic areas that will advance fundamental scientific understanding in support of ground vehicle systems, including quantum computing to solve autonomous mobility problems, human-machine integration, novel materials to minimize weight and vehicle signatures, mobility analysis in off-road situations, and advanced propulsion techniques for both internal combustion engines and solid oxide fuel cells.

FY2025 accomplishments Competitively selected in-house basic research topic areas and use them to advance fundamental scientific understanding in support of ground vehicle systems, including: autonomous systems control and characterization, lightweight and composite materials, additive manufacturing, multi-physics energy conversion modeling, solid oxide fuel cell studies, and internal combustion heat transfer modeling.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects realignment to In-House Laboratory Independent Research (ILIR) within this project.

FY2026 plans — current year Will investigate the tuning of materials phases within metal-organic frameworks and analyze the thermodynamics and kinetics of the transitions; explore machine learning enabled, dynamic molecular simulations; conduct research modeling human behavior under uncertainty, stress, and mental exertion with complex, nonlinear analytics.

FY2025 accomplishments Investigate and document results of research on responsive color of bio-inspired small molecule materials; explore controlled organic phase change materials for novel polymer and metal organic frameworks; study fundamental knowledge of processing and perception of body control under stress impacting cognitive resilience; conduct research and experiments on nonlinear dynamics of cognitive and motor behavior under dynamic conditions.

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects realignment to In-House Laboratory Independent Research (ILIR) within this project.

FY2026 plans — current year Will validate the fundamental characteristics of entangled radio frequency photons to provide a basis for their assessment for advanced sensing and electronic warfare applications; characterize the role of the free electron layer on light-matter interactions at metal-vacuum and dielectric-vacuum boundaries to inform its use in next generation metamaterial design for sensors and devices for signal detection and sensor protection; experiment with key chemical functional group molecular interactions between the Nitrocellulose polymer and plastic fillers to inform the design of next generation multifunctional energetic materials; refine state-of-the-art quantum calculations to develop an…

FY2025 accomplishments Modeled the fundamental characteristics of entangled radio frequency photons to provide a basis for their assessment for advanced sensing and electronic warfare applications; investigate the role of the free electron layer on light-matter interactions at metal-vacuum and dielectric-vacuum boundaries to inform its use in next generation metamaterial design for sensors and devices for signal detection and sensor protection; develop an understanding of key chemical functional group molecular interactions between the Nitrocellulose polymer and plastic fillers to inform the design of next generation multifunctional energetic materials; validate models of noise propagation through continuous time…

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects realignment to In-House Laboratory Independent Research (ILIR) within this project.

FY2026 plans — current year Will explore and determine feasibility of using ionic liquids for operation of cells above 5 Volts to increase energy density while operating below room temperature; conduct research on stretchable inductors that optimizes quality factor while maintaining a maximum stress given a dynamic load; conduct research to determine the acoustic frequency attenuation and amplification due to the human torso and Soldier equipment for chest mounted microphones and characterization, models, and estimated transfer functions of the received acoustic signal; conduct research on the enhancement of high pass filtering to enable and generalize missile warning capability for emerging and multi-functional…

FY2025 accomplishments Conducted research on radar design characterization and image processing / machine learning algorithms for target recognition; research signal processing to enhance physical layer secrecy and covertness in multiantenna systems; conduct research to determine the fundamental electrical impact of misfit dislocation defects on Vertical HgCdTe n-p diodes to improve performance of MBE Vertical HgCdTe Focal Plane Arrays; conduct research on cathodic synthesis and battery electrolytes for high-power density batteries; research novel tilt-, rotation- and neutralization-dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) technique to directly measure the surface composition and chemistry of…

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding decrease reflects realignment to In-House Laboratory Independent Research (ILIR) within this project.

FY2026 plans — current year Will explore mid-fidelity rotor aerodynamics modeling techniques and higher-order flow solvers on modern computer architectures to enable fast solutions for complex geometry full vehicle configurations.

FY2025 accomplishments Investigate use of additive manufacturing (AM) for rotor blades for small UAS to better understand the effect of AM processes on blade structural and aerodynamic properties and rotor performance; develop parallelized three-dimensional structural dynamics solver to complement the fidelity of computational fluid dynamics solvers and apply to modern tip designs including taper, anhedral, and dihedral.

FY2027 planned work Will perform experimental measurements of gain saturation impacts on transverse modal instability (TMI) at kilowatt-class levels. Results will inform laser configurations and optimization for mitigation of nonlinear effects such as Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) , Self-Phase Modulation (SPM), Stimulated Raman Scattering (SRS), broadband light generation, and Transverse Mode Instability. Will investigate these phenomena at a fundamental level to develop suppression techniques aimed at physical root-causes. Will conduct further refinements to beam control concepts and conduct low TRL experiments at range. Results will inform areas of design and development that require further research…

FY2026 to FY2027 change Funding increase reflects realignment from PE 0601102A (Defense Research Sciences) / Project AA2 (ILIR-SMDC) as part of the Department of War Capability Based (Agile) funding, which provides enhanced capabilities by fostering innovation and accelerated deployment of promising technology.

FY2027 planned work Aeromechanics: Will perform initial validation of three-dimensional (3D) structural dynamics analysis using experimental measurements of 3D blade deflections and rotor wake flow field. Advanced Mobility: Will competitively select in-house basic research topic areas that will advance fundamental scientific understanding in support of ground vehicle systems, including human-machine integration, advanced propulsion technologies, novel materials to minimize weight, vehicle signatures, and increased mobility, mobility analysis in off-road situations, and advanced modeling techniques. Chemical Materials: Will conduct basic chemistry, biology, material science, and engineering research in areas…

FY2026 to FY2027 change This is not a new start. FY 2027 funding increase reflects the consolidation of other ongoing efforts within this project from Chemical Materials - ILIR, Structural Materials - ILIR, Advanced Mobility - ILIR, Functional Materials - ILIR, Optical Electronics - ILIR, Comms Cyber IR RF - ILIR, and Aeromechanics - ILIR to support the creation of In-House Laboratory Independent Research (ILIR).