What project MSL-01 buys
The major goal of the Materials Processing Technology project is to develop novel materials, fabrication and processing techniques, models, devices and components that will increase the performance, and/or enable new missions for military platforms and systems that can be manufactured at commercial scales. Included in this project are efforts across a wide range of technology areas including manufacturing, electronics, sensors, optics, and complex and autonomous systems. Prior to FY 2026, this Project was funded in PE 0602715E, Project MBT-01.
Project MSL-01 funding, FY2025–FY2031
Prior years are actuals, the budget year is the request, and the outyears are the FYDP plan. Estimate types are colored and never summed into one figure. Projects carry the full five-year plan; the activities inside them stop at the budget year.
| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 0.0 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 182.5 |
| FY2027 | Request | 133.2 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 133.4 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 161.8 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 171.2 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 175.6 |
8 accomplishments / planned programs
The R-2A exhibit — the only level of the budget that describes work that has not happened yet. Activities carry the prior, current and budget year only, no five-year plan. 7 of them describe FY2027 work in enough detail to have their own page; the rest are shown here in full. Coverage is partial across the corpus, so count activities, never total them.
- Perform a coupled optimization demonstration between high-throughput material testing and design optimization frameworks balancing performance, cost, and sustainability. - Establish a proof-of-concept manufacturing demonstration for a continuous material shape optimized component. - Initiate incorporation of enhanced quantum…
Read the FY2027 plan →- Complete builds of operationally relevant magnetohydrodynamic prototype pumps and conduct operational testing. - Conduct operational analysis and assessment of scalability study, evaluate future transition paths for PUMP technology. - Perform full scale inlet testing to verify modeling and simulation tools for VLEO inlets. - Complete…
Read the FY2027 plan →- Conduct assessment of designs to understand ability to meet mass production requirements. - Develop preliminary design of integrated system. - Test sub-scale solid rocket motor assembly. - Compare preliminary designs to potential transition partner requirements.
Read the FY2027 plan →- Produce and test C-C 2D coupons and C-C 3D hypersonic-representative parts that mimic design features and manufacturing challenges seen in real, full-scale aeroshell. - Develop processes for high throughputs of C-C hypersonic aeroshells. - Design aeroshell production lines - Perform independent testing and assessment (i.e., material…
Read the FY2027 plan →- Finalize experiment plan for autonomous control using nuclear physics predictions and advanced, combined neutronics models. - Develop air-breathing secondary fuel cells with far greater gravimetric energy density than current comparable energy solutions, while remaining safe, rechargeable, and easily manufactured. - Assess feasibility…
Read the FY2027 plan →- Integrate nitrogen oxidation catalysts into a small-scale reactor capable of delivering nitric acid at a particular rate.
Read the FY2027 plan →- Complete first of four testing cycles, collect data, analyze and modify designs to optimize performance. - Begin second testing cycle with increased complexity at release conditions. - Complete second testing cycle and begin third testing cycle with increased complexity at release conditions. - Review improved capabilities with…
Read the FY2027 plan →FY2027 planned work - Conduct field exercises and DoW-relevant application demonstrations of high-performance, environmentally-robust optical clocks
FY2026 to FY2027 change The FY 2027 decrease reflects a shift from system development to field demonstrations.
FY2026 plans — current year - Develop a fully operational high-performance, environmentally-robust portable optical clock device with picosecond timing precision. - Develop a fully operational high-performance, environmentally-robust transportable optical clock with month-long nanosecond holdover. - Demonstrate proof-of-concept vacuum ultraviolet laser system for preliminary spectroscopy and validation of a nuclear clock.