ONHS Report: FA8651-22-S-0001

Air Delivered Effects Broad Area Announcement

Solicitation ID: FA8651-22-S-0001

Agency: AFRL/RW

Type: Combined Synopsis/Solicitation

Deadline: 2027-03-21T17:00:00 ET

Eligibility: Maybe (Dual Approval Required)

Funding: Cumulative amount for awards issued under this BAA will not exceed $750,000,000. There is no inherent funding associated with this Open BAA; each Call will have funding profiles specific to that effort.

Doc Type: BAA

Clearance: Secret

Program Manager: amy.fortenberry.1@us.af.mil

Last Updated: 2025-11-24 13:20

Analyzed File: BAA_FA8651-22-S-0001_Amendment 6 _March2025.pdf

Eligibility Reasoning

The FFRDC's sponsoring agency must first make a determination that the effort being proposed falls within the purpose, mission, general scope of effort, or special competency of the FFRDC... In addition, the non-sponsoring agency must make a determination that the work proposed would not place the FFRDC in direct competition with domestic private industry. Only after these determinations are made would a determination be made concerning the FFRDC's eligibility to receive an award.

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

Summary

The Air Force Research Laboratory, Munitions Directorate (AFRL/RW) is soliciting research proposals under the "Air Delivered Effects" Broad Agency Announcement (BAA FA8651-22-S-0001). This five-year, two-step BAA, with an anticipated cumulative value not to exceed $750M, seeks to advance conventional munitions technology through basic research, applied research, and advanced technology development. The process begins with a 5-page white paper submission, which, if favorably evaluated, may lead to an invitation for a full proposal. The BAA covers 19 distinct research areas, including but not limited to: weapon airframe systems for high-speed flight, autonomous target recognition (ATR), bioprincipic systems, advanced navigation for GPS-denied environments, warhead and fuze research, energetic materials, multi-function radar, modular open systems, weapon autonomy and control, and cyber survivability. Awards may include various contract types, grants, or other transactions. The BAA specifies requirements for security clearances, export controls, data rights (preferring unlimited rights), and cybersecurity compliance (NIST SP 800-171), and includes a security risk review process to identify and mitigate undue foreign influence.

Overall Technical Areas

Weapon Airframe & AerodynamicsGuidance, Navigation & Control (GNC)AI / Machine LearningAutonomous Target RecognitionCollaborative & Autonomous WeaponsSeeker & Sensor TechnologiesModeling, Simulation & Analysis (MS&A)Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) SimulationLethality & Computational MechanicsWarhead & Ordnance TechnologiesFuze & Initiation SystemsEnergetic Materials R&DMultifunction RF & Radar SystemsWeapon Systems CybersecurityModular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA)

Probable LBNL Areas

BSACSAEESAESAETALDPSA

Focus Areas

Example Priorities:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) /Machine Learning (ML), Deep Learning (DL) and/or traditional algorithms for weapon seeker target acquisition or re-acquisition.
Unified architectures, machine learning techniques, or mathematical languages applicable to the control and coordination of heterogeneous information services and that enable verifiable, trusted autonomy are also sought.
The Department of Defense is interested in sparse sensing, neuromorphic/spiking architectures, and analog and hybrid processing techniques when they show speed and accuracy advantages over pure digital processing.
The use of AI/ML to aid navigation systems.
Approaches for training AI/ML/DL or traditional algorithms with synthetic target data that result in good target recognition performance when using real target data (e.g. synthetic to real domain adaptation).

Specific Technical Skills:

Machine LearningDeep LearningAutonomous SystemsComputer VisionPattern RecognitionNeuromorphic ComputingMulti-Agent SystemsData FusionTrusted AIReinforcement Learning

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Xiaoya Chong	0.68	ESA \| ALS \| PS Computing staff
Alexander Sim	0.68	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Research
Nicola Falco	0.68	EESA \| CESD \| Integrated Ecosystem Sciences
Zhe Bai	0.68	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science
Gazi Mahmud	0.68	BSA \| Environmental Genomics & Systems Biology \| Molecular Ecosystems Bio
Marco Salathe	0.68	PSA \| NSD \| ANP
Karthik Shekhar	0.67	BSA \| Biological Systems & Engineering \| Biodesign Dept
Shashank Subramanian	0.67	CSA \| NERSC \| Sci Eng & Workflows Department
Marco Pritoni	0.67	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg Technologies Dept
Marcos Lopez de Prado	0.67	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Research

Example Priorities:

Advances in weapon airframe system technologies are required to take advantage of emerging developments in weapon guidance, navigation, and control systems, networked communication systems, and precision effect ordnance and fuzing systems.
Future multifunction radars will need to provide a wide range of sensory and communications functions. These functions may include altimeter, navigation-aiding, communication (1-way or 2-way datalink)...
RWTSE has an interest in developing the components and systems necessary for imaging and non-imaging electro-optic, infrared, LADAR, and semi-active laser systems.
agile weapon airframes for high-speed flight regimes (e.g., air-launched unitary subsonic to supersonic guided weapons, air-launched supersonic to low hypersonic air-intercept, and long-range hypersonic strike weapons).

Specific Technical Skills:

AerodynamicsControl Systems EngineeringRF EngineeringElectro-Optical SystemsInfrared DetectorsLADAR SystemsStructural DynamicsHypersonicsPropulsionPower Systems

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Bin Wang	0.70	ETA \| Energy Analysis & Environmental Impacts \| Sustainable Energy Dept
Andre Santos	0.69	EESA \| CESD \| Integrated Ecosystem Sciences
Emil Rofors	0.69	PSA \| NSD \| ANP
Shawn Tornga	0.69	LD \| LD \| ONHS
Qiang Du	0.69	PSA \| Engineering \| Electronic Engineering
Prakash Rao	0.69	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg & Industrial App Dpt
Alexandre Moreira da Silva	0.69	ETA \| ESDR \| Energy Storage & Dist Dpt
Arnaud Allezy	0.69	PSA \| Engineering \| Mechanical Engineering
Jennifer Stokes-Draut	0.69	ETA \| Energy Analysis & Environmental Impacts \| Sustainable Energy Dept
Jayson Vavrek	0.69	PSA \| NSD \| ANP

Example Priorities:

Technologies and concepts are sought for effective, robust and affordable warhead and ordnance components in the areas of air and space defense to include counter-maritime, counter-air, networked, collaborative autonomous (NCA)...
RWTO is particularly interested in fuzes (including submunition fuzes) and related component or material technologies that are capable of surviving the repetitive, multi-axis shock environment experienced by a fuze during penetration of a hardened target...
Munitions Energetic Materials is concerned with (1) formulation, manufacturing, and producibility; (2) characterization and phenomenology; and (3) theoretical energetics and digital design for explosives and energetic materials for munition applications.
Development of new techniques or enhancement of existing techniques to measure and compare weapon effectiveness, collateral damage, and potential collateral hazards.

Specific Technical Skills:

Energetic MaterialsWarhead DesignOrdnance EngineeringPenetration MechanicsShock PhysicsFuze DesignMaterial ScienceHigh-Strain-Rate DynamicsAdvanced ManufacturingDetonation Physics

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Daryl Chrzan	0.71	ESA \| MSD \| Material Physics
Peter Hosemann	0.70	ESA \| MSD \| Material Physics
Guoying Chen	0.70	ETA \| ESDR \| Energy Storage & Dist Dpt
Shiva Shunmugam Nagarajan	0.70	ESA \| ALS \| Users
Jayson Vavrek	0.70	PSA \| NSD \| ANP
David McCallen	0.70	EESA \| EG \| Geophysics Dept
Sumanjeet Kaur	0.70	ETA \| ESDR \| Energy Storage & Dist Dpt
Vassilia Zorba	0.70	ETA \| ESDR \| Energy Storage & Dist Dpt
Xiong Peng	0.70	ETA \| ESDR \| Energy Storage & Dist Dpt
Shawn Tornga	0.69	LD \| LD \| ONHS

Example Priorities:

RWTSH is interested in developing advanced capabilities related to hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and digital simulation of guided weapon designs.
The objective is to 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...
Modular Open Architecture synergizes well with model-based systems engineering (MBSE)/digital engineering (DE) concepts to employ a unified method of documentation...
AFRL/RW seeks integrated data solutions to discover new insights from technical data as well as business planning and execution data.
To meet emerging needs in digital engineering and digital twins, we are interested in approaches using Physically Inspired Neural Networks (PINNs) or similar approaches to developing machine learning surrogates of our weapon design and analysis codes.

Specific Technical Skills:

Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL)Digital EngineeringLethality ModelingComputational MechanicsData AnalyticsScene GenerationAFSIM/STORMSysMLOpen Systems Architecture

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Alexander Sim	0.70	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Research
Gregory Lemieux	0.69	EESA \| CESD \| Earth System Sciences
Han Li	0.69	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg Technologies Dept
Weiping Huang	0.69	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg Technologies Dept
Marco Pritoni	0.69	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg Technologies Dept
Shawn Tornga	0.69	LD \| LD \| ONHS
Donghun Kim	0.69	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg Technologies Dept
Michael Wetter	0.69	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg Technologies Dept
Hannah Parrilla	0.69	PSA \| NSD \| ANP
Zhe Bai	0.69	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science

Example Priorities:

The AFRL's Weapon Cyber program is seeking cyber survivability (cybersecurity and cyber resilience integrated) research concepts and approaches that will enhance mission assurance properties of munition system architectures...
Zero Trust capabilities and approaches for sensors, seekers, or guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) within weapon systems.
RWTAN seeks innovative solutions to ensure resilient Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) capabilities for single and networked weapon systems, particularly in GPS-denied or degraded environments.
We are interested in GPS-resilient technologies such as anti-jamming techniques, miniaturized GPS and RF antenna technologies, and methods for identifying and localizing jamming/spoofing sources.

Specific Technical Skills:

CybersecurityCyber ResilienceZero Trust ArchitectureHardware AssuranceSecure CommunicationsAnti-Jamming TechniquesAlternative Navigation (Alt-PNT)Formal MethodsRF ExploitationEmbedded Systems Security

Potential PIs for this Area:

Name	Score	Organization
Sean Peisert	0.70	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Applications
Sunhee Baik	0.68	ETA \| Energy Analysis & Environmental Impacts \| Energy Markets & Policy
Angelos Ioannou	0.67	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science
Tiffany Connors	0.67	CSA \| NERSC \| Data Center Department
Meriam Gay Bautista-Jurney	0.67	CSA \| AMCR \| Computer Science
Gazi Mahmud	0.67	BSA \| Environmental Genomics & Systems Biology \| Molecular Ecosystems Bio
Alex Newkirk	0.67	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg & Industrial App Dpt
Jeetika Malik	0.67	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg Technologies Dept
Anand Krishnan Prakash	0.67	ETA \| Building Technology & Urban Systems \| Bldg Technologies Dept
Stijn (Stan) Wielandt	0.66	EESA \| EG \| Geophysics Dept

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
Talita Perciano Costa Leite	0.75	CSA \| SciData \| Data Science Research · AI / Machine Learning
Didier Perrodin	0.75	ESA \| MSD \| Material Physics · Energetic Materials R&D
Tiffany Connors	0.74	CSA \| NERSC \| Data Center Department · Weapon Systems Cybersecurity
Tarek Zohdi	0.74	PSA \| Engineering \| Engineering Division Office · Lethality & Computational Mechanics
Zachary Needell	0.74	ETA \| Energy Analysis \| Systems & Energy Tech Analysis · Modeling, Simulation & Analysis (MS&A)
Kameshwar Poolla	0.73	ETA \| ESDR \| Energy Storage & Dist Dpt · Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) Simulation
Victor Negut	0.73	PSA \| NSD \| ANP · Seeker & Sensor Technologies
Claire Tomlin	0.73	BSA \| Biological Systems & Engineering \| Department of BioEngineering and BioMedical Sciences · Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC)
Cory Snavely	0.73	CSA \| NERSC \| HPC Technology Department · Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA)
Xianglei Mao	0.73	ETA \| ESDR \| Energy Storage & Dist Dpt · Fuze & Initiation Systems

Fundamental Research Exemption (FRE)

c. Export Control: Information involved in this research effort may be subject to Export Control (International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR) 22 CFR 120-131, or Export Administration Regulations (EAR) 15 CFR 710-774). If an effort is subject to export control, then certified DD Form 2345, Militarily Critical Technical Data Agreement, will be required to be submitted with the proposal.