The 2020 Agile Science of Test and Evaluation will be held virtually September 22-24, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here for event details and registration.

The Agile Science of Test and Evaluation (T&E) program supports basic research inventing and innovating revolutionary capabilities responsive to the Air Force T&E community. Crossing scientific frontiers necessitates enhancing and pioneering test and measurement capabilities. The program sponsors basic research in areas enabling metrology and facilitating correct and comprehensive interpretation of test information. Agile science of test and evaluation leads to improving the ability to analyze FA9550-19-S 0001 Page 16 of 86 and model operational environments, pursue science discoveries, and accelerate research & acquisition. The AFOSR T&E program encompasses six broadly-defined, overlapping thrust areas: Aeroelasticity and Aerodynamics, Enabling Materials and Processes, Hypersonics, Information Management and Fusion, Sensors and Electromagnetics and Science of Integrated Risk Assessment. The Program is closely aligned with other AFOSR science areas advancing experimental methodologies and merging scientific disciplines.

Basic Research Objectives: The AFOSR T&E program is closely engaged with technical experts at the Air Force Test Center (AFTC) organizations including Arnold, Edwards, Eglin and Holloman Air Force Bases, who help guide the program on basic research objectives. Basic research in areas that advance the science of testing is broadly defined and spans mathematics as well as most disciplines in engineering and the physical sciences. Areas include, but are not limited to:

• Novel measurement techniques, materials, and instruments that enable accurate, rapid, and reliable test data collection of physical, chemical, mechanical, and flow parameters in extreme environments, such as those encountered during transonic flight, hypersonic flight, and the terminal portion of weapons engagement;
• Accurate, fast, robust, integrals models reducing requirements to test or help provide greater understanding of test results;
• Advanced algorithms and computational evaluation techniques that are applicable to new generations of computers, including massively parallel, quantum, and neuromorphic machines;
• Advanced algorithms and test techniques that allow rapid and accurate assessment of devices and software to cyber vulnerability;
• New processes and devices that increase bandwidth utilization and allow rapid, secure transfer of test data to control facilities during test;
• Advanced mathematical techniques that improve design of experiment or facilitate confident comparison of similar but disparate tests;
• Advanced models of test equipment and processes that improve test reliability and efficiency;

The portfolio also seeks basic research in other T&E areas, not listed above, that may advance the science of test and contributes to the development of knowledge, skills, and abilities for the AF T&E community.

You are highly encouraged to contact our Program Officer prior to developing full proposals to briefly discuss program relevance. You should be prepared to explain why your proposed effort should be considered basic research, how it is unique to Test Science, and demonstrate an awareness of the Air Force T&E process.

Collaborative efforts with the Air Force Test Center and Air Force Research Laboratory are encouraged, but not required.

DR. BRETT POKINES, AFOSR/RTA1
E-mail: tande@us.af.mil