ONHS Report: DARPA-PS-26-136

Fox Tail

Solicitation ID: DARPA-PS-26-136

Agency: DARPA/DSO

Type: Solicitation

Deadline: 2027-01-29T16:00:00 ET

Eligibility: Maybe (Dual Approval Required)

Funding: N/A

Doc Type: PS

Clearance: Secret

Program Manager: FoxTail@darpa.mil

Last Updated: 2026-09-25 16:08

Analyzed File: DARPA-PS-26-136.pdf

Eligibility Reasoning

FFRDCs: (1) FFRDCs must clearly demonstrate that the proposed work is not otherwise available from the private sector. (2) FFRDCs must provide a letter, on official letterhead from their sponsoring organization, that (a) cites the specific authority establishing their eligibility to propose to Government solicitations and compete with industry... DARPA, under this solicitation, will not award separate contracts to FFRDCs as prime or subawardees but will instead leverage their existing sponsors' agreements.

Note: This is an AI-generated summary...

Summary

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting proposals for the 'Fox Tail' program, a classified (SECRET level) effort to develop innovative theoretical and computational models for extreme-scale hydrodynamics. The program seeks to advance the understanding and prediction of phenomena such as high amplitude wave propagation, very high Reynolds number flows, and abrupt phase changes, particularly in seawater. Research should focus on first principles-based approaches to create thermodynamically consistent closures for fluid motion laws under these extreme conditions, including potential local thermodynamic non-equilibrium (LTNE) effects. The 18-month program anticipates multiple awards in the form of Other Transaction (OT) Agreements for Prototypes. Critical details regarding metrics, schedule, and proposal submission are contained in a classified addendum.

Overall Technical Areas

Extreme-Scale HydrodynamicsHigh Amplitude Wave PropagationVery High Reynolds Number FlowsAbrupt Phase ChangesTheoretical Modeling ApproachesComputational Modeling ApproachesFirst Principles-Based ClosuresFluid Motion Governing LawsAnomalous Thermo-fluid-dynamicsThermodynamically Consistent ClosuresLocal Thermodynamic Non-EquilibriumDisturbance Energy BudgetsPhase Transformation Modeling

Probable LBNL Areas

CSAEESAESAETAPSA

Focus Areas

Example Priorities:

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative proposals in the general area of extreme-scale hydrodynamics, including, but not limited to, high amplitude wave propagation, very high Reynolds number flows, and abrupt phase changes.
Prediction and understanding of extreme-scale events in seawater requires the development of first-principle-based models capable of capturing anomalous thermo-fluid-dynamic conditions.

Specific Technical Skills:

HydrodynamicsFluid DynamicsComputational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)Wave Propagation ModelingHigh Reynolds Number FlowsTurbulence ModelingNaval HydrodynamicsOcean Engineering

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Aaron Lattanzi	0.76	CSA \| AMCR \| Applied Mathematics · Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
Steven Pride	0.76	EESA \| EG \| Geophysics Dept · Wave Propagation Modeling
Simo Makiharju	0.75	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Systems & Energy Tech Analysis · Naval Hydrodynamics
Alexandre Chorin	0.75	CSA \| AMCR \| Mathematics · Fluid Dynamics
Pramod Bhuvankar	0.75	EESA \| EG \| Hydrogeology Dept · Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
Mahesh Natarajan	0.74	CSA \| AMCR \| Applied Mathematics · Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
David Alumbaugh	0.74	EESA \| EG \| Geophysics Dept · Wave Propagation Modeling
John Bell	0.73	CSA \| AMCR \| Applied Math & Computational Sciences Div Office · Turbulence Modeling
Matthew Zahr	0.73	CSA \| AMCR \| Mathematics · High Reynolds Number Flows
Yuxin Wu	0.73	EESA \| EG \| Geophysics Dept · Ocean Engineering

Example Priorities:

Proposed research should investigate innovative theoretical and computational modeling approaches relying on first principles-based closures of the governing laws of fluid motion under such conditions.
To model these events, research should focus on developing thermodynamically consistent closures for potential local thermodynamic non-equilibrium (LTNE) effects.

Specific Technical Skills:

First-Principles ModelingComputational PhysicsNumerical MethodsAlgorithm DevelopmentScientific ComputingHigh-Performance Computing (HPC)Mathematical ModelingContinuum Mechanics

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Francesco Ricci	0.77	ESA \| MSD \| Material Physics · First-Principles Modeling
Xiaoye Sherry Li	0.77	CSA \| AMCR \| Applied Mathematics · Scientific Computing
Erich Strohmaier	0.77	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science · High-Performance Computing (HPC)
Suren Byna	0.76	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Research · High-Performance Computing (HPC)
Per-Olof Persson	0.76	CSA \| AMCR \| Mathematics · Numerical Methods
Steven Louie	0.76	ESA \| MSD \| Material Physics · First-Principles Modeling
Suncica Canic	0.76	CSA \| AMCR \| Mathematics · Mathematical Modeling
Reijo Keskitalo	0.75	CSA \| SciData \| Data & Computational Science · Computational Physics
Oscar Antepara	0.75	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science · Algorithm Development
Tarek Zohdi	0.74	PSA \| Engineering \| Engineering Division Office · Continuum Mechanics

Example Priorities:

Prediction and understanding of extreme-scale events in seawater requires the development of first-principle-based models capable of capturing anomalous thermo-fluid-dynamic conditions.
research should focus on developing thermodynamically consistent closures for potential local thermodynamic non-equilibrium (LTNE) effects while balancing disturbance energy budgets—including mechanical power, formation enthalpy, and phase transformations.
abrupt phase changes

Specific Technical Skills:

ThermodynamicsPhase Change ModelingNon-Equilibrium ThermodynamicsThermo-fluid DynamicsMultiphase FlowEnergy Budget AnalysisFormation EnthalpyPhase Transformation Kinetics

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Pramod Bhuvankar	0.77	EESA \| EG \| Hydrogeology Dept · Multiphase Flow
Simo Makiharju	0.76	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Systems & Energy Tech Analysis · Multiphase Flow
Bingqing Cheng	0.75	ESA \| CSD \| Gas Phase · Phase Change Modeling
Piotr Zarzycki	0.75	EESA \| EG \| Geochemistry Dept · Formation Enthalpy
Scott Mccormack	0.75	ESA \| MSD \| Material Physics · Phase Transformation Kinetics
Jingjing Zhang	0.74	ETA \| Building Tech. & Urban Sys. \| Whole Building Sys Dept · Energy Budget Analysis
Louis-Benoit Desroches	0.74	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Energy Efficiency Studies · Energy Budget Analysis
Aaron Lattanzi	0.74	CSA \| AMCR \| Applied Mathematics · Thermo-fluid Dynamics
Ahmad Omar	0.74	ESA \| MSD \| Material Physics · Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics
Kevin G Knauss	0.73	EESA \| EG \| Geochemistry Dept · Thermodynamics

Potential LBNL PIs (Overall)

Note on PI Matching: These suggestions are generated through an AI-driven semantic analysis of LBNL staff profiles.

Name	Score	Organization
Aaron Lattanzi	0.76	CSA \| AMCR \| Applied Mathematics · Fluid Motion Governing Laws
Alexandre Chorin	0.76	CSA \| AMCR \| Mathematics · Very High Reynolds Number Flows
Steven Pride	0.75	EESA \| EG \| Geophysics Dept · High Amplitude Wave Propagation
Piotr Zarzycki	0.75	EESA \| EG \| Geochemistry Dept · Theoretical Modeling Approaches
Alice Koniges	0.75	CSA \| NERSC \| Sci Eng & Workflows Department · Extreme-Scale Hydrodynamics
John Bell	0.74	CSA \| AMCR \| Applied Math & Computational Sciences Div Office · Thermodynamically Consistent Closures
Zixi Hu	0.74	CSA \| AMCR \| Mathematics · Computational Modeling Approaches
Bingqing Cheng	0.74	ESA \| CSD \| Gas Phase · Phase Transformation Modeling
Vojtech Vlcek	0.74	CSA \| AMCR \| Applied Mathematics · First Principles-Based Closures
W. Stephen Chan	0.74	EESA \| CESD \| Integrated Ecosystem Sciences · Disturbance Energy Budgets

Fundamental Research Exemption (FRE)

As of the date of publication of this solicitation, the Government expects that program goals as described herein either cannot be met by proposers intending to perform fundamental research or the proposed research is anticipated to present a high likelihood of disclosing performance characteristics of military systems or manufacturing technologies that are unique and critical to defense. Therefore, the Government anticipates restrictions on the resultant research that will require the awardee to seek DARPA permission before publishing any information or results relative to the program.