Air Force Office of Scientific Research

AFOSR continues to expand the horizon of scientific knowledge through its leadership and management of the Department of the Air Force's basic research program. As a vital component of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), AFOSR's mission is to discover, shape, champion, and transition high risk basic research to profoundly impact the future Air and Space Force. AFOSR accomplishes its mission by cultivating scientific breakthroughs into world-class solutions to boldly go where no science has gone before. The FUTURE begins with Basic Research! **Key Partnerships** - **The University Connection:** Academia provides much of the backbone for our nation's technological progress while performing the bulk of the basic research. In addition to providing a prolific source of new knowledge and ideas, university research offers an exceptional training ground for developing and mentoring future scientists and advancing our national defense and economic security. - **Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program:** The primary objective of the STTR program is to involve small businesses in Air Force-relevant defense research and to enable them to commercialize innovative technologies for the advancement of U.S. economic competitiveness. Specifically, the STTR program is designed to provide incentive for small companies, academic institutions, and nonprofit research institutions (including federally funded research and development centers) to transfer technical ideas from the laboratory to the marketplace. - **Air Force Intramural Research:** AFOSR works closely with the other AFRL Technical Directorates to nurture and support quality research and, where advantageous, integrate intramural and external research efforts to transition the latest basic research discoveries to follow-on levels in the research and development chain. To find and fund revolutionary science, AFOSR solicits research proposals through a Broad Agency Announcement that outlines the Air Force Defense Research Sciences program supporting nearly forty major research areas.