The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is the primary organization within the United States Air Force responsible for leading research, development, testing, evaluation, and transition of cutting-edge technologies for air, space, and cyberspace forces. AFRL plays a crucial role in ensuring the Air Force maintains its technological superiority and is prepared to meet future threats.
The Air Force Research Laboratory was established in October 1997 as part of the consolidation of Air Force laboratories and research centers into a single organization. Prior to this, research and development activities were carried out by separate organizations such as the Wright Laboratory, Phillips Laboratory, Rome Laboratory, and Armstrong Laboratory. Bringing all these groups together under AFRL allowed for greater coordination and integration of Air Force research efforts.
AFRL has two primary responsibilities: leading Air Force research in relevant scientific fields, and transitioning technologies to support Air Force needs. To accomplish these goals, AFRL manages a broad spectrum of technical competencies including aerospace systems, sensors, electronics, directed energy, propulsion, materials, nanotechnology, space vehicles, and more. The Laboratory employs leading scientists, engineers, program managers, and support specialists to carry out its work.
AFRL is headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, with multiple technology directorates and research sites located across the United States. As of 2022, AFRL has a total workforce of approximately 11,000 personnel composed of military, civilians, and contract employees. The annual budget is around $3 billion, making AFRL one of the largest and most well-funded organizations for air, space, and cyberspace research.
AFRL Technology Directorates
AFRL accomplishes its mission through nine Technology Directorates, each focused on a particular area of research, development, and transition:
- Aerospace Systems Directorate: Develops aerospace vehicle technologies such as aircraft, rockets, missiles, and spacecraft.
- Airman Systems Directorate: Develops airman performance technologies including human-machine interfaces, training systems, life support, and protective equipment.
- Directed Energy Directorate: Develops laser, high power microwave, and advanced optical technologies for defense applications.
- Information Directorate: Develops information, surveillance, and decision support technologies.
- Materials & Manufacturing Directorate: Develops materials, manufacturing, and sustainment technologies for aircraft, spacecraft, missiles, rockets, and ground-based systems.
- Munitions Directorate: Develops guided munitions technologies including sensors, fuzing, warheads, and integration.
- Sensors Directorate: Develops sensor and countermeasure technologies for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
- Space Vehicles Directorate: Develops space technologies including spacecraft, propulsion, space control, and space access.
- Tech Engagement Office: Manages AFRL’s relationships with academia, industry, and other partners to connect with innovators.
Each directorate contains multiple research divisions and sites that focus on specialized areas relevant to the directorate’s mission. While the directorates operate semi-independently, they collaborate extensively to provide integrated solutions that combine different technologies as needed.
Notable AFRL Technology Programs and Projects
Over its history, AFRL and its predecessor organizations have spearheaded development of transformational technologies that had major impacts on the Air Force, national defense, and even civilian applications. Some examples of notable AFRL programs include:
Integrated Sensor is Structure (ISIS)
Developed conformal load-bearing radar antenna elements that can be seamlessly integrated into aircraft structure for increased stealth and capability.
Hallmark Tests
Conducted first U.S. ballistic missile defense intercepts to demonstrate hit-to-kill technologies, laying the groundwork for modern missile defense systems.
Have Blue
Demonstrated stealth shaping and coating techniques later used on the F-117A, the world’s first operational stealth aircraft.
Precision Attack Missile Demonstration (PRAM-D)
Developed GPS-guided small diameter bomb capabilities, enhancing aircraft lethality while minimizing collateral damage.
Airborne Laser Laboratory (ALL)
Demonstrated the first ever airborne directed energy weapon, achieving the first airborne laser track, engagement, and destruction of an airborne target.
X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle
Developed and continues to operate the X-37B reusable spaceplane to demonstrate advanced space technologies and conduct long-duration space experiments.
Virtual Mission Operations Center (VMOC)
Created simulation technologies to enable low-cost, virtual training systems that provide high fidelity training for operators any time and anywhere.
Project Corona Harvest
Developed hyper-spectral imaging capabilities that can track and assess crop health and fertilization needs from the air, with potential for revolutionizing precision agriculture.
Transitioning AFRL Technology
A key part of AFRL’s mission is transitioning cutting-edge technologies out of the laboratory and into operational use to meet Air Force needs. This transition process involves working collaboratively with industry partners, acquisition offices, and operational users to mature technologies and integrate them into mission-enhancing systems.
Common transition methods used by AFRL include prototyping of technologies, field demonstrations, developing new system concepts for acquisition programs, providing scientific and engineering support for acquisition program offices, and participating in technical reviews to provide expertise.
Examples of successful AFRL technology transitions include transferring radar capabilities to the F-22 fighter, microsatellite technologies for Operationally Responsive Space missions, and cyber security tools incorporated into the Unified Platform cloud architecture.
To expedite transition, AFRL utilizes a variety of arrangements to work with industry such as Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), Educational Partnership Agreements (EPAs), Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contracts, and Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) programs.
AFRL’s Impact on the Air Force and US Defense
Throughout its history AFRL has delivered game-changing technologies that ensured Air Force air dominance and advanced US defense capabilities. Examples include:
- Developing stealth technology that enabled advanced aircraft like the F-22 and F-35 to evade enemy detection.
- Pioneering precision guided munitions which allow greater precision strike with less collateral damage.
- Creating compact airborne laser systems leading to High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense Systems (HELLADS) that will enable laser weapons on fighter aircraft.
- Inventing modular Open Mission Systems architectures that allow rapid integration of new technologies into aircraft mission systems.
- Developing hypersonic technologies such as scramjet engines and thermal protection systems to enable sustained hypersonic flight.
- Mature critical space technologies supporting GPS, communications, weather monitoring, and other vital national security space capabilities.
- Spearheading new cyber security tools and techniques to defend Air Force networks against growing cyber threats.
Looking to the future, AFRL aims to continue leading Air Force science and technology into new frontiers such as nanotechnology, renewable energies, quantum science, artificial intelligence, and more to ensure continued US airpower dominance.
AFRL’s Partnerships and Collaboration
While AFRL conducts in-house research across a broad range of scientific disciplines, strategic partnerships are essential for accessing cutting-edge innovation. AFRL leverages partnerships in several ways:
- Academic Partnerships: Collaborations with universities provide access to research faculty and graduate students at the leading edge of science and engineering fields.
- Industry Partnerships: Partnering with companies and innovators helps transition technologies into solutions for prototypes and systems.
- Interagency Partnerships: Working with other agencies and services shares costs, avoids duplication, and provides the best technologies for national defense.
- International Partnerships: Bilateral agreements facilitate collaboration with allied nations to jointly develop critical technologies.
- Small Business Programs: Small business projects and assistance programs provide opportunities for agile, innovative companies.
Some of AFRL’s major partners include MIT Lincoln Laboratory, MITRE Corporation, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, Draper Laboratory, Stanford University, Caltech/Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and leading defense companies like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, General Atomics, and Raytheon.
Partnerships expand AFRL’s research horizons and bring together the best minds to solve national security challenges. This extensive network for collaboration helps AFRL deliver the innovative technologies needed to keep the Air Force on the cutting edge.
AFRL’s Approach to Innovation
AFRL employs advanced models of innovation to rapidly translate leading edge science into transformational capabilities supporting Air Force missions. Key aspects of AFRL’s innovation approach include:
- Pursuing basic research to uncover new scientific knowledge and concepts at the frontiers of physics, chemistry, biology, materials, and other fields.
- Embracing public-private partnerships and commercialization strategies to access non-traditional innovation sources.
- Using prototyping, experimentation, and computational modeling to mature emerging technologies into operational capabilities.
- Emphasizing human-machine teaming, resiliency, and integrating diverse technologies into unified systems solutions.
- Streamlining acquisition processes to more rapidly transition from science to fielded capabilities.
- Developing open interface standards and architectures to enable rapid integration of new technologies.
- Exploring artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation to enhance the pace and effectiveness of innovation.
By bringing together brilliant technical talent, research infrastructure, and collaborative networks, AFRL will continue spearheading the discoveries needed to sustain airpower dominance for America.
AFRL’s Major Research Facilities
AFRL operates extensive scientific research facilities that provide infrastructure critical for maturing technologies. Some of AFRL’s major research facilities include:
Aerodynamics and Propulsion Facilities
Multiple wind tunnels, turbine engine test facilities, rocket propulsion test sites, and other specialized labs to research aerodynamics, propulsion, and thermal protection technologies for advanced air and space vehicles.
Space Vehicles Facilities
World-class facilities for launch operations, satellite command and control, space environment testing, and fabrication of space vehicle components and subsystems.
Directed Energy Facilities
Specialized beam directors, optical tracking mounts, atmospheric simulation chambers, and laser ranges to support the development of high energy lasers and microwave weapons.
Cyber Security Facilities
Lab networks serving as cyber test beds to develop and demonstrate cyber operation tools, defense capabilities, and training technologies.
Microelectronics Facilities
Cleanrooms, semiconductor growth chambers, nanofabrication areas, and device characterization labs for designing specialized microchips and fabricating prototype devices.
Materials and Manufacturing Facilities
Materials growth equipment, structural testing labs, additive manufacturing capabilities, sustainment technology labs, and other resources to research materials, processes, and enabling manufacturing technologies.
This specialized lab infrastructure allows thorough investigation, refinement, and qualification of emerging technologies before transitioning them to the field.
Notable AFRL Breakthrough Technologies
Throughout its history, AFRL has generated breakthroughs across a wide spectrum of technological areas. Some examples of transformational AFRL technologies include:
Precision GPS Guidance
Pioneered GPS precision guidance technologies later used widely in JDAMs, Small Diameter Bombs, and other munitions to provide unprecedented accuracy and minimize collateral damage.
Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM)
Developed high energy laser systems to defend large aircraft from infrared missile attacks, increasing survivability of planes like the C-17, C-130, and AC-130.
Hall Thruster Electric Propulsion
Perfected hall thruster technologies that use electric rather than chemical propulsion for spacecraft, enabling new classes of agile, efficient space systems.
Cognitive Electronic Warfare
Created AI-based electronic warfare systems that can dynamically identify and jam new threats, protecting aircraft from anti-aircraft defenses.
Virtual Reality Flight Training
Invented matched visualization helmet mounted displays paired with motion platforms to create immersive, low cost simulated flight training environments.
Hardened Airframes
Pioneered advanced materials and designs for aircraft structures able to withstand impacts from high-energy electromagnetic fields with minimal damage.
These and many other AFRL breakthroughs continue propelling the Air Force forward as a technologically dominant force.
Notable AFRL Scientists and Engineers
AFRL employs many brilliant researchers and scientists who have made groundbreaking contributions to national defense. A few notable current and former AFRL scientists include:
Mark Lewis
Chief Scientist of the Air Force. Recognized for extensive research on aerospace propulsion, thermophysics, and hypersonics. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Heidi R. Ries
AFRL Engineer who led development of nondestructive evaluation technologies for aircraft structures. Member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Victor Piotrowski
AFRL scientist who developed computer modeling techniques enabling Air Force-wide simulation-based acquisition using digital twins.
Raj Shah
AFRL researcher who pioneered development of durable and efficient solid oxide fuel cells for aerospace applications.
Ronald Kerber
AFRL radar techniques innovator who developed critical technologies for electronic warfare, information warfare, and signals intelligence.
Sheila Widnall
Renowned aerospace scientist and former AFRL commander. First woman Secretary of the Air Force and member of the National Academy of Engineering.
This high caliber workforce provides AFRL unmatched expertise for solving the Air Force’s toughest technological challenges.
Conclusion
For over 60 years, the Air Force Research Laboratory has delivered game-changing technologies ensuring American air dominance and advanced defense capabilities. Through its specialized workforce, research facilities, and strategic partnerships, AFRL will continue expanding the frontiers of scientific knowledge and spearheading the innovation necessary to meet future military challenges. The next revolutionary breakthroughs in air, space, and cyberspace technologies will be forged within AFRL’s labs as they push the boundaries of the possible.
