The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), hereafter generally referred to as “we, us, our, or AFOSR,” manages the basic research investment for the U.S. Air Force and Space Force. As a part of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), our technical experts discover, shape, and champion research within AFRL, universities, and industry laboratories to ensure the transition of research results to support U.S. Air Force and Space Force needs. Using a carefully balanced research portfolio, our research managers seek to foster revolutionary scientific breakthroughs enabling the Air Force, Space Force and U.S. industry to produce world-class, militarily significant, and commercially valuable products.
To accomplish this task, we solicit proposals for basic research through this general Broad Agency Announcement outlining the U.S. Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program. We invite unclassified proposals that do not contain proprietary information for research in many broad areas. We expect to fund only fundamental research. Our research areas of interest are described in detail in section A. Program Description.
Our focus is on research areas that offer significant and comprehensive benefits to our national warfighting and peacekeeping capabilities. These areas are organized and managed in two scientific branches, each with two teams:
- Engineering and Information Sciences (RTA) • ENGINEERING AND COMPLEX SYSTEMS (RTA1) • INFORMATION AND NETWORKS (RTA2)
- Physical and Biological Sciences (RTB) • PHYSICAL SCIENCES (RTB1) • CHEMISTRY AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (RTB2)
This announcement remains open until superseded. We review and evaluate proposals as they are received. You may submit proposals at any time; however, some specific topic instructions may recommend submission by specific dates that align with funding expectations.
Engineering and Complex Systems (RTA1)
- Dynamic Materials and Interactions
- GHz-THz Electronics and Materials
- Energy, Combustion, and Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics
- Unsteady Aerodynamics and Turbulent Flows
- High-Speed Aerodynamics
- Aerospace Composite Materials
- Multiscale Structural Mechanics and Prognosis
- Propulsion and Power
- Agile Science of Test and Evaluation (T&E)
Information and Networks (RTA2)
- Computational Cognition and Machine Intelligence
- Computational Mathematics
- Dynamical Systems and Control Theory
- Dynamic Data and Information Processing
- Information Assurance and Cybersecurity
- Mathematical Optimization
- Science of Information, Computation, Learning, and Fusion
- Trust and Influence
- Complex Networks
- Cognitive and Computational Neurosciences
Physical Science (RTB1)
- Aerospace Materials for Extreme Environments
- Atomic and Molecular Physics
- Electromagnetics
- Laser and Optical Physics
- Optoelectronics and Photonics
- High-Energy Radiation-Matter Systems
- Quantum Information Sciences
- Physics of Sensing
- Space Science
- Ultrashort Pulse Laser-Matter Interactions
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Astrodynamics
Chemistry and Biological Sciences (RTB2)
- Biophysics
- Human Performance and Biosystems
- Mechanics of Multifunctional Materials and Microsystems
- Molecular Dynamics and Theoretical Chemistry
- Natural Materials, Systems, and Extremophiles
- Organic Materials Chemistry
All qualified, responsible organizational applicants from academia, the non-profit sector, and industry are eligible to submit research proposals. This includes University Affiliated Research Centers unless precluded from submitting a proposal by their Department of Defense operating contract.
Approximately $200 million is anticipated to be available for support of actions awarded under this announcement, subject to availability of funds. Research proposals funded between $100,000 and $300,000 per year are encouraged. Most of our awards are three (3) years in duration. Awards may be proposed for not more than five (5) years.