Operational Energy Prototyping - Non S&T

Mission— Operational Energy Prototyping

The Operational Energy Prototyping Fund program solely addresses joint operational energy requirements and provides the solutions pipeline for integrating next-generation power and energy technology across current and emerging Department of Defense (DOD) operational platforms and weapon systems. Investments in OEPF transition across multiple services, support current policy objectives, and inform future policy goals. This program supports the Department's initiatives to build a sustainable long-term advantage for an interoperable, optimally powered, and energy resilient Joint Force. The OEPF program accelerates transitions of OE technologies by more than two years. The program prioritizes demonstrating and validating prototypes in an operationally relevant environment that increase warfighting capabilities through reducing logistical demand and complexity and increasing commonality for interoperability and resilience. The program focuses on warfighter and demonstration feedback at Service and Combatant Command exercises and events, data collection, and analysis for acquisition decision-making and ensures the warfighter has the energy and understanding to effectively command power across all domains and levels of engagement. OEPF validates and demonstrates joint, high priority innovative, and cost-effective prototypes, technologies, and methods to address known capability gaps in accordance with the DOD OE Strategy/interim National Defense Strategy. The prototypes meet/shape power and energy requirements and support acquisition strategies and decision making. The OECIF program element is the primary, but not exclusive, feeder to OEPF. OEPF competitively intakes the best projects with the greatest likelihood of Service support for transition. OECIF has topics every year so OEPF generally reflects prior OECIF investment. In FY2023 OECIF focused on solutions to mitigating contested logistics challenges through the reduction of OE demand and enabling enterprise-wide power and energy visibility. FY2026 OEPF will benefit from the successful technology development in this area. Additional upcoming OECIF topic maturation include: FY2024: Efficiencies for Aviation, Space, and Commanding Energy (OEPF FY2027); FY2025: Lessons Learned from Current Conflicts (OEPF FY2028); FY2026: Resilience and Readiness (OEPF FY2029).

Mission— Operational Energy Prototyping

OEPF addresses joint operational energy requirements and provides the solution pipeline for integrating and transitioning next-generation power and energy technology into Service Programs of Record (POR). OEPF demonstrates innovative energy capabilities in an operational environment. Operational Energy prototyping investment areas include but are not limited to: Aviation, Tactical Vehicles, Ground-Based Expeditionary Energy, Battery Safety and Standardization, and Space-based energy solutions. Projects focus on incorporating: warfighter feedback in real-use scenarios; collecting metering and monitoring data to support energy capability analyses; generating Service Requirements and addressing Combatant Command Requirements; modeling and simulation tools to maximize and quantify energy efficiency and operational impacts; and creating warfighter training and adoption materials. This program supports the Department's initiatives to build a sustainable long-term advantage for an interoperable, optimally powered, and energy resilient Joint Force.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (1)