BAA Atch 1--Statement of Objectives (SOO).pdf

FA8650‐23‐S‐2001

Attachment 1

14 November 2022

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES

Aeroscience Collaborative Research and Development

(ACoRD)

1.0 Background

Air Force Research Laboratory, Aerospace Systems Directorate (AFRL/RQ) cultivates foundational technologies for eventual demonstration on aerospace systems. AFRL/RQ has requirements for

Research and Development (R&D) involving (1) the transfer of novel ideas, methods, processes, and technologies between the basic research and applications communities and the military laboratory environment; (2) performance assessment of novel technologies as compared with current technology capabilities; (3) quantification of integrated aerospace systems performance incorporating new technologies; and (4) transfer of new technologies with accompanying analysis, modeling and simulation, and experimental data to industry and the warfighter. The anticipated results of this R&D program are the foundational technologies and the advancement of novel technologies through technology readiness levels for future innovative aerospace systems.

2.0 Objective

The objective of the Aeroscience Collaborative Research and Development (ACoRD) program is to perform R&D projects applicable to Vehicle Aerodynamics across all speed regimes, which are aligned to the organization Divisions, Core Technical Competencies (CTCs) and sub‐CTCs as follows:

RQV ‐ Aerospace Vehicles CTC, Vehicle Aerodynamics sub‐CTC; RQH ‐ High Speed Systems CTC, High

Speed Aerodynamics sub‐CTC.

2.1 For the purpose of this program, R&D projects shall involve the basic research community

(including academia and independent external research organizations) and applications research community (commercial and industry research organization). Projects align with the technical goals and objectives by focusing on:

Technology development of methods, processes, and capabilities to analyze and predict aerospace systems, sub‐systems, system interfaces, modeling multidisciplinary/multi‐functional frameworks, and component behaviors, and characterize performance or cost‐value trades on simulated missions, operations, or campaigns;

Technology development of algorithms and computational tools to produce data for analysis, optimization, or design of aerospace systems, sub‐systems, and components;

Computational simulations to inform development of test matrices for ground‐ based and flight‐based campaigns and post‐processing of results to provide experimental data of appropriate fidelity to characterize system, sub‐system, and component level technology performance, including validation quality data and data visualization;

Development and execution of R&D tools on aerospace systems applications of interest to the USAF, including verification, validation, model‐based systems engineering, digital engineering, and accreditation of modeling and simulation tools.

2.2 R&D to be performed shall include, but is not limited to:

R&D projects that focus on developing novel approaches, innovative technologies and methodologies and evaluating response to current and future R&D needs.

These R&D projects are exploratory in nature, and provide the foundation for future revolutionary capabilities.

R&D projects that focus on development and integration of novel approaches, innovative technologies, and methodologies into revolutionary analysis, optimization, visualization, and prediction tools that increase in‐house research capability and efficiency. These R&D projects demonstrate benefits of relevant technologies applicable to technical goals and objectives.

R&D projects that focus on evolutionary as well as revolutionary development of research capabilities and exercising those experimental, analytical, optimization, and prediction capabilities to develop and/or assess innovative technologies on current and future aerospace system applications. These R&D projects demonstrate proficient application of capabilities in response to warfighter needs.

3.0 Tasks/Technical Requirements – Baseline

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Experimental Fluid Dynamics (EFD) R&D is the integration of fluid dynamics, aerodynamics, physics, mathematics, and computer science to experimentally investigate and computationally simulate complex flows about canonical configurations as well as real‐world applications, including current and future aerospace systems, weapons systems, sub‐systems, and components. Five key technical areas for R&D are:

High‐Speed Aero‐physics;

Multi‐Scale Unsteady Flow;

Applied Computational Analysis;

Simulation Capability Development; and

High Performance Computing Methodologies.

Disciplines typically utilized in the performance of R&D include, but are not limited to: fluid dynamics, subsonic aerodynamics, transonic aerodynamics, supersonic aerodynamics, hypersonic aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics, aero‐acoustics, aero‐optics, non‐equilibrium chemical flows, and rarified gas dynamics.

3.1 R&D efforts shall develop, mature, integrate, and demonstrate the computational tools required to perform reliable, high‐fidelity, multi‐disciplinary analyses of all speed regimes (i.e., subsonic through hypersonic) focusing on multi‐scale unsteady flows, flow interactions, and flows with widely varying temporal and spatial scales. Research efforts will address verification and validation of computational tools, including simulations to inform development of test matrices for ground‐based and flight‐based campaigns and post‐processing of results to provide experimental data of appropriate fidelity to characterize system, sub‐system, and component level technology performance. Testing results will be incorporated, leveraging experimental data at appropriate fidelity levels, to characterize technology performance using validation quality data and data visualization.

3.2 R&D may also include concept generation/evaluation, and systems integration to support acquisition decisions.

3.2.1 R&D of aero‐optics simulation capability to characterize flow (including turbulence) over various configurations representing aircraft laser turret geometries of interest, characterize the effect of unsteady flow on aero‐ optic aberrations, and evaluate flow control strategies/devices to reduce aberrations. Results shall increase the knowledge‐base of Large Eddy Simulation (LES), Hybrid Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS), and Implicit LES for aero‐optics applications, and evaluate effectiveness of legacy and future airborne laser concepts using these capabilities. Results shall include the increase of the accuracy of models for turbulence/aero‐ optic interactions to capture aberrations, including development and conducting of experiments to determine and quantify most significant contributors to laser beam quality degradation.

3.2.2 R&D of high‐fidelity conjugate heat transfer research including characterization of fundamental physical phenomena of coupled structural and fluid interactions, quantification of heat transfer rates in solids (conduction) and fluid (convection) and across their interface, and analysis of aerothermoelastic deformations and resulting effect on aerodynamic performance properties. Results shall increase knowledge‐ base of multi‐physics simulations and combined thermodynamic, aerodynamic, and deforming structural models. Results shall include increase accuracy of prediction of aerodynamic and aero‐heating flight control properties associated with aerodynamic control surface shape change in high‐speed flows.

3.2.3 R&D of high‐fidelity conjugate heat transfer within the flow‐path of scramjet type engines may require performance of work at the classified level. All proposal material addressing this portion of the Objectives should be at the unclassified level.

3.2.4 R&D of uncertainty quantification and sensitivity analysis of high‐fidelity aero‐physics analyses of disciplines listed in 3.0, accounting for physical, mathematical, and computational contributions. Observation error in experimental data for wind tunnel and flight tests shall also be considered. Strategies, algorithms, or processes to mitigate or manage uncertainty shall be developed and executed. Results shall increase efficiency of algorithms for calculations of uncertainty and sensitivity parameters. Results shall include the increase accuracy in comparison of high‐fidelity aero‐physics analyses to “truth” model or experimental data, accounting for all contributions of error.

3.2.5 R&D of high‐speed, rarified flow physics, including continuum breakdown effects and influencing parameters (surface flux, local Mach number, molecular surface roughness, crosshatch patterns, distributed roughness elements) in shock interaction flows, shock wave‐boundary layer interaction (SWBLI), and shock‐shock interaction phenomena in hypersonic gas flows. The results shall increase the knowledge‐base of boundary layer effects and shock wave interactions in hypersonic gas flows. The results shall increase the knowledge base of mitigation strategies to reduce the effect of shocks on boundary layer flow. Results shall include the increased accuracy of prediction of boundary layer transition under the influence of shock waves in hypersonic gas flows.

3.3 Science and Technology (S&T) and application of S&T for this effort shall include, but is not limited to advancements and application of the state‐of‐the‐art in: high‐speed aero‐physics; multi‐scale unsteady flow; applied computational analysis; simulation capability development; turbulence model development and simulation; flow transition; fluid structure interactions; geometry and grid development; flow visualization; and high‐performance computing.

3.3.1 R&D to execute CFD simulations and inform experimental test campaigns of technology relevant to USAF platforms. Examples of USAF platforms include: Legacy fleet platforms, Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT), High Speed Vertical Takeoff and Landing (HSVTOL), Hybrid‐Electric and Distributed Propulsion, Next Generation Tactical Systems, High Speed Strike Weapon (HSSW), Hi‐Fire, Hi‐FEX, Maneuverable Hypersonic Vehicle (MHV), and Assessment of Weapons Separation (F‐35 Weapons Bay, attritable platforms). Relevant aerodynamic problems include:

configuration aerodynamics, corner flows, aero‐thermal loads, propulsion integration, controls effectiveness, shockwave‐boundary layer interaction, and shock‐shock interaction. The results shall increase efficiency of model generation and execution for geometry clean‐up/de‐featuring, grid generation using interactive and scripting tools, solution using in‐house and DoD Distributed Shared Resource Centers computational resources, and post‐processing/visualization of results. Computational simulations shall inform experimental hardware integration and, along with post‐ processing of results, provide data of appropriate levels of fidelity to characterize performance of system, subsystem, and component level technology and to validate CFD simulations.

3.3.2 R&D to optimize performance of in‐house developed CFD software for use with High Performance Computing (HPC) resources. The results shall increase the knowledge‐base for computational architectures and paradigms for high‐fidelity scientific computing. Results shall increase computational performance of codes (e.g., AVUS, FDL3DI, OVERFLOW, US3D, FUN3D) on local as well as HPC resources.

3.3.3 R&D for parallelization, including hardware and software resource allocation to implement parallel execution. Results shall increase effectiveness of model generation, pre‐/post‐ processing of data (i.e., visualization), and meet security requirements for data transfer, including remote client‐server parallelization.

4.0 Tasks/Technical Requirements – Options

4.1 Option #1

This option period commences at the end of the baseline effort and extends the fundamental

R&D and applied S&T for an additional 24 months. Research shall seek to expand the fidelity of algorithms, computational tools, methods, processes, and capabilities to enable analytical assessment of aerospace systems, subsystems, and components. Recipient shall coordinate with government S&Es to identify required capabilities, translate into constructive measures of performance, and apply state of the art methodologies to characterize aerospace systems in the following areas:

Fundamental physical phenomena of coupled structural and fluid interactions, quantification of heat transfer rates, and combined thermodynamic, aerodynamic, and deforming structural models.

Computational methodologies including uncertainty quantification, sensitivity analysis, High Performance Computing architectures and paradigms, and parallelization.

Optimization of in‐house and externally developed CFD solvers for use with High Performance Computing resources, including sensitivity analysis and uncertainty quantification.

CFD analysis and support for experimental campaigns to address problems in configuration aerodynamics, corner flows, aero‐thermal loads, propulsion integration, controls effectiveness, shockwave‐boundary layer interaction, and shock‐shock interaction.

Fidelity improvements for the prediction of aerodynamic and aero‐heating flight control properties associated with aerodynamic control surface shape change in high‐speed flows.

4.2 Option #2

This option period commences at the end of the option #1 effort and extends both the depth and breadth of research in unsteady aero physics for an additional 24 months.

Research shall leverage advances made in the baseline and option #1 efforts and focus on continued discovery of fundamental physics and applied aerodynamics across all speed regimes – subsonic, transonic, supersonic, and hypersonic. Recipient shall coordinate with government partners to review areas of greatest need for the Air Force and update research strategies to explore fundamental aerodynamics, fluid mechanics, fluid dynamics, and thermodynamics as well as analyze vehicle components, sub‐systems, and systems to advance the maturity of high‐impact technologies. Areas of research shall include:

Fundamental physical phenomena of coupled structural and fluid interactions, quantification of heat transfer rates, and combined thermodynamic, aerodynamic, and deforming structural models.

Computational methodologies including uncertainty quantification, sensitivity analysis, High Performance Computing architectures and paradigms, and parallelization.

Optimization of in‐house and externally developed CFD solvers for use with High Performance Computing resources, including sensitivity analysis and uncertainty quantification.

CFD analysis and support for experimental campaigns to address problems in configuration aerodynamics, corner flows, aero‐thermal loads, propulsion integration, controls effectiveness, shockwave‐boundary layer interaction, and shock‐shock interaction.

Fidelity improvements for the prediction of aerodynamic and aero‐heating flight control properties associated with aerodynamic control surface shape change in high‐speed flows.

5.0 Program Management

The Recipient shall exercise program, administrative, and financial management functions during this effort such as: scheduling of activities and milestones; describing status; outlining Recipient activity and progress towards the accomplishment of objectives; program planning; describing in detail the overall results of the effort; and documenting any new technological breakthroughs. Track and detail all sub‐recipient expenditures of man‐hours and funds.

6.0 Data/Deliverables

6.1 Data

Provide deliverables in compliance with the Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL), DD

Form 1423‐1. The following CDRLs apply:

A001 – Scientific and Technical Reports – Final Report, DI‐MISC‐80711A/T, One/R

A002 – Funds and Man‐Hour Expenditure Report, DI‐FNCL‐80331A/T, Monthly

A003 – Contract Funds Status Report, DI‐MGMT‐81468/T, Quarterly

A004 – Computer Software Product, DI‐IPSC‐81488/T, As Generated

A005 – Presentation Material, DI‐ADMN‐881373/T, As Required

A006 – Scientific and Technical Reports – Annual Report, DI‐MISC‐80711A/T/T, Annually

A007 – Scientific and Technical Reports – Spend Plan, DI‐MGMT‐80711A/T, Monthly

A008 – Technical Information Report – SF 424 Annual Update, DI‐MISC‐80652/T, Annually

6.2 Hardware

Any hardware developed under this effort shall be delivered as generated.

6.3 Software

Any software developed under this effort shall be delivered as generated.

7.0 Operations Security (OPSEC)

OPSEC must be an integral part of our daily activities. As we maintain security on our future technologies that are vital to national interest, we must recognize and prepare for the threat poised against our technology. Department of Defense policies mandate a high degree of security throughout the acquisition process. However, heightened security awareness and threat‐based countermeasures are particularly essential during the research and development phase when our technology is most vulnerable to espionage, sabotage, or exploitation. It is the obligation of each employee or person involved on this agreement to be constantly aware of and strictly adhere to security requirements designed to protect sensitive unclassified and other information and resources produced by acquisition, research and development, and technological security efforts outlined in this SOO. The Recipient shall ensure employees receive training and follow appropriate

Operations Security (OPSEC) measures during the performance of the agreement.