Air Force Weapons Laboratory

Air Force Research Laboratory
Air Force Research Laboratory - Emblem
Active	October 1997–present
Country	United States
Branch	Air Force
Type	Research and development
Size	4,200 civilian 1,200 military
Part of	Air Force Materiel Command
Garrison/HQ	Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
Decorations	AFOEA
Website	www.wpafb.af.mil/AFRL
Commanders
Commander	Maj Gen Robert D. McMurry, Jr.
Executive Director	C. Douglas Ebersole
Vice Commander	Col Evan C. Dertien

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is a scientific research organization operated by the United States Air Force Materiel Command dedicated to leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable aerospace warfighting technologies, planning and executing the Air Force science and technology program, and provide warfighting capabilities to United States air, space, and cyberspace forces. It controls the entire Air Force science and technology research budget which was $2.4 billion in 2006.

The Laboratory was formed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio on 31 October 1997 as a consolidation of four Air Force laboratory facilities (Wright, Phillips, Rome, and Armstrong) and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under a unified command. The Laboratory is composed of seven technical directorates, one wing, and the Office of Scientific Research. Each technical directorate emphasizes a particular area of research within the AFRL mission which it specializes in performing experiments in conjunction with universities and contractors.

Since the Laboratory's formation in 1997, it has conducted numerous experiments and technical demonstrations in conjunction with NASA, Department of Energy National Laboratories, DARPA, and other research organizations within the Department of Defense. Notable projects include the X-37, X-40, X-53, HTV-3X, YAL-1A, Advanced Tactical Laser, and the Tactical Satellite Program.

The Laboratory may face problems in the future as 40 percent of its workers are slated to retire over the next two decades while since 1980 the United States has not produced enough science and engineering degrees to keep up with demand.