The AFRL Munitions Directorate is calling for white papers in the following research areas:
- Weapon Airframe Systems Technology – technologies for development of agile weapon airframes that are capable of being deployed or dispensed from unmanned and manned platforms and which can deliver precision controlled effects against fixed and mobile ground targets and air targets in highly contested engagement scenarios
- Bioprincipic Systems (Sensors, Processing, Control and Materials) – understanding the principles underlying the abilities of relevant biological organisms and applying those principles to future engineered systems to improve performance, lower SWaP and achieve trusted autonomy in man-made systems
- Autonomous Target Recognition – all aspects of ATR/ATA/AiTR etc technology as it applies to seekers for conventional guided weapons including from basic signal and image processing through to advanced real-time ATR/host signal processor implementations
- Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation Technologies – advanced capabilities related to HIL and digital simulation of guided weapon designs
- Advanced Scene Generation – developing new scene generation techniques in relevant areas of characterisation, coupling and integration of scene generation software, multiple sensor views etc
- EO/IR/LADAR/SAL System Research – developing components and systems for imaging and non-imaging electro-optic, infrared, LADAR ad semi-active laser systems
- Navigation and Estimation Technology – innovative solutions to ensure resilient position, navigation and timing capabilities for single and networked weapon systems, particularly in GPS-denied or degraded environments
- Modelling, Simulation and Analysis of Advanced Weapon Concepts– apply, modify and/or combine engineering, engagement (one-on-one), mission (few-on-few), systems-of-systems, wargaming, and campaign (many-on-many, military worth), level modeling techniques, tools, and analysis methods as well
as virtual and constructive digital simulation which lend themselves to the quick and effective evaluation of advanced weapon concepts. - Lethality, Vulnerability and Survivability – development of new techniques or enhancement of existing techniques to measure and compare weapon effectiveness, collateral damage, and potential collateral hazards; development and validation of first principles continuum mechanics codes (finite- element, finite difference) yielding high-fidelity weapon and target simulations; develop new test instrumentation or equipment, and/or techniques for gathering and
analysing test data - Warhead Research – technologies and concepts for effective, robust and affordable warhead and ordnance components in the areas or air ad space defense
- Fuze Research – innovative technologies that can be integrated into the design or testing of air-delivered weapon fuzes. Of particular interest are fuzes and related components that can survive repetitive, multi-axis shock environments; shock spectrum mitigating materials; inertial or non-inertial detection devices; laboratory and field test techniques
- Munitions Energetic Materials– formulation, manufacturing, and producibility; characterization and phenomenology; theoretical energetics and digital
design for explosives and energetic materials for munition applications. - Facilities, Systems and Equipment Enabling Munition Science and Technologies Research
- Multi-Function, Multi-Mode Radar Research – innovative radar frequency (RF) component and system technologies and associated software to offer improved performance or reduction in Cost, Size, Weight, and Power (CSWaP).
- Modular Open Systems Research – modular and open solutions for munitions systems
- STEM for Education Outreach
- Weapon Autonomy and Control Technology Research – novel hardware, software, and algorithms to synthesize multi-domain data into effective mathematical representations to enable novel munition behaviors based upon battlespace awareness, network topology, and agile munition control techniques
- Technology Transfer Innovative Collaboration – novel, cutting-edge toolsets (algorithms, capabilities, and/or methodologies) related to Technology Transfer (T2), Technology Transition (TT), and/or Innovation/Collaboration (IC)
White papers will be accepted and assessed on a rolling basis until 21 March 2027.
Document
BAA – Air Delivered Effects – BAA+FA865122S0001+-+Revision+7
