AFRL/AFOSR Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 University Center for High-Speed Aerothermoelasticity
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The Air Force Office of Scientific Research, in partnership with the Air Force Research Lab Air Warfare Directorate, is soliciting unclassified proposals to establish a university-led Center for High-Speed Aerothermoelasticity. This basic research initiative aims to bridge fluid dynamics, thermal transport, and structural mechanics through a multidisciplinary approach involving computational simulation, theoretical modeling, and ground experimentation. The program seeks a collaborative team of up to ten investigators from U.S. institutions of higher education, with strong encouragement for partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The center will serve as a critical link between academia and Department of the Air Force facilities, such as Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the Arnold Engineering Development Center, to translate academic breakthroughs into tangible aerospace capabilities. The government intends to fund one award valued at 2.75 million dollars per year for a base period of three years, with options to extend the performance period to five years, bringing the total potential funding to 13.75 million dollars. Interested applicants must submit a white paper by January 8, 2027, followed by a full proposal via Grants.gov by April 2, 2027. Evaluation is based on a two-step process consisting of an initial screening and a full merit-based review focusing on technical merits, relationship to Department of the Air Force missions, applicant capabilities, and the quality of interdisciplinary interaction. Awardees must be registered in SAM.gov and comply with strict research security requirements, including certifications regarding foreign talent recruitment programs and mandatory research security training for all covered individuals.
General Info
Estimated contract value
$8,250,000 to $13,750,000Place of Performance
Not specifiedSet-Aside
Timeline
Response Deadline
Organization & Contact Information
Full Description
The Air Force Office of Scientific Research, in partnership with the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) Air Warfare Directorate (RA), intends to provide support for a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers at U.S. universities to establish a university-led Center for High-Speed Aerothermoelasticity. This multidisciplinary, basic research initiative focuses on investigating complex problem sets involving the fundamental physics at the intersection of high-speed fluid mechanics, thermal transport, and structural sciences. By supporting a balanced, integrated approach across computational simulation, theoretical modeling, and ground experimentation in these three areas, the Center will tackle critical aerothermoelasticity challenges for the Air Force mission and related challenges in science and engineering. This opportunity is a chance to work closely with the Air Force Research Lab Air Warfare Directorate (AFRL/RA) on computational simulations and ground and flight experiments in the field of high-speed aerothermoelasticity.
We seek unclassified proposals from a highly collaborative, qualified and responsible university-led team that bridges the traditional silos of fluid dynamics, thermal transport, and structural mechanics. The program requires an interdisciplinary roster of up to ten investigators (including computational and experimental leads) and strongly encourages partnership with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), in alignment with Executive Order 14283. Beyond technical discovery, the Center acts as a vital connection between academia and DoW scientists at facilities such as Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC). This ensures that breakthrough academic research translates into tangible capabilities for the Department of the Air Force (DAF) and access to a well-trained future aerospace workforce. It is important that your proposal shows strength in as many of the evaluation areas as practical for maximum competitiveness.
The award shall be made to U.S. institutions of higher education, where the principal investigator is employed on a full-time basis and holds a regular, non-contractor position. Researchers working at the Federally Funded Research and Development Centers and DoW Laboratories are not eligible for this competition.
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