Integrated Multidisciplinary Design, Analysis, and Optimization Framework for Hypersonic Boost-Glide Weapons

The Department of the Navy (DON) seeks to develop an Integrated Multidisciplinary Design, Analysis, and Optimization (MDAO) framework for hypersonic boost-glide weapons. This framework aims to enable concurrent optimization of vehicle geometry, mission trajectory, and control strategy by leveraging existing tools, incorporating reduced-order models, and applying AI/ML to accelerate design and reduce computational costs. The objective is to provide early insights into system cost, manufacturability, and technology development roadmaps. The project will address complex design challenges posed by extreme thermal and structural environments, requiring advanced simulation capabilities. The framework should support conceptual-level design, accounting for launch platform constraints and internal system considerations. Key capabilities include aerodynamic, aerothermal, structural, and mass properties analysis, along with trajectory and control optimization, system-level integration, uncertainty quantification, and robust optimization. The project emphasizes leveraging AI/ML methods to accelerate convergence and support data-driven design exploration. The technology is restricted under ITAR, requiring disclosure of foreign national involvement.