Operational Energy Prototyping - Non S&T

The Operational Energy Prototyping Fund (OEPF), managed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, is a Department of Defense (DoD) research and development initiative focused on addressing joint operational energy requirements. The program's primary objective is to provide a pipeline for integrating and transitioning next-generation power and energy technologies into operational platforms and weapon systems across the military services. The OEPF supports the DoD's strategic priorities by accelerating the demonstration and validation of prototypes in operationally relevant environments. The goal is to increase warfighting capabilities, reduce logistical complexity, and enhance interoperability and resilience.

The OEPF is structured to competitively intake projects with the highest likelihood of transitioning into Service Programs of Record (PORs). It emphasizes rapid prototyping and field demonstration, collecting warfighter feedback through digital applications and live exercises. This approach ensures that technology development is closely aligned with real-world operational needs and that acquisition decisions are informed by robust data and user input. The program also supports the Department's broader goals of building a sustainable, energy-resilient Joint Force capable of operating effectively in contested and austere environments.

Operational Energy Prototyping is the primary line item within the OEPF, encompassing a wide range of technology demonstration efforts. Key focus areas include aviation propulsion efficiency, tactical vehicle power optimization, ground-based expeditionary energy solutions, battery safety and standardization, and space-based energy capabilities. Recent accomplishments include field demonstrations of microgrid-enabled tactical vehicles, GPS-denied aerial delivery kits for contested logistics, and advanced battery technologies for both ground and aviation platforms. These projects are designed to reduce fuel consumption, improve operational endurance, and enable new mission capabilities such as silent operations and extended-range uncrewed systems.

In FY 2025, the program plans to insert operational energy technologies into major exercises such as NORAD & USNORTHCOM's Arctic Edge, validate endurance enablers for high-altitude uncrewed aerial systems, and demonstrate advanced solar cell manufacturing for space applications. Additional objectives include optimizing battery standardization for aviation, prototyping tactical vehicles with integrated power generation, and expanding the domestic industrial base for advanced lithium-ion batteries. These efforts are intended to address capability gaps identified by the services and combatant commands, with a strong emphasis on reducing logistical burdens and increasing energy resilience in contested environments.

Looking ahead to FY 2026, the OEPF will continue to prioritize warfighter demonstrations at both domestic and overseas locations, leveraging the Warfighter Touchpoint application to collect feedback and inform requirements definition. Planned projects include the deployment of energy sensors for predictive maintenance, prototyping wheel hub-drive technology for tracked vehicles, enabling Arctic ground vehicle operations with reduced diesel consumption, and advancing power beaming technologies for uncrewed aerial systems. The program will also focus on modeling and simulation to support analytical and cost decisions, with new emphasis on energy-informed mission planning and integration with the Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) framework.

The OEPF's acquisition strategy is highly collaborative, involving service energy offices, DoD innovation programs, combatant commands, defense laboratories, industry, and academia. Each year, projects are proposed by the services and combatant commands and evaluated by subject matter experts for their potential warfighter impact and readiness for integration into acquisition programs. Notable transitions planned for FY 2025 and FY 2026 include the Small Tactical Universal Battery, Low-Cost Helicopter Sling, GPS-denied energy delivery solutions, and Data Integration for Ground Systems. These transitions are expected to reduce the number and weight of batteries carried by warfighters, decrease mission fuel requirements, and enable energy visibility and predictive logistics management for ground vehicles.