# Project 1506 — Materials/Electronics

**Program element:** 0601153N — Defense Research Sciences  
**Project:** 1506  
**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/1506  
**Parent:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601153N

## Summary

Project 1506 — Materials/Electronics requests $109.6M in FY2027, 21% of the $525.4M requested for program element 0601153N, down 4.5% on FY2026. 10 R-2A activities decompose the request.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 0.0 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 114.8 |
| FY2027 | Request | 109.6 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 112.6 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 117.4 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 123.2 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 119.4 |

> 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 1506 buys

This Focus Area (FA) enhances the performance, affordability, survivability, and reliability of the future fleet and force by developing materials with novel or enhanced properties suited to the unique needs of Navy and Marine Corps platforms and systems. Research relevant to enabling enhanced performance and resiliency of naval systems and platforms are included in this R-2 Activity.

## Activities (R-2A) — 10

| Activity | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 | Move | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials and Chemistry | 0.0 | 35.6 | 45.1 | +27% | [a8](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601153N/1506/a8) |
| Electronics Materials and Processes | 0.0 | 42.1 | 37.9 | −10% | [a9](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601153N/1506/a9) |
| Functional Materials | 0.0 | 7.2 | 6.3 | −13% | — |
| Materials | 0.0 | 7.7 | 6.0 | −22% | — |
| Structural Materials | 0.0 | 7.2 | 5.6 | −22% | — |
| Nanoscale Computing Devices and Systems | 0.0 | 5.3 | 4.7 | −12% | — |
| Electronics and Sensors Technology | 0.0 | 4.9 | 4.0 | −17% | — |
| Expeditionary Electromagnetic Spectrum | 0.0 | 1.8 | 0.0 | −100% | — |
| Expeditionary Electronics | 0.0 | 1.1 | 0.0 | −100% | — |
| Expeditionary Materials | 0.0 | 1.9 | 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.

### Materials and Chemistry

- Continue work into Corrosion and Interfacial Chemistry. Efforts in this area of research target an understanding of corrosion and interfacial chemistries/processes to develop new materials technologies and control measures to ensure Fleet readiness, critical operations, and survivability. - Continue efforts into Materials Chemistry and…

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601153N/1506/a8

### Electronics Materials and Processes

- Continue research investigations of electronic materials essential to the sensors, electronics, and electronic warfare systems needed for future US naval dominance. - Continue theoretical, numerical, and experimental research in Power Electronics Science to create an improved understanding and realization of power electronic materials…

Full year-by-year narrative: https://hitchintel.com/programs/0601153N/1506/a9

### Functional Materials

**FY2027 planned work.** - Continue research to explore opportunities for controlling material composition and atomic structure through characterization and modeling to enhance electro-mechanical coupling for next generation Acoustic Transduction and Sensor Materials. - Continue research to better understand the chemical and mechanical properties of materials for durable surface treatments to impart both resistance to fouling and facilitate removal of biofoulers between maintenance intervals.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decrease from FY 2026 to FY 2027 is due to reduced research to explore opportunities for controlling material composition and atomic structure through characterization and modeling to enhance electro-mechanical coupling for next generation Acoustic Transduction and Sensor Materials.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Continue research to explore opportunities for controlling material composition and atomic structure through characterization and modeling to enhance electro-mechanical coupling for next generation Acoustic Transduction and Sensor Materials. - Continue research to better understand the chemical and mechanical properties of Materials for Environment Quality.

### Materials

**FY2027 planned work.** - Complete research efforts regarding Corrosion Control Science (for conventionally and additive manufactured materials) including galvanic and microbially influenced corrosion for enhanced resiliency and sustainability of naval platforms and systems. - Complete research of Electrochemical Materials and Functional Organic Materials and Composites to understand phenomenology that can be applied to more efficient energy capture and power storage and distribution for a wide distribution of naval emerging requirements, - Complete research investigations of Computer-Aided Material Design to accelerate research in all areas described here. - Continue research on controlling material composition and atomic structure through characterization and modeling to enhance electro-mechanical coupling for next generation Acoustic Transduction and Sensor Materials. - Continue research on functional organic materials and composites to understand phenomenology that can be applied to more efficient energy capture and distribution for emerging naval requirements. - Continue material development for multifunctional capabilities such as coatings that both protect a substrate and harvest energy, function as a sensor or limit platform signatures.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decrease from FY 2026 to FY 2027 is due to realignment of funding within this PU to better align funding to current naval and administrative priorities. FY 2026 efforts were moved from this R2A to R2A Materials and Chemistry under the same PU in FY 2027.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Continue research efforts regarding Corrosion Control Science (for conventionally and additive manufactured materials) including galvanic and microbially influenced corrosion for enhanced resiliency and sustainability of naval platforms and systems. - Continue research of Electrochemical Materials and Functional Organic Materials and Composites to understand phenomenology that can be applied to more efficient energy capture and power storage and distribution for a wide distribution of naval emerging requirements, - Continue research investigations of Computer-Aided Material Design to accelerate research in all areas described here. - Continue work into Corrosion and Interfacial Chemistry. Efforts in this area of research target an understanding of corrosion and interfacial chemistries/processes to develop new materials technologies and control measures to ensure Fleet readiness, critical operations, and survivability. - Continue efforts into Materials Chemistry and Diagnostics. The focus of these efforts are on the chemical synthesis, structure/property relationships and processing of inorganic, organic, organometallic, biochemical, polymeric, ceramic and nanoparticle materials. Synthesis and advanced processing efforts address Materials for Extreme Environments - polymer and ceramic matrix composites, thermal protection, camouflage, obscurants, directed energy protection, especially for hypersonic applications; Soft Materials - functional and bio-inspired polymers, catalytic polymers, fire suppressant molecules, soft robotics, self-reporting materials, smart materials. - Continue efforts into Materials Processes and Performance. Efforts focus on the discovery and advancement of new and improved structural and functional high performance materials including advances and discovery of new fabrication methods associated understanding of these methods for the consistent production of these new materials. - Continue in Materials for Advanced Sensor Science. Research in this area focuses on the physical properties of materials for the discovery of new functionality with direct application to sensing and advanced electronic devices. The work performed in this area utilizes novel experimental methods, as well as theoretical and computational models to identify and understand materials behavior spanning the range of physical properties of materials including electronic, magnetic, optical, and quantum behaviors. A primary technical objective is to identify new functional materials or new methods to control the functionality of materials to enhance current or enable new sensing capabilities. Evaluation of properties is performed across scales and conditions pertinent to naval applications. Specific areas of research include investigations into enhancing performance of sensing materials through engineering properties of 2D heterostructures, control of optoelectronics properties of halide perovskites, and ferroelectric materials to enable revolutionary advances in sonar device sensitivity. - Continue Materials Modeling, Simulation and Analytics. This research focuses on use of computational methodologies and manipulation of data to discover, identify, and interpret new and innovative insights into material performance and processing methodologies. Efforts aim to investigate the behavior of materials, materials synthesis, processing and characterization, modification of surfaces and plasma processing and engineered materials. Specific areas of research include first principle understanding of material response, advanced modeling and simulation techniques which can address performance of a variety of material systems, design tools for active materials for sensors and actuators, and advances in the algorithmic processes for rapid trace explosives detection. - Continue work into Biologically Enabled Materials. Here, the fundamental properties of the materials are investigated to provide the basis for sensing and actuation approaches, bioelectronics, organizational and structural mechanisms, and protective strategies, driving the underlying concepts and modeling necessary to the application of these novel products to Navy relevant systems and environments. Novel, new, and emerging biomaterials have been touted as the heart of regenerative medicine and the fabric of the medical devices market; however, bio, bioinspired, and bioderived materials offer a wider spectrum of applications than this attention would tend to indicate. From thermal and corrosion protection to waveguide technologies, attritable formulations, and energy transfer, these materials offer novel capabilities that can be harnessed to meet Navy needs. Realization of these applications requires a fundamental understanding of how the materials function and how that function can be adapted to non-native environments and use scenarios.

### Structural Materials

**FY2027 planned work.** - Complete foundational research that provides the underpinnings for robust systems and platforms, exploring and understanding phenomenology of structural properties as functions of with the aim to improve performance and predict and mitigate component degradation, captured in quantitative data and physics-driven models that utilize an Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) approach and support machine learning. Research domains include Basic Materials Research, Structural Metals, Polymer Composite Materials, Propulsion Materials, Sensors & NDE Prognostics, and Alternative Hull Materials & Structures. - Complete research effort in the physics and chemistry of extreme material behavior. - Complete research effort in materials for new sensor modalities. - Complete material development for multifunctional capabilities such as energy storage systems that are structural, or coatings that both protect a substrate and harvest energy, function as a sensor or limit platform signatures.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decrease from FY 2026 to FY 2027 is due to reduced research in the physics and chemistry of extreme material behavior, materials for new sensor modalities, and material development for multifunctional capabilities such as energy storage systems that are structural, or coatings that both protect a substrate and harvest energy, function as a sensor or limit platform signatures.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Continue foundational research that provides the underpinnings for robust systems and platforms, exploring and understanding phenomenology of structural properties as functions of with the aim to improve performance and predict and mitigate component degradation, captured in quantitative data and physics-driven models that utilize an Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME) approach and support machine learning. Research domains include Basic Materials Research, Structural Metals, Polymer Composite Materials, Propulsion Materials, Sensors & NDE Prognostics, and Alternative Hull Materials & Structures. - Continue research effort in the physics and chemistry of extreme material behavior. - Continue research effort in materials for new sensor modalities. - Continue material development for multifunctional capabilities such as energy storage systems that are structural, or coatings that both protect a substrate and harvest energy, function as a sensor or limit platform signatures.

### Nanoscale Computing Devices and Systems

**FY2027 planned work.** Nanoscale Computing Devices and Systems: - Continue research efforts on ultra-low power nanoelectronic materials, devices, and architectures. - Continue research efforts exploring new platforms for probabilistic computing in stochastic networks. - Continue investigation of novel physical phenomena in quantum materials. - Continue research on coherent manipulation and interrogation of atomic and molecular spin qubits. - Complete research explorations of topological quantum computing in solid-state devices.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** Funding decrease from FY 2026 to FY 2027 is due to reduced research in explorations of topological quantum computing in solid-state devices.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Continue research efforts on ultra-low power nanoelectronic materials, devices, and architectures. - Continue research explorations of topological quantum computing in solid-state devices. - Continue research efforts exploring new platforms for probabilistic computing in stochastic networks. - Continue investigation of novel physical phenomena in quantum materials. - Continue research on coherent manipulation and interrogation of atomic and molecular spin qubits.

### Electronics and Sensors Technology

**FY2027 planned work.** Electronics and Sensors Technology: - Continue research efforts to create new knowledge and understanding and explore new concepts, components, techniques and methods, for the design, growth, and characterization of electronic, electromagnetic, quantum enabled, and electro-optical materials; fabrication processes, electronic and electro-optic components, including novel electromagnetic concepts and techniques, and plasma phenomena and theory. - Continue research investigations in nitrogen-polar GaN materials and device physics. - Continue research efforts investigating defects and material stability of nitrogen-polar GaN materials and devices. - Continue research in porous III-Nitride materials. - Continue research investigations into p-type and n-type crystalline metal nitride materials, transport properties and heterostructures. - Continue investigation of properties of low Vpi electro-optical modulators for unamplified analog RF data links. - Continue studies of processing capabilities of Photonic Integrated circuit components/photonic microelectronics. - Continue studies of device materials hybridization Photonic Integrated Chips containing III-V, Chalcogenide, Si, and SiN photonic devices. - Continue direct comparison of defects in epitaxially grown LiNbO3 and BaTiO3 used for EO applications. - Continue research on optimal architecture for ultra-wideband, high sensitivity receivers, including the use of machine learning based adaptive DSP in a cueing architecture. - Continue research on non-linear/quantum phenomena that can lead to auto-adaptive interference excision. - Continue research on non-linear and multi-excitation physics that can lead to auto-adaptive interference excision in wideband STAR receivers. - Continue study of whether multiband imaging spectroscopy is feasible at 100 MHz frame rates and useful for hypersonic vehicle targeting. - Complete experimenting with ways cryogenic microelectronics (cryo-CMOS and superconducting) and RF photonics may uniquely enable ideal ultra-wideband receivers (full spectrum, real time, fully adaptive reception of all simultaneous signals-of-interest and functional in the presence of significant uncooperative interference). - Complete studies on superconducting GaN functional circuits. - Complete research investigations in superconducting GaN materials and device development. - Complete studies of physics of phonon/photon interactions in devices built via microelectronic techniques.

**FY2026 to FY2027 change.** The funding decrease from FY 2026 to FY 2027 reflects reduced investments in superconducting electronics technology.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** Electronics and Sensors Technology: - Continue research investigations in nitrogen-polar GaN materials and device physics. - Continue research in porous III-Nitride materials. - Continue research efforts investigating defects and material stability of nitrogen-polar GaN materials and devices. - Continue research investigations into p-type and n-type crystalline metal nitride materials, transport properties and heterostructures. - Continue research investigations in superconducting GaN materials and device development. - Continue studies on superconducting GaN functional circuits. - Continue research efforts to create new knowledge and understanding and explore new concepts, components, techniques and methods, for the design, growth, and characterization of electronic, electromagnetic, quantum enabled, and electro-optical materials; fabrication processes, electronic and electro-optic components, including novel electromagnetic concepts and techniques, and plasma phenomena and theory. - Continue experimenting with ways cryogenic microelectronics (cryo-CMOS and superconducting) and RF photonics may uniquely enable ideal ultra-wideband receivers (full spectrum, real time, fully adaptive reception of all simultaneous signals-of-interest and functional in the presence of significant uncooperative interference). - Continue investigation of properties of low Vpi electro-optical modulators for unamplified analog RF data links. - Continue research on optimal architecture for ultra-wideband, high sensitivity receivers, including the use of machine learning based adaptive DSP in a cueing architecture. - Continue studies of device materials hybridization Photonic Integrated Chips containing III-V, Chalcogenide, Si, and SiN photonic devices. - Continue research on non-linear/quantum phenomena that can lead to auto-adaptive interference excision. - Continue studies of physics of phonon/photon interactions in devices built via microelectronic techniques. - Complete research exploring feasibility of 3D stacked superconducting devices for SWaP reduction. - Initiate direct comparison of defects in epitaxially grown LiNbO3 and BaTiO3 used for EO applications. - Initiate study of whether multiband imaging spectroscopy is feasible at 100 MHz frame rates and useful for hypersonic vehicle targeting. - Initiate research on non-linear and multi-excitation physics that can lead to auto-adaptive interference excision in wideband STAR receivers.

### Expeditionary Electromagnetic Spectrum

**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 marine corps priorities.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Complete research of ultra-low size, weight, and power communications in a contested environment. (Expeditionary Warfare) - Complete research and development into physical and quantum limitations of photon detection to enhance understanding of light-matter interactions, beam control, and detection. (Expeditionary Warfare) - Complete efforts to develop a comprehensive United Stated Marine Corps (USMC) science, technology, engineering and mathematics plan that effectively supports both Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets and recent USMC veterans in their transition to and growth within science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, a structured approach. (Expeditionary Warfare)

### Expeditionary Electronics

**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 marine corps priorities.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** -Complete research into understanding the fundamental limit of infrared detection beyond the electron-photon interactions of photoelectric and thermal photon-based detections. (Expeditionary Warfare) -Complete research into ultra-wide bandgap power electronics for ultrahigh frequency and medium voltage operation in extreme environments. (Expeditionary Warfare)

### Expeditionary Materials

**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 marine corps priorities.

**FY2026 plans — current year.** - Complete research into developing a multi-physics understanding of multiferroic materials to enable future new expeditionary applications. (Expeditionary Warfare) - Complete research into quantum couplings to control phonon relaxation or transport processes in a material system. (Expeditionary Warfare) - Complete research on enhancing/optimizing the magnetoelectric coupling efficiency among electric, magnetic, mechanical, and optical (properties) states to explore fundamental light-matter interaction in heterostructured multiferroic materials. (Expeditionary Warfare) - Complete the effort in Materials Control through Quantum Coupling for Enhanced Sensing and Transduction. (Expeditionary Warfare)

## 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 1506 (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.*