Research for Integrated Vehicle Aerodynamic Technologies (RIVAT) | FA8650 19 S 2003

Research for Integrated Vehicle Aerodynamic Technologies (RIVAT) - FAQs

What is the RIVAT grant opportunity?

Research for Integrated Vehicle Aerodynamic Technologies (RIVAT) is a Department of Defense research opportunity focused on advancing aerodynamic science, modeling, and enabling technologies that affect Air Force vehicle performance and mission effectiveness.

Which organization is running RIVAT?

RIVAT is run by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), specifically the Aerospace Vehicles Division (RQV) within the Aerospace Systems Directorate (RQ).

What is the main goal of the program?

The program aims to improve the understanding and prediction of complex aerodynamic behavior and to translate that understanding into practical prediction tools and design methods that can improve vehicle integration and design decisions for both current platforms and future concepts.

What kinds of research approaches does RIVAT support?

AFRL is interested in analytical theory, computational approaches (including high-fidelity simulation and reduced-order models), and experimental testing, especially when the work can inform real vehicle integration and design decisions.

Does RIVAT focus only on aerodynamics, or also on multidisciplinary problems?

RIVAT explicitly targets problems where multiple disciplines intersect, such as aerodynamics coupled with structures, propulsion, controls, or mission systems.

What fluid dynamics topics are emphasized?

A major pillar is fundamental and applied fluid dynamics, including both internal and external flow physics that directly affect flight performance, with special attention to unsteady and highly coupled flow phenomena.

What examples of unsteady or coupled flow phenomena are mentioned?

Examples include fluid-structure interaction cases such as jet impingement, propeller slipstream interactions, and vortex impingement.

What does the program mean by turning understanding into "practical prediction tools"?

The stated intent is to move beyond studying phenomena in isolation and instead develop prediction tools and design methods that can be incorporated into next-generation air vehicle design and integration workflows.

What is included under aircraft design and system enhancements?

This area targets improvements to engineering processes and tools used to create new vehicle concepts and upgrade existing systems, including trade studies that compare emerging technologies or different maturation paths.

What types of trade studies does AFRL want?

AFRL highlights trade studies that help decision makers weigh benefits against cost, schedule, and risk, including trade-offs in modeling fidelity and studies that incorporate mission- or effectiveness-based design considerations.

How important are uncertainty and sensitivity in this opportunity?

They are specifically called out as areas of interest, with an emphasis on treating uncertainty and sensitivity rigorously so design choices are better informed under real-world constraints.

What is the role of flow control in RIVAT?

Flow control is a central theme and includes both passive and active techniques that may be applied as modifications to existing aircraft or designed into future vehicles from the beginning.

What are examples of flow control applications listed?

Examples include control of aerial refueling booms, managing flow separation and reattachment, increasing lift, and improving stability and control across the full flight envelope.

Does RIVAT require specific modeling levels for flow control work?

The opportunity emphasizes the importance of models at different levels of complexity, including reduced-order modeling, so that the modeling approach matches the intended use case.

What integration and operational factors matter for flow control concepts?

AFRL notes the need to evaluate factors such as size, weight, power demands, efficiency penalties, and how these integration and operational impacts affect the feasibility of flow control concepts in real vehicle programs.

How does RIVAT address weapons integration and cavity flow?

RIVAT targets unsteady flow physics in and around weapons bays and multi-body configurations, where aerodynamic effects can influence store carriage, separation, trajectories, and vehicle-store interactions.

Are external stores and aircraft protuberances included in scope?

Yes. The opportunity notes similar aerodynamic challenges around external stores and protuberances such as turrets and antennae, as well as propulsion-related flows like inlets and bleed air dynamics.

Why does AFRL emphasize balancing high-fidelity physics with efficiency?

Because these unsteady environments often require complex modeling to capture dominant effects, AFRL highlights the practical need to balance high-fidelity approaches with efficient use of computational and test resources.

What is meant by propulsion integration in this program?

Propulsion integration focuses on coupled aerodynamics between the airframe and propulsion system, aiming to improve overall vehicle performance through better understanding and modeling of interaction effects.

What propulsion-related aerodynamic challenges are called out for transonic vehicles?

AFRL specifically notes interest in understanding and modeling distortions and interaction effects seen by embedded fans, enabling more efficient, higher-bypass engines for transonic vehicles.

What propulsion integration issues are emphasized at supersonic conditions?

The program highlights shock wave/boundary layer interactions and other viscous effects that become increasingly mission-critical at supersonic conditions.

Which propulsion-airframe integration concepts are explicitly named?

Examples listed include Over-the-Wing Nacelles (OWN), Distributed Propulsion (DP), and Boundary Layer Ingestion (BLI).

Does RIVAT include aero-optics research?

Yes. The opportunity includes aero-optics interactions relevant to directed energy or other energy beams that must propagate through disturbed flow near the aircraft.

What causes aero-optic beam degradation according to the opportunity?

AFRL is concerned with beam degradation due to turbulence, separation, shock waves, and density fluctuations, including effects created around external features like turrets that can generate strong unsteady distortions.

What kind of aero-optics work is encouraged?

The opportunity encourages improved modeling of aero-optic effects as well as technology approaches that could mitigate losses so mission systems perform as intended.

What does RIVAT mean by technology applications and operational analysis?

This refers to modeling and simulation work that connects aerodynamic technologies to mission outcomes and realistic employment concepts, including defining meaningful effectiveness metrics and using operationally grounded analysis to guide research priorities.

Does the program consider non-hardware solutions?

Yes. The operational analysis component can include studying new processes, alternative tactics, and different ways of integrating technologies, not only new hardware concepts.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this listing?

The Funding Opportunity Number is FA8650-19-S-2003.

What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?

The listing is under CFDA 12.800 for Air Force defense research sciences.

What award instruments may be used?

The agency indicates awards may be made through cooperative agreements and/or procurement contracts.

How many awards are expected?

The opportunity indicates an expected total of around 10 awards.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open broadly to qualified entity types), subject to any additional eligibility language included in the full notice.

What are the listed creation and closing dates?

The listing shows a creation date of May 7, 2019 and an original closing date of May 9, 2023.

What does an award ceiling of 0 mean in this listing?

The listing reports an award ceiling of 0, which typically indicates that funding levels are determined per project or per solicitation action rather than being capped by a single fixed maximum in the summary fields.

Is the program focused on current aircraft, future concepts, or both?

Both. The opportunity emphasizes research that supports better integration and design decisions for current platforms as well as future vehicle concepts.