Keynote Session: The Changing Face and Pace of U.S. Air and Space Forces Materials and Manufacturing Research: Dr. Timothy J. Bunning, Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)
Dr. Timothy J. Bunning
Chief Technology Officer
Air Force Research Laboratory
Air Force Materiel Command
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
The Changing Face and Pace of U.S. Air and Space Forces Materials and Manufacturing Research
The U.S. Air and Space Forces require advanced, multi-functional aerospace materials and the manufacturing processes to produce those materials to extend the life of legacy systems and to develop even more advanced future air and space systems. The need to develop materials quicker while reducing the cost of manufacturing is driving unprecedented transformation in materials R&D to accelerated use of computational materials exploration and digital engineering of materials applications. This presentation will address Air Force Research Laboratory's push for digital transformation and what that means for the Services' materials research and development. It will cover some of the needs of the Air Force and Space Force for multi-functional materials and the performance needed for those materials as well as some specific materials and/or manufacturing challenges resolved by AFRL over the past few years. Along with a discussion on some specific examples of materials and manufacturing developments AFRL is currently working with the intention of transitioning into practice in the next few years, the presentation will cover Air Force materials and manufacturing challenges foreseen over the next 10 to 20 years and how AFRL's S&T strategy provides the roadmap for meeting those needs while emphasizing AFRL's partnerships with industry and academia are key to developing, testing and delivering the revolutionary material technologies needed.