Table 1. Air Force agencies, research interests and funding, FY 1977. 



Agency Interests FY 77 Funds 



Air Force Office of Scientific Research Electronics and Solid State Sciences, Physics, Mathematics. $45.1 



Chemistry, Aerospace Sciences, Life Sciences 



Air Force Armament Laboratory Mathematics, Mechanics, Energy Conversion 1.4 



Rome Air Development Center Electronics, Physics, Mathematics, Materials 5.8 



Air Force Geophysics Laboratory Environmental Sciences, Chemistry 9.2 



Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory Chemistry, Mechanics, Energy Conversion .8 



Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory Mathematics, Mechanics 2.7 



Air Force Materials Laboratory Chemistry, Materials, Mechanics 4.0 



Air Force Avionics Laboratory Mathematics, Electronics, Materials 1.9 



Air Force Aero Propulsion Laboratory Physics, Chemistry, Mechanics, 



Energy Conversion 3.1 



Air Force Human Resources Laboratory Human Resources 1.2 



Aerospace Medical Division Life Sciences 1.4 



Air Force Weapons Laboratory Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Mechanics, Terrestrial 



Sciences, Astronomy, and Astrophysics 1.5 



TOTAL $78.1 

 about one-half of these visiting professors, if Table 2. Distribution of Air Force research furjds, FY 1966 and 



they apply and have acceptable proposals. ^^ ^^n. 



• One summer design program per year is ~^y^6 fy 1977 

 planned. This consists of a group of 10 to 15 ($Muiion) (SMUiion) 



university faculty members who meet for the _ 



summer to address a particular Air Force General $17.3 $8.2 



problem. Nuclear physics 3.4 - 



• A limited number of faculty members who MaXmatics ::;::::;:;;;::.": 6:° ^9 



are experts in a particular area of Air Force Electronics 8.5 8.4 



need will be hired for one-year periods to Materials 2.5 12.4 



conduct research utilizing Air Force laborato- Mechanics 9.6 1 1.7 



ry equipment and facilities. ^""^9^ conversion 7.6 5.6 



^ ^ ' Terrestrial sciences 1.3 1.0 



Agency Support of Basic Research by Fields ^^^rrandroWsics- V:. 'II II 



of Science Biological and medical sciences . . 2.2 3.3 



T-. ^ 1- ^ ■, ,- r » • r- Human resources 2.5 2.8 



1 he approximate distributions of Air Force re- 



search funds for fiscal 1966 and 1977 by field of ministration (ERDA) and NSF is monitored for 



science are shown in Table 2. contributions to the program. AFOSR manages an 



Examples of Basic Research extensive research effort in the academic commu- 

 nity. 



Because of limited resources, the Air Force Current areas of interest include chemical las- 

 research program is not able to address every ers, gas dynamic lasers, and electric discharge 

 identified problem. The examples below are some lasers; pointing and tracking; optical components; 

 areas on which the program focuses. propagation; and laser effects. Future work will 



High energy laser research. The Air Force pro- include electron interaction with excited molecu- 



vides a substantial amount of basic research sup- lar states; boundary layer effects and mode-media 



port to the high energy laser program. Four Air interactions; supersonic, chemically reacting, and 



Force laboratories, the Army, the Navy, and oth- radiating flows; and optical materials. 



er DOD agencies contribute. Research conducted Engine materials research. The Air Force re- 



by the Energy Research and Development Ad- search program on metallurgy of structural ma- 



DEFENSE 81 



