# Foundational Materials and Advanced Manufacturing Sciences

**R-2A activity** of project AA7 — Mechanics and Ballistics  
**Program element:** 0601102A — Defense Research Sciences  
**Component:** U.S. Army · **Budget Activity:** 1  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601102A/AA7/a13  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601102A/AA7

> **NEW START.** $14.1M requested in FY2027 with no prior-year and no current-year funding.

## Summary

This activity requests $14.1M in FY2027, 38% of project AA7 — a new start with no prior-year and no current-year money. The R-2A exhibit describes it across FY2027, including what the FY2027 money is planned to buy.

## What the FY2027 request buys

**FY2027 planned work.** 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 coatings using micromechanical assessment techniques; refine material characterization tools to determine material microstructure as a function of processing history; develop a laser-based process for the deposition of high strength, thermally resistant ceramic coatings; investigate the influence of powder chemistry and morphology on the relationship between processing, microstructure, and properties of transparent ceramics; refine the synthesis of nanocomposite coatings and fibers from liquid crystal solutions of cellulose nanocrystals; 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 synthetic image methodology using topology optimized additively manufactured coatings; high-throughput synthesis, processing, and characterization techniques to inform machine learning enabled computational materials engineering for accelerated materials discovery and maturation; devise synthesis and manufacturing routes that enable complex, scalable, directed assembly and self-assembly of multi-polymer hybrids; combine micro-scale material patterning with meso-scale directed additive assembly to build geometrically complex parts with property and functional gradients.

**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 Microscopic/Nanostructural Materials, High Deformation Rate Materials, Materiel Research and Processing Using High Energy Fields, One Dimensional (1D) and Two Dimensional (2D) Materials and Processing Research, Terminal Ballistic Design and Evaluation for Next Generation Materials, and Additive Manufacturing Sciences to support the creation of Foundational Materials and Advanced Manufacturing Sciences. Funding increase reflects additional research in thermally resistant ceramic coatings & optimized additively manufactured coatings.

## Funding

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2027 | Request | 14.1 |

> Prior, current and budget year only — an R-2A activity carries no five-year plan. It sums exactly into its project in the request year and not necessarily in any other.

## Other activities in project AA7

- Protection Sciences — FY2027 5.5
- Theory in Atmospheric Characterization, Sensing, and Modeling — FY2027 4.9
- Energetic Materials Research — FY2027 3.9
- Launch and Flight of Gun Launched Projectiles as well as Missiles — FY2027 3.1
- Chemical-Biological Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Science (CBAMMS) — FY2027 2.4
- Bio-enabled Precision Materials Synthesis and Assembly — FY2027 2.0
- Environmental Quality — FY2027 1.2
- Microscopic/Nanostructural Materials — FY2027 —
- High Deformation Rate Materials — FY2027 —
- Materiel Research and Processing Using High Energy Fields — FY2027 —
- One Dimensional (1D) and Two Dimensional (2D) Materials and Processing Research — FY2027 —
- Terminal Ballistic Design and Evaluation for Next Generation Materials — FY2027 —
- Additive Manufacturing Sciences — FY2027 —

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Army RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibit R-2A, PE 0601102A project AA7 (PB PB2027). Narrative is the government's own text.
- **No marks, no contractors at this grain** — congressional marks land on the program element and R-3 performers on the project.
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_activity`.

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