Engineering, Materials and Physical Sciences header

ONR 334 Thrust Areas

Reduced Signatures
		The Reduced Signatures thrust will enhance the war-fighting ability of Navy combatants by reducing their susceptibility to detection, classification, and targeting and improving their survivability. Specific signature areas addressed in this thrust are: (1) Reduced Underwater Signatures, with the goal of lowering the acoustic and electromagnetic signatures of surface and submarine platforms; and (2) Reduced Above-Water Signatures, with the goal of lowering the radar and infrared signatures of surface combatants. Read more

Hydromechanics
		Hydromechanics for submarines and surface ships includes a broad range of technical topics in maneuvering, hydroacoustic stealth, seakeeping, and propulsion. Advances in hydromechanics yield payoffs in both war fighting capabilities and cost reduction. Improved capabilities range from quieter operation to improved maneuverability, while cost reduction occurs mostly in acquisition, specifically design-cycle reduction and its corollary, risk reduction. Read more

Hull Life Assurance
		The Hull Life Assurance (HLA) thrust is focused on improving the combat effectiveness of surface ships through technological advances in structural design. Results of the Hull Life Assurance thrust will provide: (1) Design solutions for less susceptible, more survivable ships with reduced life cycle costs. (2) An increase in the phenomenological understanding of the physical behavior of marine systems in order to transition towards simulation-based design and accelerate the insertion of technology into new platforms. Read more

Advanced Electrical Power Systems
		The Advanced Electrical Power Systems (AEPS) thrust will support the OSD strategic framework with transformation-enabling initiatives in power and energy technologies. AEPS will provide the enabling science, technology and design tools to allow electrical power systems, electric propulsion, and auxiliary systems to meet future mission and affordability requirements. AEPS technologies will be applicable to all future surface ship, aircraft carrier, and submarine platforms. Benefits include a more survivable ship, integrated systems for ship control, C4I, engineering plant, and damage control, and leveraging of commercial technology. Read more

Distributed Intelligence for Automated Survivability
		This thrust addresses the development of robust control of automation architecture, the ability to provide reconfiguration of systems in response to casualties, and further improvements in automated damage control. Research and development in distributed controls for shipboard systems will produce payoffs for both the surface and submarine fleets in terms of total ownership cost reduction and improved warfighting capability. Read more