# Project 1398 — Ocean Atmosphere and Space Sciences

**Program element:** 0601153N — Defense Research Sciences  
**Project:** 1398  
**Component:** U.S. Navy  
**Appropriation:** 1319 — RDT&E, Navy  
**Budget Activity:** 1 — Basic Research  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601153N/1398  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601153N

## Summary

Project 1398 — Ocean Atmosphere and Space Sciences requests $114.9M in FY2027, 22% of the $525.4M requested for program element 0601153N, down 9.8% on FY2026. 7 R-2A activities decompose the request, 1 new this cycle.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 117.7 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 127.5 |
| FY2027 | Request | 114.9 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 122.2 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 128.7 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 119.4 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 116.3 |

> Estimate types are not summed. This project is one leaf of PE 0601153N; the PE total is the sum of its projects, never added to them.

## What project 1398 buys

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) was established by Congress in 1946 to plan, foster and encourage scientific research in recognition of its paramount importance to the maintenance of future naval power and national security; to provide within the Department of the Navy a single office, which, by contract and otherwise, shall be able to obtain, coordinate, and make available to all bureaus and activities of the Department of the Navy, world-wide scientific information and the necessary services for conducting specialized and imaginative research; to establish a Naval Research Advisory Committee consisting of persons preeminent in the fields of research, to consult with and advise the Chief of such Office in matters pertaining to research The Office of Naval Research shall perform such duties as the Secretary of the Navy prescribes relating to the execution of, and management responsibility for, programs for which funds are provided in the basic and applied research and advanced technology categories of the Department of the Navy research, development, test, and evaluation budget in such a manner that will foster the transition of science and technology to higher levels of research, development, test, and evaluation. This Program Element (PE) supports the Basic Research portion of the Department of the Navy (DON) science and technology (S&T) portfolio, laying the foundation for new innovative technologies and future capabilities for Naval warfighters. Efforts within this PE address Ocean Atmosphere and Space Sciences. Ocean Battlespace Sensing research activities span a number of disciplines in support of Navy and Marine Corp operational missions. This research area supports theoretical and experimental investigations directed toward increasing knowledge and understanding of the physical, chemical, engineering, environmental and life sciences fundamental to naval operations, including expeditionary operations. Naval Operations research areas will include mine warfare, mine countermeasures, ocean acoustics, naval special warfare (governed by Littoral Geosciences), the reliable use of unmanned/robotic systems, autonomous operations, remote sensing, anti-submarine warfare, ocean engineering, artic operations, marine mammals/biology, physical oceanography, metrology/METOC and emerging undersea warfare capabilities.

## Activities (R-2A) — 7

| Activity | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 | Move | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Sciences | 70.4 | 68.1 | 54.9 | −19% | [a0](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601153N/1398/a0) |
| Battlespace Environments | 19.9 | 25.8 | 31.3 | +21% | [a2](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601153N/1398/a2) |
| Research Facilities | 0.0 | 0.0 | 20.1 | new | [a6](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601153N/1398/a6) |
| Physical Oceanography and Prediction | 4.7 | 4.2 | 6.6 | +57% | — |
| Ocean Acoustics | 2.5 | 3.5 | 2.0 | −42% | — |
| Expeditionary Ocean Atmosphere and Space Sciences | 2.3 | 3.1 | 0.0 | −100% | — |
| Space Research | 17.9 | 22.8 | 0.0 | −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.

### Ocean Sciences

- Continue research investigations to improve the quality of the environmental analysis and prediction provided in support of warfighters, including the assessment of the impact of the atmosphere and ionosphere-thermosphere-magnetosphere on the performance of sensors, platforms and weapon systems, and the advancement of our basic…

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601153N/1398/a0

### Battlespace Environments

- Continue research into Atmospheric Processes. The objective of this effort is to improve our understanding of complex atmospheric processes involving multiple scales in time and space and explore new, innovative strategies for observing, representing, and predicting the atmosphere. Efforts in this area encompass processes in the…

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601153N/1398/a2

### Research Facilities — NEW START

- Provide support to meteorological, limnology, and oceanographic research vessels, aircraft, manned and unmanned platforms and associated services (Such as winches, instrumentation, portable ship-borne scientific laboratory vans and data storage) especially those provided by the ARF to enable at-sea oceanographic science.

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601153N/1398/a6

### Physical Oceanography and Prediction

**FY2027 planned work.** - Continue research efforts in physical oceanography, acoustics and prediction to understand the exploitation of structural/physical acoustic processes. Research efforts explore factors in the assessment and reduction of the threat posed by enemy submarines and mines, the determination of methods to reduce the vulnerability of U.S. submarines, the development of next generation sonar and sensor systems, and in the development of new micro-structure and nano-structure devices. The objective is to develop new and improved techniques for understanding, detecting, visualizing, exploiting, predicting, and controlling the interactions between acoustic and elastic waves, and structures. These research efforts are essential to structural acoustic-based hull designs, which are naturally compatible with high-density, hull-mounted sensor systems for sonar arrays, performance monitors, active control, and stealth. - Continue research efforts involving laboratory, field, and theoretical/numerical studies to investigate physical phenomena related to acoustic propagation and scattering in oceanic environments such as: prediction of the scattering signature of a structure using noise sources of opportunity; fundamental physical phenomena of wave propagation in ocean environments; approaches to separate an acoustical field from turbulent flow on an acoustic array; new structural acoustics theory for scattering from large, complex undersea objects; and creation of new approaches to monitoring the acoustic signature and structural state of undersea vessels. - Continue research into phenomena associated with electro-optics and magnetics sensing in ocean environments. These includes magnetic anomaly detectors (MADs), infrared (IR) detectors, passive optics, and laser detection and ranging (LIDAR). Non-acoustic submarine detection technologies are those that do not rely on the collection of soundwaves emitted or reflected by a submerged vehicle for detection of localization

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding increase from FY 2026 to FY 2027 is due to increased research in physical oceanography and electro-optics and magnetics sensing in ocean environment.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Continue research efforts in physical oceanography, acoustics and prediction to understand the exploitation of structural/physical acoustic processes. Research efforts explore factors in the assessment and reduction of the threat posed by enemy submarines and mines, the determination of methods to reduce the vulnerability of U.S. submarines, the development of next generation sonar and sensor systems, and in the development of new micro-structure and nano-structure devices. The objective is to develop new and improved techniques for understanding, detecting, visualizing, exploiting, predicting, and controlling the interactions between acoustic and elastic waves, and structures. These research efforts are essential to structural acoustic-based hull designs, which are naturally compatible with high-density, hull-mounted sensor systems for sonar arrays, performance monitors, active control, and stealth. - Continue research efforts involving laboratory, field, and theoretical/numerical studies to investigate physical phenomena related to acoustic propagation and scattering in oceanic environments such as: prediction of the scattering signature of a structure using noise sources of opportunity; fundamental physical phenomena of wave propagation in ocean environments; approaches to separate an acoustical field from turbulent flow on an acoustic array; new structural acoustics theory for scattering from large, complex undersea objects; and creation of new approaches to monitoring the acoustic signature and structural state of undersea vessels. - Initiate research into phenomena associated with electro-optics and magnetics sensing in ocean environments. These includes magnetic anomaly detectors (MADs), infrared (IR) detectors, passive optics, and laser detection and ranging (LIDAR). Non-acoustic submarine detection technologies are those that do not rely on the collection of soundwaves emitted or reflected by a submerged vehicle for detection of localization

### Ocean Acoustics

**FY2027 planned work.** - Continue research efforts in Ocean Acoustics to investigate physical phenomenon related to in oceanic environments. This program is focused on extending acoustic propagation simulation technology as a fundamental tool for understanding the environment through inversion methods and performance prediction. Efforts in this area of research are investigating acoustic propagation and interactions with the sea surface and seabed to improve system prediction performance, sonar processing, and to discover novel concepts for Anti-submarine Warfare (ASW). Research will include the ability to remotely determine the complete elastic properties of the ocean's sediment will address serious shortcomings in Navy databases that affect many acoustic performance prediction models as well as mine warfare planning assessments. Another specific area of research will be developing the understanding and being able to model the acoustic field in a three-dimensional environment - which will greatly increase the ability to detect and track submerged targets in environments with significant changes in environmental characteristics. An important goal in ASW is passive source localization in littoral regions.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decrease from FY 2026 to FY 2027 is due to reduced research in ocean acoustics to investigate physical phenomenon related to in oceanic environments for ASW systems.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Continue research efforts in Ocean Acoustics to investigate physical phenomenon related to in oceanic environments. This program is focused on extending acoustic propagation simulation technology as a fundamental tool for understanding the environment through inversion methods and performance prediction. Efforts in this area of research are investigating acoustic propagation and interactions with the sea surface and seabed to improve system prediction performance, sonar processing, and to discover novel concepts for Anti-submarine Warfare (ASW). Research will include the ability to remotely determine the complete elastic properties of the ocean's sediment will address serious shortcomings in Navy databases that affect many acoustic performance prediction models as well as mine warfare planning assessments. Another specific area of research will be developing the understanding and being able to model the acoustic field in a three-dimensional environment - which will greatly increase the ability to detect and track submerged targets in environments with significant changes in environmental characteristics. An important goal in ASW is passive source localization in littoral regions.

### Expeditionary Ocean Atmosphere and Space Sciences

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** The decrease in funding from FY 2026 to FY 2027 is due to the realignment and consolidation of all expeditionary funding under PE 0601153N to the new Expeditionary Campaigns project number 1510 within this PE. Planned programs have been updated to align to current expeditionary and naval priorities.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Continue research to understand nearshore and littoral environmental effects on future multidomain expeditionary operations. (Expeditionary Warfare) - Complete research efforts in sensors and sensing technologies to enable stand-off detection and rapid neutralization of explosive hazards in multiple expeditionary mission environments while maintaining operational tempo. (Expeditionary Warfare) - Initiate study of littoral mud flats and shorelines by investigating interlinked processes such as soil-sea-ice-air and benthic Life Interactions. Methods and investigation should include theory, modeling, field and remote sensing/satellite based focus areas for global understanding. (Expeditionary Warfare) - Initiate research to develop a quantitative numerical representation of mesospheric Atmospheric Gravity Wave (AGW) coupling to Traveling Ionospheric Disturbances (TID) that is underpinned by the theoretical models while matching the current observationally based empirical models. (Expeditionary Warfare)

### Space Research

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decrease from FY2026 to FY2027 is due to completion of atmospheric, space environment, and solar system research areas.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Complete research investigations into the geospace, which extends from the mesosphere up to the thermosphere. This is the environment in which the ionosphere is embedded and in which many low-Earth orbit satellites are located. Thus, the Extended Operational (Geospace) Environment research aims at developing a fundamental understanding of the relevant physical, chemical and dynamic processes in this altitude regime, and the development of innovative approaches to sense and monitor the relevant environment, as well as the impacts of the solar and lower atmospheric drivers and their respective impacts. Real time knowledge and the ability to forecast this environment are highly relevant to DON capabilities, such as over the horizon radar and high frequency (HF) communications. - Complete research efforts in High-Energy Space Environments comprising electromagnetic and particle radiation, including x-rays, gamma rays, protons, and electrons. Sensing, understanding the physics of, and interpreting the high energy space environment can be exploited for a multitude of DON-relevant applications, including, but not limited to positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), C2ISR, and space domain awareness. The goals of this research include the fundamental understanding of the high-energy space environment, ranging from the physical processes that emit the radiation, to the measurement of the natural and man-made environment with innovative, more efficient instrumentation, to novel approaches for the extraction of information from the observations. - Complete research in Radio and Infrared Astronomy regarding Naval-relevant applications, ranging from ionospheric specification, to positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), to space domain awareness. Research efforts include the development of exquisite imaging capabilities in the radio and visible/near-infrared at unprecedented angular resolution and to conceive and advance astrophysics techniques for future transition to a variety of DON and national security applications. - Complete research regarding the interplanetary space of our solar system that is under the direct influence of the Sun via physical phenomena such as the solar wind and electromagnetic radiation spanning nearly the entire spectrum summarized as Heliospace Environment research. The long-term goal of this research is to specify, and, with observational data, forecast heliospace dynamics and the impact of the Sun's variability on the Earth, and develop predictive and real-time DON-capability-relevant threat warnings. - Complete research on the coupled processes in the high atmosphere, between the troposphere and stratosphere and the stratosphere/mesosphere and ionosphere and their effect on weather and space weather prediction. - Complete research on atmospheric or Earth system coupled processes that are not well understood, including cloud and aerosol interaction, marine boundary layer and coastal prediction, and diurnal and mesoscale variability to improve their representation in forecast models.

## 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/0601153N.

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Navy RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-2A/R-3, PE 0601153N project 1398 (PB PB2027).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0601153N")`.

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