# Project AA7 — Mechanics and Ballistics

**Program element:** 0601102A — Defense Research Sciences  
**Project:** AA7  
**Component:** U.S. Army  
**Appropriation:** 2040 — RDT&E, Army  
**Budget Activity:** 1 — Basic Research  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601102A/AA7  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601102A

## Summary

Project AA7 — Mechanics and Ballistics requests $37.0M in FY2027, 17% of the $215.3M requested for program element 0601102A, up 8.9% on FY2026. 14 R-2A activities decompose the request, 1 new this cycle.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 34.3 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 34.0 |
| FY2027 | Request | 37.0 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 37.9 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 41.1 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 41.4 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 41.8 |

> Estimate types are not summed. This project is one leaf of PE 0601102A; the PE total is the sum of its projects, never added to them.

## What project AA7 buys

This project conducts basic research in materials and ballistic science to create higher performing, lighter weight, lower cost materials and processes, discover new ways to store and release chemical energy from novel energetic materials, explore fundamental chemistry and physics controlling the launch and flight of gun- launched projectiles and missiles, and understand the interaction of these weapons with armored targets, including the high deformation rate behavior of materials and the mechanics of threat impact and penetration of armored targets. Research involves the study of new experimental capabilities to measure, characterize, and visualize complex phenomena with high temporal and spatial resolutions as well as the development of state-of-the-art computational models that provide predictive capabilities based on at-scale and cross-scale numerical frameworks that capture the relevant physical phenomena. Research in atmospheric science seeks an in-depth understanding of the complex atmospheric boundary layer associated with high-resolution meteorology, the transport, dispersion, optical properties, and characterization of chemical and biological aerosols, the propagation of full-spectrum electro-magnetic and acoustic energy and physics-based multi-scale models for electronic, optical, mechanical, and chemical materials. Efforts seek to explore methodologies and computational capabilities for the quantification of uncertainty in predictive modeling enabling risk-informed decision analysis multi-scale material models and environmental impacts on complex Army systems (manned and unmanned). This research also conducts research in chemistry and physics controlling ballistic propulsion and launch; creating aerodynamic forces on flight bodies to permit radical maneuver at high speeds, and high altitude glide and flight maneuver for increased range of gun launched projectiles. This research results in knowledge products that lead to new materials for armor and armaments, disruptive explosives and propellants, more accurate and non-lethal (NL)/lethal projectiles and missiles, omnisonic maneuver of projectiles, and advanced armors for increased survivability of Army combat systems.

## Activities (R-2A) — 14

| Activity | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 | Move | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundational Materials and Advanced Manufacturing Sciences | — | — | 14.1 | new | [a13](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601102A/AA7/a13) |
| Protection Sciences | 5.6 | 5.0 | 5.5 | +9% | — |
| Theory in Atmospheric Characterization, Sensing, and Modeling | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.9 | +23% | — |
| Energetic Materials Research | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.9 | +0% | — |
| Launch and Flight of Gun Launched Projectiles as well as Missiles | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.1 | +0% | — |
| Chemical-Biological Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Science (CBAMMS) | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.4 | −11% | — |
| Bio-enabled Precision Materials Synthesis and Assembly | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | +0% | — |
| Environmental Quality | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | +0% | — |
| Microscopic/Nanostructural Materials | 3.5 | 3.6 | — | −100% | — |
| High Deformation Rate Materials | 1.7 | 1.7 | — | −100% | — |
| Materiel Research and Processing Using High Energy Fields | 2.7 | 2.7 | — | −100% | — |
| One Dimensional (1D) and Two Dimensional (2D) Materials and Processing Research | 1.8 | 1.8 | — | −100% | — |
| Terminal Ballistic Design and Evaluation for Next Generation Materials | 0.8 | 0.8 | — | −100% | — |
| Additive Manufacturing Sciences | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | −100% | — |

> Activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. In the request year they partition this project exactly; in earlier years they can under-cover it.

### Foundational Materials and Advanced Manufacturing Sciences — NEW START

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…

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601102A/AA7/a13

### Protection Sciences

**FY2027 planned work.** 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; explore and develop novel methods, mechanisms, and materials that can potentially increase the ballistic performance of penetrators and armor solutions; develop, verify, and validate modeling and simulation capabilities that represent physics and chemistry of impact, penetration, detonation, deflagration, fragmentation, and reactivity associated with ballistic events.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding increase supports additional research in the area of machine learning for material shock response.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Will develop theory and calculations of macro-scale deformation and damage to liver and heart; investigate processing routes to improve jet formation while minimizing localization and fragmentation; enhance models with the experimental results to accommodate thermal dependencies of the dynamic response of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE); validate model with results from an impactor launched toward UHMWPE plates at an oblique angle for next generation kinetic energy protection models.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** Will investigate how mechanical, chemical, and electrical forces can be manipulated within structural and biological tissues to optimize stress management and control deformation when different forms of energy are coupled to a target; conduct experimental-computational studies to interrogate critical deformation mechanisms that govern strength and failure under extreme dynamic loading and temperatures; explore improved material properties for ballistic and warhead applications.

### Theory in Atmospheric Characterization, Sensing, and Modeling

**FY2027 planned work.** 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 for enabling informed multi-modal sensor adaptability and operation; investigate new remote sensing methods for atmospheric and boundary-layer processes; continue using 3-Dimensional cloud sensing sky imagers, machine learning techniques, and the Multi-Sensor Array to analyze surface energy, specifically latent heat and sensible heat fluxes to determine model parameterization viability; study interactions between locally and non-locally generated turbulence and the contribution to momentum, heat, and aerosol transport in the atmospheric boundary layer to determine model parameterization viability; study solar and infrared radiation transfer in complex urban domains, including absorption, scattering, and refraction effects of buildings, ground surface, trees, and atmospheric conditions (temperature, moisture, and turbulence).

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding increase reflects additional research in small UAS detection.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Will investigate and develop new analysis techniques and methods incorporating analyzed data from field experiments to inform model development of environmental effects on acoustic and electromagnetic signal propagation in urban environments; conduct experiments to further investigate alternative methods and techniques for enabling informed multi-modal sensor adaptability and operation; investigate new remote sensing methods for atmospheric and boundary-layer processes impacting local climate scale; continue to advance new optical methods, models, and techniques to exploit optical characteristics of aerosols for optical detection and characterization of biological, chemical, and other threat materials; continue to study interactions between locally and non-locally generated turbulence and the contribution to momentum, heat, and aerosol transport in the atmospheric boundary layer to determine model parameterization viability.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** Will analyze data collected in field experiments to investigate environmental effects on acoustic and electromagnetic signal propagation in urban environments; investigate new machine learning methods enabling informed multi-modal sensor adaptability and operation; investigate new technologies applicable to remote sensing of atmospheric and boundary-layer processes; explore new optical methods and techniques to exploit optical characteristics of aerosols for optical detection and characterization of biological, chemical, and other threat materials; analyze field experimental data and 3-Dimensional cloud monitoring via all sky imagers and machine learning techniques to understand the impact of surface energy budget processes to Directed Energy propagation; study interactions between locally and non-locally generated turbulence and the contribution to momentum, heat, and aerosol transport in the atmospheric boundary layer.

### Energetic Materials Research

**FY2027 planned work.** 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 accelerate material discovery and processing/formulation design spaces.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding increase reflects additional research in high performing energetic materials.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Will synthesize novel coated metal-based fuels for explosive and propellant applications and organic energetic materials for survivability in extreme dynamic environments; develop mesoscale models coupling to continuum scale models for application to nonhomogeneous explosives; expand machine learning derived models of reaction rates for propellants.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** Will explore novel co-crystal energetic materials, air stabilized metallic fuels, and high power energetic materials and plasticizers for use in explosive and propellant applications; investigate feasibility and transferability of machine learning models of reaction rates for propellants; develop and validate coarse-grained mesoscale models capturing relevant chemistry and physics for explosives.

### Launch and Flight of Gun Launched Projectiles as well as Missiles

**FY2027 planned work.** 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 with extreme maneuvers.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding increase reflects additional research in higher fidelity computational fluid dynamics models.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Will explore algorithms, theoretical concepts, and paradigms for feature-deprived perception on highly constrained aerial platforms in conditions of poor abstract information environments; investigate modeling frameworks to perform fully coupled computational fluid dynamic with 6-degrees of freedom and flight control algorithms to simulate extreme maneuvers of projectiles and missiles.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** Will explore innovations in the estimation, control, and autonomy of complex, high-speed agents constrained by energy, size, and time; define appropriate models of physics and chemistry associated with reacting high-speed flows and incorporate into credible computational toolsets; conduct experiments to validate flight dynamic models.

### Chemical-Biological Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Science (CBAMMS)

**FY2027 planned work.** 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 emphasis on the discovery of novel materials with the potential to replace activated carbon for uses in filtration and respiratory protection.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decrease reflects research adjustments in integrated heterogeneous materials.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Will expand our exploration of advanced materials and processes by incorporating large language modeling (LLM) and supervised machine learning (ML) of existing data sets to improve experimental efficiencies, identify dependencies, and predict material properties to enhance the research related to processing parameters, structure property relationships, surface interactions, and performance of materials and sensors with respect to chemical/biological exposure, decontamination, aging, and use in extreme temperatures; continue work in novel manufacturing processes such as 3-dimensional bio-printing, integrated heterogeneous materials (i.e., Metal-Organic Frameworks) and in-situ polymerization and/or component integration during processing; advance fundamental scientific understanding of particle dispersion for novel utilization of next generation obscurants with novel pyrotechnics by leveraging the LLM and ML infrastructure; study 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 support the development of PFAS alternatives.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** Will continue studies in predictive modeling, for advanced materials processes as it relates to chemical-biological materials and sensors, while incorporating research in the areas of physics and engineering principles of biomaterials and additive materials of processing and manufacturing; conduct fundamental studies that will be used in predictive modeling for advanced materials processes as it relates to chemical-biological materials and sensors; expand the body of knowledge related to processing parameters, structure property relationships, surface interactions and performance of materials and sensors with respect to chemical/biological exposure, decontamination, aging and use in extreme temperatures; explore the utilization of novel manufacturing processes such as 3-dimensional bio-printing, integrated heterogeneous materials (i.e. Metal-Organic Frameworks) and in-situ polymerization and/or component integration during processing; advance fundamental scientific understanding of particle dispersion for novel utilization of next generation obscurants with novel pyrotechnics in areas such as disrupting command, control, and communications; investigate advanced/multispectral obscurant payload or concealment/camouflage/deception/false targets resulting in overall signature management or sensor defeat; leverage academic discoveries in new materials and processes along with addressing emerging threats in the topics identified in FY2024.

### Bio-enabled Precision Materials Synthesis and Assembly

**FY2027 planned work.** 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.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding increase reflects additional research in predictive organism selection.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Will study how using synthetic biology and other bio-based techniques alter the properties of biomaterials (e.g. thermal, mechanical, electrical) either on their own or when biomaterials are integrated with traditional materials; investigate the stabilization of biological molecules in polymer systems to understand how biological function can be maintained under a range of conditions; explore high throughput techniques for the rapid development, assessment, and assembly of bio-derived materials.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** Will investigate how synthetic biology enabled modifications of interfaces affect different combinations of composites; explore impacts of bioderived materials on thermal, mechanical, electrical, and other performance parameters to understand consequences of substituting biomanufactured materials for those derived from traditional manufacturing methods; explore high throughput methods for screening materials to investigate synthetic biology techniques as control mechanisms for material properties.

### Environmental Quality

**FY2027 planned work.** 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 to hazardous chemicals in support of the Assured Munitions efforts pertaining to environmental, safety, and occupational health.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding increase reflects additional research in alternatives to hazardous chemicals.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Will investigate and conduct research into safer materials and processes in the development of new and existing energetic materials in support of initiatives including the Assured Munition program and the DoW fluorinated polymers, perfluoroalkyl and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) program; conduct research on the development of environmentally friendly metal coatings to replace hazardous materials including chromium compounds.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** Will conduct research into alternatives to hazardous chemicals and processes in the development of new and existing energetic materials, to include the study of the development of halogen free binders for the replacement of fluorinated polymers, per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); conduct research into alternatives to hazardous chemicals pertaining to environmental, safety, and occupational health issues.

### Microscopic/Nanostructural Materials

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decrease reflects realignment to Foundational Materials and Advanced Manufacturing Sciences within this project.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Will expand and refine a machine learning model to enable descriptions of multi-stage materials processing routes, and to include materials systems with sparse training datasets; establish mechanistic understanding of hydrodynamic flow and defect generation in consolidation and joining of high strength and refractory materials.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** 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 alloys and armor ceramics.

### High Deformation Rate Materials

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decrease reflects realignment to Foundational Materials and Advanced Manufacturing Sciences within this project.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Will investigate mechanisms, process strategies, and the mesoscale design of ceramic materials with cemented microstructures to enhance ballistic performance.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** Will investigate methods for studying damage progression and interactions between dissimilar materials at microscale for materials under extreme thermal and mechanical loading.

### Materiel Research and Processing Using High Energy Fields

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decrease reflects realignment to Foundational Materials and Advanced Manufacturing Sciences within this project.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Will explore novel energy-field driven convergent manufacturing processes to produce bi-material samples; investigate composite assemblies with unique thermal response capabilities and characterize the ability of these assemblies to control heat flow; study combining laser reactive sintering and directed energy deposition to enable production of materials with enhanced thermotolerant and mechanical functionalities.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** 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 to refine constitutive parameters fed into this dynamic macroscale model.

### One Dimensional (1D) and Two Dimensional (2D) Materials and Processing Research

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decrease reflects realignment to Foundational Materials and Advanced Manufacturing Sciences within this project.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Will investigate non-linear optical behavior of materials using their interactions with small molecules, optical trapping using topologies controlled through advanced manufacturing, and textures for light scattering to confuse optical detection; validate modeling efforts to design structures and phase compositions for enhanced ballistic protection and optical properties.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** 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.

### Terminal Ballistic Design and Evaluation for Next Generation Materials

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decrease reflects realignment to Foundational Materials and Advanced Manufacturing Sciences within this project.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Will investigate performance of terminal ballistic designs, utilizing computational modeling to guide assessments; validate computational modeling approaches against experimental ballistic results.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** Will conduct synthesis and characterization studies to assess use of novel designs in armor systems; perform initial ballistic design and assessment.

### Additive Manufacturing Sciences

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decrease reflects realignment to Foundational Materials and Advanced Manufacturing Sciences within this project.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Will explore the inclusion of latent chemical energy into additively manufactured structures by employing a combination of systems design, materials development, and novel manufacturing.

**FY2025 accomplishments.** 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.

## What is NOT on this page

Congressional marks, the R-2 mission description and acquisition strategy, the industry vs government split of the whole request, and related program elements are recorded at **program-element** grain — an NDAA mark lands on a PE, never on a project. They are at https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601102A.

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Army RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-2A/R-3, PE 0601102A project AA7 (PB PB2027).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0601102A")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*