Participating Labs by Discipline: Mechanical Engineering

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate develops materials, processes, and advanced manufacturing technologies for aircraft, spacecraft, missiles, rockets, and ground-based systems and their structural, electronic and optical components. Air Force product centers, logistic centers, and operating commands rely on the directorate’s expertise in materials, nondestructive inspection, systems support, and advanced manufacturing methods to solve system, expeditionary deployment, and operational challenges.

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) provides cross-cutting solutions to enable the Department of Defense, the United States Government, and international partners to Deter strategic attacks against the United States and its allies; Prevent, reduce, and counter WMD and emerging threats; and Prevail against WMD-armed adversaries in crisis and conflict. DTRA’s core functions contain many enduring tasks and responsibilities as well as new efforts and initiatives to account for rapidly evolving technological and operational challenges. In all cases, the Agency adapts to address these issues more effectively by performing basic and applied research, exploratory development, and cybersecurity to meet our nation’s most critical science and technology needs. Scholars at DTRA can look forward to working within their Sponsoring Directorate applying their knowledge, experiences, skills, and talents to contribute to the missions of countering and deterring WMD and emerging threats.

DEVCOM Armaments Center’s mission is to lead research, development, and engineering of systems solutions to arm those who defend the nation against all current and future threats, both at home and abroad.

The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory (DEVCOM ARL), as an integral part of the Army Futures Command, is the U.S Army’s foundational research laboratory that has the mission of operationalizing science. The DEVCOM ARL mission essential task of foundational research has the objective to conduct research and reconnaissance to inform future Army science, technology, and engineering and invest in areas that ensure overmatch. DEVCOM ARL executes research in 11 competencies that provide the Army foundational expertise and specialized capabilities grounded in scientific excellence and driven by unique Army challenges. These competencies are: Biological and Biotechnology Sciences; Electromagnetic Spectrum Sciences; Energy Sciences, Humans in Complex Systems; Mechanical Sciences; Military Information Sciences; Network, Cyber, and Computational Sciences; Photonics, Electronics, and Quantum Sciences; Sciences of Extreme Materials; Terminal Effects; and Weapons Sciences.

We are AvMC – the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center. The Army’s focal point for providing research, development, and engineering technology and services for aviation platforms and missile systems across the life cycle. The AvMC team – approximately 12,000-strong – has remained at the forefront of Army technology. Our focus is on four key priorities: Developing and integrating next-generation technologies to ensure aviation and missile dominance; Providing world-class functional engineering expertise to the Program Executive Offices, Missile Defense Agency, Rapid Capabilities & Critical Technologies Office, and other critical partners; Providing world-class sustainment engineering expertise to Aviation and Missile Command partners; Recruiting and developing the engineering talent to achieve areas 1-3.

We are the nation’s principal research and development resource for non-medical chem-bio (CB) defense.

The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center (DEVCOM SC) is a team of world-class scientists, engineers, analysts, technicians, and support staff who are fully focused on empowering America’s Soldiers today and in the future. We leverage cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum effects, autonomy, robotics, advanced energetics, and synthetic biology to give Soldiers the ability to see, sense, decide, and act faster than their adversaries. Located in Natick, MA, and Orlando, FL, DEVCOM Soldier Center is the science behind the Soldier.

NAWCWD is the Navy’s largest single land-holding of 85% of the Navy’s land for Research, Development, Acquisition, Test, and Evaluation (RDAT&E). With a combined 1,829 square miles of land, 36,000 square miles of sea, and 20,000 square miles of restricted airspace, NAWCWD maintains centers of excellence in weapons development and electronic warfare for the Department of Navy. With over 75 years of accelerated, game-changing weapons development, testing, and integration, NAWCWD continues to deliver products and innovations that support our National Defense Strategy and provide a tactical advantage to the fleet. NAWCWD enables the industry and government teaming by providing government expertise and collaboration at all levels within original equipment manufacturers (OEM) for development and production, including organic completion of integration, testing, fielding, and sustainment of systems.

NAWCAD is the Navy’s largest warfare center with a diverse force of military, civilians and contractors building the navy of today, the navy of tomorrow and the navy after next. The acquisition and sustainment of capability is a weapon of war -NAWCAD delivers! NAWCAD is where naval aviation takes flight through research, development, test and evaluation of both fielded and not-yet fielded naval platforms and technologies that ensure America’s Sailors and Marines always go into conflict with significant advantage.

Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC) is a U.S. Navy command providing research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E), and in-service engineering to deliver specialized facility and expeditionary solutions to the warfighter. As NAVFAC’s only warfare center, we provide technology and unique, agile solutions for the warfighter that specifically focus on expeditionary, oceans, and shore needs from enduring bases to forward deployed expeditionary locations.