The AFRL Regional Network – Midwest is thrilled to welcome you to the latest edition of Around the Region, an exciting addition to your inbox that promises to keep you in the know regarding all Midwest Network happenings.
With a mission to share the latest news, trends, insights, events, and intriguing stories, the team has crafted this newsletter as your trusted companion on a journey of innovation.
May 2026 Edition
Proposal Reviewers Needed: 2026 Funding Call 1
he AFRL Regional Network – Midwest has experienced one of its most competitive funding cycles to date. The breadth and quality of ideas, innovation, and effort demonstrated across the region have been truly exceptional. As a result, the process of selecting projects to advance to the next phase will be both rigorous and highly selective.
Phase I decisions will be announced in the near future. We encourage stakeholders to stay tuned for further updates.
In parallel, we are actively seeking reviewers to support this important process. Serving as a reviewer provides a valuable, behind-the-scenes perspective on proposal evaluation, offering insight into the characteristics of the most competitive submissions and emerging areas of innovation across the region. It also presents an opportunity to strengthen one’s own proposal development approach, expand professional networks, and contribute to the advancement of cutting-edge research.
Those interested in participating are encouraged to reach out and email us at afrlmwst@purdue.edu.
The AFRL has announced its most significant organizational transformation in nearly 30 years, restructuring its enterprise to better align science and technology efforts with mission needs. The redesign integrates research and development around key operational domains, with the goal of accelerating the delivery of high-impact, warfighter-ready capabilities.
This new structure emphasizes collaboration, reduced redundancy, and stronger alignment with the acquisition community, enabling faster transitions from discovery to deployment.
As part of the redesign, AFRL has established and realigned several key organizations into seven new directorates:
Foundational Technology Directorate:
Prioritizes basic long-term and scientific advancement
Integrates the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the former Materials and Manufacturing Directorate and aligns with human effectiveness research from the 711th Human Performance Wing
Air Warfare Directorate:
Develops and matures technologies for air combat and aerial systems
Emerges from the former Munitions Directorate and former Aerospace Systems Directorate
Space Warfare Directorate:
Advances space technologies and capabilities for future space operations
Contains the former Space Vehicles Directorate and the Rocket Propulsion Division (from the former Aerospace Systems Directorate)
Information and Spectrum Warfare Directorate:
Enables information dominance, sensing, and electromagnetic spectrum superiority
Integrates the former Sensors Directorate, the former Directed Energy Directorate, and the former Information Directorate
Technology Transition Office:
Serves as AFRL’s system integrator, moving technology from research into operational use
Contains AFWERX; SpaceWERX; and parts of the Integrated Capabilities Directorate, Strategic Partnering Directorate, and Enterprise Customer Engagement Directorate
Systems Technology Office:
Continues its existing mission focused on advancing system-level technologies
Unchanged structurally
711th Human Performance Wing:
Focuses on human performance, training, and readiness
An existing wing retaining its structure, with human effectiveness research that is partially aligned with the Foundational Technology Directorate.
As national security challenges continue to evolve, this redesign underscores AFRL’s commitment to agility, speed, and impact, ensuring the research enterprise remains responsive and positioned to deliver advanced capabilities at scale.
NearSpace Launch (NSL) is an emerging leader in small satellite manufacturing and aerospace innovation, delivering rapid, end-to-end spacecraft solutions that support critical national security and defense missions. Based in Indiana, NSL has successfully deployed more than 100 satellites and over 1,000 systems and subsystems on orbit in the past decade, partnering with the U.S. Space Force, AFRL, and NASA. The organization specializes in accelerating the timeline from design to deployment while maintaining a strong focus on affordability, supply chain resilience, and advanced manufacturing.
In addition to its technical strengths, NSL is helping to reshape how advanced manufacturing and aerospace innovation can thrive beyond traditional hubs. The organization is demonstrating how distributed, domestic manufacturing capacity can strengthen the U.S. industrial base and support defense priorities. Its continued investment in facilities and workforce expansion underscores a commitment to scaling production while maintaining agility.
AFRL Regional Network – Midwest members can leverage NSL’s rapid prototyping and constellation manufacturing to move technologies from concept to orbit more efficiently. Members can also collaborate on satellite systems, advanced manufacturing, and resilient supply chain development to enhance their competitiveness in the defense sector. NSL is an agile, proven partner capable of supporting mission-critical R&D with speed and precision, making them a strong contributor of this region’s innovation ecosystem and national security objectives.
As the academic year concludes, the AFRL Regional Network – Midwest is entering a critical period for workforce development.
Students are beginning internships, co-ops, and research appointments, many of which are closely aligned with national security priorities. These early professional experiences play a significant role in shaping participants’ understanding of the mission, the broader impact of their contributions, and their long-term interest in pursuing careers within the defense sector.
For organizations hosting interns this summer, this period presents an opportunity to think beyond immediate responsibilities. How do these experiences connect to longer-term career pathways? What exposure is being provided to real-world challenges, mentorship, and future opportunities within the defense ecosystem?
If you are interested in connecting on workforce initiatives or sharing your experiences, send us an email at afrlmwst@purdue.edu.
Partner Feature: DIU OnRamp Hubs
The Defense Innovation OnRamp Hubs play a vital role in furthering the Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU) national effort to catalyze the defense technology ecosystem, playing a key role as a “local front door” for engagement. The OnRamp Hubs are designed to create a more accessible and streamlined contracting journey for commercial companies. Collectively, these efforts progress the discovery, maturation, and adoption of commercially driven technologies that address real-world national security challenges.
The Midwest region is home to three Defense Innovation OnRamp Hubs located in Ohio, Minnesota, and Kansas, each positioned to leverage local strengths and convene government, commercial companies, and academic stakeholders in support of impactful innovation. AFRL Regional Network – Midwest members can take advantage of the hubs’ valuable access to education, connections, and transition-focused support. OnRamp Hubs deliver high value services such as validation capabilities that help companies navigate the path to aligning on and delivering warfighter needs. Our members are encouraged to engage with their nearest OnRamp Hub, whether by attending an event, exploring collaboration opportunities, or leveraging available transition services. Connecting with an OnRamp Hub can help members reduce barriers and accelerate the integration of commercial technology into the greater defense ecosystem.
Connect with and follow the Midwest OnRamp Hubs on LinkedIn to learn more:
Have you checked out the AFRL Regional Network – Midwest YouTube Channel? On this platform, partners have access to a variety of video content that includes:
Funded project video reports
Network promo videos
Informative and instructional videos
Stay tuned to all of our social media channels as new content will be added frequently!
Partner with Us
The AFRL Regional Network – Midwest is a unique opportunity to partner with the Air Force Research Lab. If you are interested in becoming a partner, please visit our Join Page for more information!
Get Featured in the Newsletter
If you or your organization would like to be featured in an issue of Around the Region, please email us at afrlmwst@purdue.edu. A representative will then reach out to you for additional information.
At the AFRL Regional Network – Midwest, we are dedicated to developing next-generation research and technology to support the Air Force mission by providing analysis, development, and testing capabilities that span multiple science and engineering disciplines. From propulsion to communications, materials to sensors, our research focuses on advancing mission capability and accelerating technology transitions throughout the life cycle of programs.
At the Midwest Network, we understand the importance of collaboration in advancing technology and mission capability. We facilitate partnerships between industry and academia to develop new means to address the current and future needs of our customers.
