The National Academy of Sciences was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Lincoln, as a private, nongovernmental institution to advise the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members are elected by their peers for outstanding contributions to research. Dr. Marcia McNutt is president.

The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to bring the practices of engineering to advising the nation. Members are elected by their peers for extraordinary contributions to engineering. Dr. John L. Anderson is president.

The National Academy of Medicine (formerly the Institute of Medicine) was established in 1970 under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences to advise the nation on medical and health issues. Members are elected by their peers for distinguished contributions to medicine and health. Dr. Victor J. Dzau is president.

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Learn more about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine at www.nationalacademies.org.

Consensus Study Reports published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine document the evidence-based consensus on the study’s statement of task by an authoring committee of experts. Reports typically include findings, conclusions, and recommendations based on information gathered by the committee and the committee’s deliberations. Each report has been subjected to a rigorous and independent peer-review process and it represents the position of the National Academies on the statement of task.

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ARMY RESEARCH LABORATORY TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT BOARD

PRABHAT HAJELA, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Chair

PAUL BEVILAQUA (NAE), Lockheed Martin

GEORGE (RUSTY) T. GRAY III (NAE), Los Alamos National Laboratory

NAIRA HOVAKIMYAN, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

MAHTA MOGHADDAM (NAE), University of Southern California

WILLIAM B. ROUSE (NAE), Georgetown University

WILLIAM A. SIRIGNANO (NAE), University of California, Irvine

JILL H. SMITH, JHS Enterprises, LLC

LEVI T. THOMPSON (NAE), University of Delaware

CHARLES THORPE, Clarkson University

PANEL ON ASSESSMENT OF ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM SCIENCES

MAHTA MOGHADDAM (NAE), University of Southern California, Chair

SRABANTI CHOWDHURY, Stanford University

BRUCE E. GNADE, The University of Texas at Dallas

SARATH GUNAPALA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

ALI CAFER GURBUZ, Mississippi State University

ALAN J. MICHAELS, Virginia Tech National Security Institute

ERIC MOKOLE, Naval Research Laboratory

NAI PHUAN ONG, Princeton University

ROD WATERHOUSE, Octane Wireless

PANEL ON ASSESSMENT OF ENERGY SCIENCES

LEVI T. THOMPSON (NAE), University of Delaware, Chair

HECTOR D. ABRUNA (NAS), Cornell University

DARREN L. BLEUEL, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

RUYAN GUO, The University of Texas at San Antonio

HERBERT HESS, University of Idaho

YONGJIE HU, University of California, Los Angeles

C. KUMAR N. PATEL (NAS/NAE), Pranalytica, Inc.

SHAD ROUNDY, University of Utah

CHRISTINE A WANG (NAE), Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory

PANEL ON ASSESSMENT OF MECHANICAL SCIENCES

PAUL BEVILAQUA (NAE), Skunk Works, Chair

MEREDITH B. COLKET III, United Technologies Research Center

AHMET KAHRAMAN, The Ohio State University

RICK LIND, University of Florida

JOAQUIM R.R.A. MARTINS, University of Michigan

ROBERT SHEPHERD, Cornell University

MEHARI TEKESTE, Iowa State University

VALERIE WIESNER, NASA Langley Research Center

LABORATORY ASSESSMENTS BOARD

T.J. GLAUTHIER, TJG Energy Associates, LLC, Chair

ROBERT D. BRAUN (NAE), Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

DAVID S. C. CHU, Institute for Defense Analyses

DONA L. CRAWFORD, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (retired)

THOMAS R. KURFESS (NAS), Georgia Institute of Technology

JUAN DE PABLO (NAS/NAE), The University of Chicago

CAROL SCHUTTE, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (retired)

Staff

KATIE BRATLIE, Director, Laboratory Assessments Board

LIZA RENEE HAMILTON, Senior Program Officer

JAMES MYSKA, Senior Program Officer

AZEB GETACHEW, Administrative Assistant

Reviewers

This Consensus Study Report was reviewed in draft form by individuals chosen for their diverse perspectives and technical expertise. The purpose of this independent review is to provide candid and critical comments that will assist the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in making each published report as sound as possible and to ensure that it meets the institutional standards for quality, objectivity, evidence, and responsiveness to the study charge. The review comments and draft manuscript remain confidential to protect the integrity of the deliberative process.

We thank the following individuals for their review of this report:

Although the reviewers listed above provided many constructive comments and suggestions, they were not asked to endorse the conclusions or recommendations of this report nor did they see the final draft before its release. The review of this report was overseen by LESLIE E. SMITH, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and MICHAEL R. LADISCH (NAE), Purdue University. They were responsible for making certain that an independent examination of this report was carried out in accordance with the standards of the National Academies and that all review comments were carefully considered. Responsibility for the final content rests entirely with the authoring committee and the National Academies.

Contents

SUMMARY

1 COMPETENCY CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMEDATIONS, AND ACTIONABLE FINDINGS

Competency Conclusions and Recommendations and Cross-Cutting Conclusions and Recommendations

Competency Summary Boxes with the Most Actionable Findings Identified

2 INTRODUCTION

Preparation of This Report

Assessment Criteria

Approach Taken During Report Preparation

Report Content

3 ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM SCIENCES

Introduction

Technical Quality of the Core Competency

Competency Portfolio of Scientific Expertise

Competencies Facilities and Resources

Overall Scientific Quality of the Competency

4 ENERGY SCIENCES

Introduction

Technical Quality of the Core-Competency Research

Competency Portfolio of Scientific Expertise

Competency Facilities and Resources

Overall Scientific Quality of the Competency

5 MECHANICAL SCIENCES

Introduction

Technical Quality of the Core-Competency Research

Competency Portfolio of Scientific Expertise

Competency Facilities and Resources

Overall Scientific Quality of the Competency

6 MILITARY INFORMATION SCIENCES

Introduction

Technical Quality of the Core-Competency Research

Competency Portfolio of Scientific Expertise

Competency Facilities and Resources

Overall Scientific Quality of the Competency