Rapid Prototyping Research Center (RPRC)

RAPID PROTOTYPING RESEARCH CENTER

Driving National Security Innovation

RPRC is a mission-driven, agile research center anchored in the National Capital Region, leveraging secure facilities and elite technical expertise to rapidly deliver innovations that strengthen national security.

Mission Areas

Modeling and Simulation

Employing advanced modeling and simulation frameworks to evaluate system performance, predict mission outcomes, and support rapid prototyping. Our work enables digital twin development, scenario-based analysis, and performance modeling to inform design, acquisition, and operational decision-making.

Cybersecurity

Leading basic and applied cybersecurity research focused on threat resilience, system assurance, and secure architecture design. Efforts include vulnerability analysis, intrusion detection, offensive red teaming, embedded system security, and zero-trust implementations for tactical and enterprise environments. Our goal is to ensure mission continuity in the presence of advanced and persistent cyber threats.

Communications

Developing secure, resilient, and adaptive systems across the electromagnetic spectrum. We develop and evaluate technologies in software-defined radios, cognitive networking, spectrum optimization, encryption techniques, 5G/NEXTG, and secure mesh topologies to maintain assured connectivity in contested or denied environments.

Space and Aerospace

Performing research and integration across manned and unmanned aerospace platforms. Areas of focus include aerodynamic modeling, multi-domain autonomy, payload integration, and flight systems development. Our aerospace research aims to enhance endurance, payload flexibility, and mission adaptability across air and near-space operations.

Critical Infrastructure and Engineering

Conducting research to safeguard essential systems that underpin defense and national operations, including energy, transportation, and communications networks. Efforts focus on infrastructure resilience, industrial control system security, and cross-sector risk modeling to strengthen response and recovery capabilities.

Artificial Intelligence

Applying AI and machine learning to enable autonomy, real-time analytics, and data-driven decision support. Current initiatives include sensor fusion, target recognition, predictive maintenance, and adaptive mission planning. Our AI research transforms complex data environments into actionable intelligence to support tactical and strategic operations.

RPRC Process

RPRC’s research and development specializes in the areas of adaptive complex multi-mode communication architectures. Combining academic and industry expertise with theoretical frameworks, methods and tool, we create architectural and business infrastructures to facilitate rapid innovation through rapid prototyping.

PATRIOT for Capabilities Integration

RPRC’s proven approach for delivering Capabilities Integration to our sponsors in the most cost efficient and time saving way is called PATRIOT, in the spirit of our founding fathers.  The PATRIOT process factors in technology integrations’ effects on your mission operations. We understand that our technology solutions are only good if they serve your mission. Capabilities Integration identifies mission needs and operational advancements, and matches these with technology leaders and world leading engineers and scientists to rapidly develop and deliver solutions that will benefit overall mission efficiency and competitive edge.

PATRIOT goes beyond basic Systems Integration to include examining its impact to all mission architectures, systems, networks, security, and procedures to ensure resilient interoperability and continued operations with the introduction of new technologies.

PATRIOTcapabilites integration allows RPRC to collaborate with customers to match the right technology with the right talent to support mission needs. By considering the aggregate mission effects of the new and legacy technology, we offer leaders the increased speed of decision needed to win.