The University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics (UCAH) is a collaborative network of universities working with government, industry, national laboratories, federally funded research centers, and existing university affiliated research centers. It aims to deliver the innovation and workforce needed to advance modern hypersonic flight systems in support of national defense. The consortium’s mission is to serve the DOD requirements in science and technology, workforce development, and technology transition by mobilizing and leveraging the academic community and its partners to deliver time-sensitive applied solutions to the DOD-defined research and prototype projects in the follow areas: core technology, next-generation projects (enabling technologies), and challenge projects (multidisciplinary efforts).

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (OUSD), Research and Engineering (R&E) Joint Hypersonics Transition Office (JHTO), in partnership with Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) and the University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics (UCAH), is soliciting for Prototype Project Proposals (PPPs) supporting projects that will accelerate hypersonics technology development, develop the nation’s future hypersonics workforce, and facilitate the transition of ready technologies into operational capabilities. The JHTO is seeking solutions that are considered Advanced Technology Development, which surpass the threshold of Basic or Applied Research.

The seven (7) topic areas in which UCAH is accepting applications are:

1. TOPIC 1: IMPROVED SUB-SCALE HYPERSONIC AIR-BREATHING PROPULSION TEST CAPABILITIES
2. TOPIC 2: DIGITAL TWIN ARCHITECTURE FOR HYPERSONIC AIR-BREATHING SYSTEM AND MISSION DESIGN TRADE STUDIES
3. TOPIC 3: SHOCK PROPERTIES OF ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURED MATERIALS (AMM)
4. TOPIC 4: EXPERIMENTAL & MODEL BASED ENDOTHERMIC FUEL PROPERTIES
5. TOPIC 5: CERAMIC TESTING FOR HYPERSONIC VEHICLES
6. TOPIC 6: MITIGATION OF THERMAL DEGRADATION IN HYPERSONIC WINDOWS
7. TOPIC 7: NETWORKING AND COLLABORATIVE COMMUNICATIONS

• UD Letter of Interest Deadline: 08/13/2025, 11:59 PM ET
• UCAH Notice of Intent Deadline: 10/01/2025, 5:00 PM ET
• UCAH Prototype Proposal Submission Deadline: 10/31/2025, 5:00 PM ET
  
  Link to FOA Here: University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics (UCAH) Project Call

Candidate Eligibility: As a general matter, all participants must be United States citizens. Participation of foreign member universities and individuals may be permitted on a case-by-case basis. However, a candidate and its teaming partners must be capable of complying with all safeguarding requirements and export controls associated with any such entities/individual’s participation.  

Institutional Limit: UD may submit only three (3) applications.

Application Information:  Interested applicants should upload a Letter of Interest (up to 1-page) briefly describing their proposed project. LOIs should indicate to which Technology Area Topic the applicant is applying. Applications not adhering to this requirement will be returned without review. 

Merit Review Criteria: Applications will be reviewed based on the Selection Criteria detailed in the solicitation.