CRANBAA-20-0002 | N00164 20 1 2001

Opportunity Information: Apply for N00164 20 1 2001

CRANBAA-20-0002 (Funding Opportunity Number N00164 20 1 2001) is a Department of Defense research funding opportunity issued by the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane in partnership with the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) through its Joint Hypersonic Transition Office (JHTO). The program is aimed at advancing science and technology that can transition into practical hypersonic capabilities, with an emphasis on solving real engineering problems tied to flight, propulsion, materials, modeling, and test/validation. Funding is provided through either grants or cooperative agreements, indicating that the government may expect active involvement during the period of performance (especially under a cooperative agreement) to guide technical direction, integration, or transition planning.

The opportunity focuses on a set of specific research topic areas that collectively cover the major technical barriers in hypersonics. One major thrust is systems-level design of high-temperature composite materials and structures, including research into how fiber architectures and matrix compositions can be tailored for extreme thermal and mechanical environments. Another thrust seeks novel approaches to position, navigation, and timing (PNT) along with adaptive flight controls, reflecting the need for robust guidance and control when vehicles operate in contested or degraded navigation environments and under rapidly changing aerodynamic conditions. On the propulsion side, the solicitation calls for design-oriented models to optimize scramjet and multi-mode engines, as well as deeper work on inlet and isolator flow-path processes in rectangular or curved geometries, including how junction flows and off-nominal flight conditions can destabilize the system. These areas point to a priority on tools and understanding that directly inform design decisions, not just basic physics.

A significant modeling and simulation component is also highlighted through interest in simulation methods for rapid prediction of hypersonic environments. This implies a need for faster, reliable computational approaches that can support design cycles and interpret experimental data, potentially bridging high-fidelity methods with reduced-order or surrogate approaches. The opportunity additionally targets methods and models for multiphase blast properties and structural responses, backed by validation experiments and instrumentation that produce high-quality data. That topic suggests interest in accurately characterizing complex blast phenomena involving multiple phases (for example, particulates or condensed phases) and in measuring how structures respond, which is often critical for survivability and hardening assessments. Another propulsion-adjacent area is rotating detonation rocket engines (RDRE), with the solicitation explicitly calling for improved understanding of RDRE physics and design solutions to inherent technical challenges, signaling interest in moving beyond demonstrations toward more controllable, usable engine designs.

Beyond technology development, the solicitation includes hypersonic workforce curricula development, which expands the program beyond laboratory research into education and workforce pipeline building. This can include development of courses, training modules, laboratory experiences, or other structured curricula intended to grow the pool of engineers and scientists able to work in hypersonics, often with an eye toward hands-on skills and exposure to relevant design, modeling, and test practices.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity category, under CFDA number 12.300. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and the eligibility listing indicates it is otherwise open to any entity type subject to any clarifications in the full text of the announcement. The solicitation was created on June 22, 2020, with an original closing date of July 22, 2020, reflecting a one-month submission window. The award ceiling is listed at $4,000,000, and the government anticipated making about 8 awards, which suggests a competitive selection with multiple funded efforts distributed across the topic areas rather than a single large award.

Overall, CRANBAA-20-0002 is structured to fund applied research and enabling technologies that close key gaps in hypersonic vehicle design and operation, spanning materials and structures, navigation and controls, propulsion optimization, inlet/isolator stability, fast environment prediction, blast/structural response experimentation and modeling, RDRE advancement, and workforce development. The combined focus on design-oriented models, validation-quality data, and transition-minded topics reflects an intent to produce outcomes that can feed directly into development programs rather than remaining purely academic.

• The Department of Defense, NSWC - CRANE in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "CRANBAA-20-0002" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.300.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 22, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 22, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $4,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for N00164 20 1 2001

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