Opportunity Information: Apply for FA8650 17 S 6001
Science and Technology for Autonomous Teammates (STAT) is an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) grant opportunity focused on building and proving out autonomy that can act as a reliable teammate to human operators across real Air Force mission scenarios. The program is not just about creating standalone algorithms; it is aimed at integrating autonomy into operationally relevant demonstrations that show measurable improvements to Air Force effectiveness, especially through better human-machine teaming and faster, higher-quality decision-making. A central intended outcome is enabling the Air Force to function "inside the enemy's decision loop," meaning U.S. forces can sense, decide, and act faster and more coherently than an adversary in contested and rapidly changing environments, while also reducing risk to Airmen.
STAT research and demonstrations are organized around experimentation campaigns in three major mission areas. The first is multi-domain command and control, where autonomy helps coordinate actions and information flow across air, space, cyber, and other domains. The second is ISR Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (PED), which covers the end-to-end pipeline of turning raw sensor data into usable intelligence and getting it to the right people and systems in time to matter. The third is manned-unmanned combat teaming, where autonomy supports coordinated operations between crewed aircraft and uncrewed platforms, enabling new tactics and reducing the burden on human operators. Across these campaigns, STAT emphasizes demonstrating autonomy capabilities in ways that map to real mission constraints rather than purely lab-based performance.
A key theme in the STAT description is improving the full mission cycle, not just a single phase. The program specifically calls out mission planning, mission execution, and post-mission analysis as targets for autonomy enhancement. In practical terms, this implies technologies that can help generate and evaluate plans, adapt those plans in flight or in the middle of an operation as conditions change, and then assist with after-action data processing, interpretation, and lessons-learned generation. The emphasis on information analytics reinforces that the Air Force is looking for autonomy that can deal with complex, high-volume data and produce decision-relevant outputs that humans can trust and act on quickly.
The opportunity also spells out functional requirements for the software algorithms and the supporting system architecture. Solutions are expected to ingest and understand mission taskings and commander intent, which points to autonomy that can translate higher-level goals into executable actions and can align its behavior with what the commander is trying to accomplish. They must respond appropriately to human direction and orders, meaning the autonomy should support human control and interaction in a predictable, safe, and operationally sensible way rather than acting as a black box. They must also respond intelligently to dynamic threats and unplanned events, highlighting robustness and adaptability under uncertainty, including contested environments where adversaries and conditions can change quickly.
STAT places heavy weight on modularity and openness. The program aims to demonstrate modular, transferable, open system architectures and to deliver autonomy technologies that are applicable across a spectrum of multi-domain applications. This is essentially a requirement to avoid one-off, tightly coupled solutions that only work on a single platform or in a single demo. Instead, the Air Force wants components that are reusable, adaptable, platform-agnostic, and easier to integrate into different systems over time. The description also stresses that chosen technologies should be secure, credible, affordable, enduring, and integrable, which collectively points toward engineering discipline: cybersecurity considerations, test and evaluation rigor, cost awareness, long-term maintainability, and clear integration paths.
Another major expectation is that deliverables will support AFRL-owned modeling and simulation environments used for future capability development. STAT is positioned so that industry and AFRL-developed technologies can be integrated into technology demonstrations along with the needed software, hardware, and documentation. Because these deliverables are meant to plug into AFRL environments, all development efforts must adhere to interface designs and standards. In other words, this is not only about proving a concept; it is about delivering artifacts that can be used again and built upon, with defined interfaces that make integration and reuse feasible.
From the administrative details provided, the opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Title "Science and Technology for Autonomous Teammates (STAT)" with Funding Opportunity Number FA8650-17-S-6001. It is a discretionary opportunity using a Cooperative Agreement instrument type, under the science and technology research and development activity category, with CFDA number 12.800. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, indicating broad applicant eligibility (for example, companies, universities, nonprofits, or other qualified entities, depending on the full solicitation terms). The issuing agency is the Air Force Research Laboratory. The listing shows an original closing date of 2023-07-07, a creation date of 2017-07-07, an expected awards count of 1, and no award ceiling amount specified in the provided data.
Overall, STAT is best understood as an applied autonomy program aimed at operationally meaningful demonstrations: autonomy that can understand intent, collaborate with humans, adapt under pressure, and integrate cleanly into Air Force architectures. The Air Force is signaling that it values not only algorithmic performance, but also modular open architectures, secure and credible engineering, and deliverables that can be reused in AFRL simulation and future development efforts, all with the goal of improving mission effectiveness while reducing risk and workload for Airmen.Apply for FA8650 17 S 6001
- The Air Force -- Research Lab in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Science and Technology for Autonomous Teammates (STAT)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.800.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-07-07.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-07-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Science and Technology for Autonomous Teammates (STAT) - FAQs
What is the STAT (Science and Technology for Autonomous Teammates) opportunity?
Science and Technology for Autonomous Teammates (STAT) is an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) grant opportunity focused on building and proving autonomy that can operate as a reliable teammate to human operators in real Air Force mission scenarios. The emphasis is on operationally relevant demonstrations that show measurable improvements to Air Force effectiveness, not just standalone algorithms.
Which agency is offering this funding opportunity?
The issuing agency is the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).
What is the official funding opportunity title?
The funding opportunity title is "Science and Technology for Autonomous Teammates (STAT)".
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is FA8650-17-S-6001.
What type of funding instrument is used?
This opportunity uses a Cooperative Agreement instrument type.
What activity category does this opportunity fall under?
The activity category is science and technology research and development.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 12.800.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted. This indicates broad applicant eligibility, subject to the full solicitation terms.
What is the main goal of STAT?
The central goal is to develop and demonstrate autonomy that improves human-machine teaming and enables faster, higher-quality decision-making across operationally relevant Air Force missions. A stated intended outcome is helping the Air Force operate "inside the enemy's decision loop" by sensing, deciding, and acting faster and more coherently in contested, rapidly changing environments while reducing risk to Airmen.
Is STAT focused on standalone AI/ML algorithms or integrated demonstrations?
STAT is aimed at integrating autonomy into operationally relevant demonstrations. The program description explicitly distinguishes this from efforts that only create standalone algorithms.
What kinds of improvements is STAT trying to demonstrate?
The program is oriented toward measurable improvements to Air Force effectiveness, particularly through better human-machine teaming, faster decision cycles, higher-quality decisions, and reduced risk and burden on human operators.
What are the three major mission areas (experimentation campaigns) in STAT?
STAT research and demonstrations are organized around three major mission areas: (1) multi-domain command and control, (2) ISR Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (PED), and (3) manned-unmanned combat teaming.
What does "multi-domain command and control" mean in this program context?
In STAT, multi-domain command and control refers to using autonomy to help coordinate actions and information flow across air, space, cyber, and other domains in operationally relevant scenarios.
What does ISR PED mean, and what is STAT looking for there?
ISR PED stands for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination. In STAT, it covers the end-to-end pipeline of turning raw sensor data into usable intelligence and distributing it to the right people and systems in time to matter.
What is "manned-unmanned combat teaming" in STAT?
In STAT, manned-unmanned combat teaming focuses on autonomy that supports coordinated operations between crewed aircraft and uncrewed platforms, enabling new tactics and reducing the burden on human operators.
Does STAT emphasize mission realism or lab-only performance?
STAT emphasizes demonstrating autonomy capabilities in ways that map to real mission constraints rather than purely lab-based performance.
Which parts of the mission cycle are targeted for autonomy enhancement?
STAT specifically calls out mission planning, mission execution, and post-mission analysis as targets for autonomy enhancement.
What kinds of autonomy capabilities are implied for mission planning?
The description implies autonomy that can help generate and evaluate plans and support decision-making during mission planning.
What kinds of autonomy capabilities are implied for mission execution?
The description implies autonomy that can adapt plans during operations as conditions change, respond to dynamic threats, and support operational decision-making under contested and rapidly changing conditions.
What kinds of autonomy capabilities are implied for post-mission analysis?
The description implies autonomy that can assist with after-action data processing, interpretation, and generating lessons learned from mission data.
Why does STAT emphasize information analytics?
The emphasis on information analytics indicates the Air Force is looking for autonomy that can handle complex, high-volume data and produce decision-relevant outputs that humans can trust and act on quickly.
What functional requirements are mentioned for STAT algorithms and architecture?
STAT calls out requirements that solutions ingest and understand mission taskings and commander intent, respond appropriately to human direction and orders, and respond intelligently to dynamic threats and unplanned events. The opportunity also stresses supporting system architecture expectations alongside software algorithms.
What does it mean to "ingest and understand mission taskings and commander intent"?
It points to autonomy that can translate higher-level goals into executable actions and align its behavior with commander objectives, rather than operating without context or intent.
How should the autonomy interact with humans according to STAT?
The autonomy must respond appropriately to human direction and orders, supporting human control and interaction in a predictable, safe, and operationally sensible way rather than acting as a black box.
What does STAT expect regarding dynamic threats and unplanned events?
STAT highlights robustness and adaptability under uncertainty, including the ability to respond intelligently to dynamic threats and unplanned events in contested environments.
How important are modularity and open systems in STAT?
They are central themes. STAT aims to demonstrate modular, transferable, open system architectures and to deliver autonomy technologies that apply across a spectrum of multi-domain applications, avoiding one-off, tightly coupled solutions.
What does "transferable" and "platform-agnostic" imply for proposed solutions?
It implies the Air Force is looking for reusable components that can be adapted and integrated into different systems and scenarios over time, rather than being built for a single platform or one-off demonstration.
What qualities does STAT emphasize for chosen technologies?
The description states technologies should be secure, credible, affordable, enduring, and integrable, pointing to cybersecurity considerations, test and evaluation rigor, cost awareness, long-term maintainability, and clear integration paths.
What is the relationship between STAT deliverables and AFRL modeling and simulation environments?
STAT expects deliverables to support AFRL-owned modeling and simulation environments used for future capability development. Industry and AFRL-developed technologies are intended to be integrated into demonstrations along with needed software, hardware, and documentation.
Are there interface standards or designs that projects must follow?
Yes. Because deliverables are meant to plug into AFRL environments, development efforts must adhere to interface designs and standards.
Does STAT focus only on proving a concept, or on reusable artifacts?
STAT is positioned as more than proof-of-concept. The description stresses delivering artifacts (including software, hardware, and documentation) that can be integrated, reused, and built upon within AFRL environments, with defined interfaces that enable integration and reuse.
How many awards are expected?
The listing shows an expected awards count of 1.
Is there an award ceiling amount specified?
No award ceiling amount is specified in the provided data.
What is the original closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original closing date shown is 2023-07-07.
What is the creation date listed for the opportunity?
The creation date shown is 2017-07-07.
What does "inside the enemy's decision loop" mean in the STAT description?
In the STAT framing, it means enabling U.S. forces to sense, decide, and act faster and more coherently than an adversary in contested and rapidly changing environments, supported by autonomy that improves the speed and quality of decision-making.
What is the overall takeaway for what AFRL is seeking through STAT?
STAT is best understood as an applied autonomy effort focused on operationally meaningful demonstrations: autonomy that can understand intent, collaborate with humans, adapt under pressure, integrate cleanly into Air Force architectures, and deliver secure, credible, reusable components that fit into AFRL modeling and simulation and future development efforts.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Next opportunity: T&E Species Monitoring for Avon Park Air Force Range, Florida
Previous opportunity: RESTORE Act Direct Component - Construction Activities
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for FA8650 17 S 6001
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (FA8650 17 S 6001) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| ROSBio Appendix C: Solicitation of Proposals for Possible Inclusion in a Russian Bion-M2 Mission Apply for NNH16ZTT001N BION Funding Number: NNH16ZTT001N BION Agency: NASA Headquarters Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| GDL Center for Digital Development Apply for RFA OAA 17 000037 Funding Number: RFA OAA 17 000037 Agency: Agency for International Development Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $75,000,000 |
| IN-SPACE SATELLITE SERVICING CAPABILITY– REQUEST FOR INFORMATION Apply for NNH17ZOA002L Funding Number: NNH17ZOA002L Agency: NASA Headquarters Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) Apply for DTPH5617SN0004 Funding Number: DTPH5617SN0004 Agency: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Admin Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $100,000 |
| SOLAR ELECTRIC PROPULSION FLIGHT DEMONSTRATION PARTNERSHIP – REQUEST FOR INFORMATION Apply for NNH17ZOA003L Funding Number: NNH17ZOA003L Agency: NASA Headquarters Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| FY17 Supplemental to Wireless Connectivity System Design and Evaluation for North American Passenger Rail Service Operators Apply for FR RRD 17 005 Funding Number: FR RRD 17 005 Agency: DOT - Federal Railroad Administration Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $100,073 |
| Expansion of LandScope Chesapeake Apply for NPS 17 NERO 0160 Funding Number: NPS 17 NERO 0160 Agency: National Park Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $30,000 |
| FY17-Law Enforcement Strategies for Reducing Trespassing Pilot Grant Program Apply for FR LEL 17 001 Funding Number: FR LEL 17 001 Agency: DOT - Federal Railroad Administration Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Assess Threats to Marine Water Quality Conditions Along Assateague Island National Seashore Apply for NPS 17 NERO 0182 Funding Number: NPS 17 NERO 0182 Agency: National Park Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $205,000 |
| Continued Post-WNS Bat Surveys in Four Virginia Parks of the National Park Service Northeast Region Apply for NPS 17 NERO 0209 Funding Number: NPS 17 NERO 0209 Agency: National Park Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $47,100 |
| Young Faculty Award (YFA) Apply for DARPA RA 17 01 Funding Number: DARPA RA 17 01 Agency: DARPA - Defense Sciences Office Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Social Network Analysis Apply for RFI 168 17 00001 Funding Number: RFI 168 17 00001 Agency: Bosnia USAID-Herzegovina Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Nuclear Forensics Research Award Apply for DHS 17 DN 130 NFRA 001 Funding Number: DHS 17 DN 130 NFRA 001 Agency: Office of Procurement Operations - Grants Division Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| FY2018 Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program Apply for N00014 17 S F017 Funding Number: N00014 17 S F017 Agency: Office of Naval Research Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Innovations in Feed the Future Monitoring and Evaluation Apply for 7200AA18APS00001 Funding Number: 7200AA18APS00001 Agency: Agency for International Development Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| (Noncompetitive) Jefferson Street Building space colocation Apply for USGS 18 FA 0003 Funding Number: USGS 18 FA 0003 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $620,000 |
| NonCompetitive action to Municipality of Anchorage Apply for USGS 18 FAC 0010 Funding Number: USGS 18 FAC 0010 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $475,000 |
| Office of Naval Research (ONR) Navy and Marine Corps Department of Defense University Research-to-Adoption (DURA) Initiative Apply for N00014 18 S F004 Funding Number: N00014 18 S F004 Agency: Office of Naval Research Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Metabolic rate studies of Walruses Apply for USGS 18 FAC 0011 Funding Number: USGS 18 FAC 0011 Agency: Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $48,738 |
| Environmental System Science Apply for DE FOA 0001855 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001855 Agency: Office of Science Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "FA8650 17 S 6001", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.