The Air Force Research Laboratory has announced an organizational restructuring aimed at aligning its research enterprise with mission priorities and accelerating the delivery of advanced military systems.
AFRL said Friday that the redesign integrates research and development efforts across key domains to improve collaboration, reduce redundancies and streamline processes.
Explore how the AFRL’s new organizational structure and other changes across the Air Force will impact the service’s partnership with industry at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Air and Space Summit on July 30. The event will feature top Air Force leaders, including the service’s vice chief of staff, Gen. John Lamontagne. Sign up today to secure your seat.
What Are AFRL’s New Directorates?
The new framework organizes AFRL into seven major entities, including five new mission-focused directorates.
The new Foundational Technology Directorate will oversee basic research that enables the lab to develop new capabilities. Meanwhile, three additional new directorates — Air Warfare, Space Warfare, and Information and Spectrum Warfare — will focus on maturing technologies and reducing risk across their respective domains.
The Technology Transition Office, AFRL's system integrator, will connect the laboratory with mission partners, industry and the acquisition community to accelerate the delivery of capabilities. It will also integrate efforts from AFWERX, SpaceWERX and other partnership and engagement functions to streamline the transition pipeline.
How Will the Restructuring Impact the Systems Technology Office and 711th Human Performance Wing?
The Systems Technology Office will continue its existing mission, advancing technology development and delivery across the enterprise.
The 711th Human Performance Wing will also maintain its current structure, focusing on human performance initiatives to support warfighter readiness.
Brig. Gen. Jason Bartolomei, commander of AFRL, said the redesign aligns scientists and engineers more closely with operational challenges.
“By building a more integrated enterprise, we are creating clear pathways to accelerate innovation and ensure our ideas become capabilities,” he stated. “We are not just creating technology; we are delivering technological systems to provide an advantage for the fight.”
Broader Air Force Reforms
AFRL’s restructuring aligns with broader organizational changes across the Air Force to accelerate the delivery of advanced capabilities to warfighters. In January, the service redesignated the Defense Acquisition System as the Warfighting Acquisition System.
The Air Force also shifted from program executive officers to portfolio acquisition executives, who are responsible for managing integrated mission portfolios, including aircraft, weapons, and command and control systems. The new structure is intended to streamline decision-making and tie accountability more closely to operational outcomes.
