AFOSR supports the US Air Force by investing in basic research efforts in relevant scientific areas and transferring research to industry, academia, and other research directorates. They distribute their investment through grants, contracts, and internal research efforts, and have foreign technology offices in London, Tokyo, and Santiago. AFOSR focuses on research areas that benefit national warfighting and peacekeeping capabilities, organized into two scientific branches covering engineering and information sciences, as well as physical and biological sciences. The program was established in 1948 and became part of the Air Force Research Laboratory in 1997.