Research (LWR)

In General

The speed to research each technology is defined by:

Research Time (in hours) = [Tech Time * 432 * (1 - Credit Bonus)] / [(50 + Scientists) * (1.35 ^ Number of Labs) * (1.1 ^ Number of Lab Adjacencies)]

Credit Bonus is 0.2 for any credit (0.5 with the Ready for War Starting Bonus). Credit Bonuses stack multiplicatively.

Tech Times can be found under Research Projects below.

Research Projects

Offensive Tech

These research projects study the potential uses of Alloys, Elerium and Weapon Fragments, unlocking more advanced handheld and aircraft weapons.

Offensive Tech
Research	Credit type	Prerequisites	Cost				Unlocks
Research	Credit type						Research	Foundry	Loadout	Other
Alien Weaponry	Weapons Technology	-	-	-	2	20	Experimental Warfare Beam Lasers	High-Capacity Pistols SHIV Advancements I	SCOPE Marksman Scope	-
Beam Lasers	Laser Weaponry Weapons Technology	Alien Weaponry	15	10	25	45	Advanced Beam Lasers	Operation Rapid Forge Enhanced Lasers	Laser Rifle Laser Battle Rifle Laser Carbine Laser SMG Laser Scattershot Laser Pistol Airburst Actuators Laser Autocannon (SHIV)	-
Advanced Beam Lasers	Laser Weaponry Weapons Technology	Beam Lasers Drone Autopsy	-	-	-	10	Pulse Lasers	-	Laser Autorifle Laser Gattler Laser Strike Rifle Laser Sniper Rifle Laser Lance (MEC)	Laser Cannon (Aerospace)
Gauss Weapons	Gauss Weaponry Weapons Technology	Alien Materials Experimental Warfare	110	-	110	200	Advanced Gauss Weapons	Rail Pistols Phoenix Coilguns	Gauss Assault Rifle Gauss Battle Rifle Gauss Carbine Gauss SMG Gauss Alloy Cannon Gauss Autopistol Gauss Sentry Gun (SHIV)	-
Advanced Gauss Weapons	Gauss Weaponry Weapons Technology	Gauss Weapons Floater Interrogation	-	-	-	20	EMP Weapons	Quenchguns	Gauss Autorifle Guass Machine Gun Gauss Strike Rifle Gauss Long Rifle Recoilless Launcher Prediction Computer Gauss Railgun (MEC) Gravity Mine Launcher (MEC)	-
EMP Weapons	Weapons Technology	Advanced Gauss Weapons	-	30	75	150	Light Plasma Weapons Fusion Weapons	-	Electropulse (MEC)	EMP Cannon (Aerospace)
Pulse Lasers	Laser Weaponry Weapons Technology	Advanced Beam Lasers Alien Power Systems Cyberdisc Autopsy	-	55	110	200	Advanced Pulse Lasers	-	Pulse Rifle Pulse Battle Rifle Pulse Carbine Pulse SMG Pulse Scattershot Pulse Pistol Pulse Autocannon (SHIV)	-
Advanced Pulse Lasers	Laser Weaponry Weapons Technology	Pulse Lasers	-	-	-	30	Light Plasma Weapons	Supercapacitors	Pulse Autoblaster Pulse Gattler Pulse Strike Rifle Pulse Sniper Rifle Pulse Lance (MEC)	-
Light Plasma Weapons	Plasma Weaponry Weapons Technology	Muton Elite Interrogation EMP Weapons Advanced Pulse Lasers	-	220	225	800	Compact Plasma Weapons Vehicular Plasma Weapons	Condensed Plasma	Plasma Carbine Plasma SMG	-
Compact Plasma Weapons	Plasma Weaponry Weapons Technology	Light Plasma Weapons	-	16	40	80	Standard Plasma Weapons	Reflex Pistols	Plasma Pistol Plasma Autopistol	-
Vehicular Plasma Weapons	Plasma Weaponry Weapons Technology	Light Plasma Weapons	-	35	40	100	-	-	Plasma Autocannon (SHIV)	Plasma Cannon (Aerospace)
Standard Plasma Weapons	Plasma Weaponry Weapons Technology	Heavy Floater Interrogation Compact Plasma Weapons	-	30	40	300	Heavy Plasma Weapons Precision Plasma Weapons	-	Plasma Rifle Plasma Battle Rifle Plasma Reflex Cannon	-
Heavy Plasma Weapons	Plasma Weaponry Weapons Technology	Standard Plasma Weapons	-	35	40	220	-	-	Plasma Novagun Plasma Dragon Plasma Particle Cannon (MEC)	-
Precision Plasma Weapons	Plasma Weaponry Weapons Technology	Standard Plasma Weapons	-	35	40	220	-	-	Plasma Strike Rifle Plasma Sniper Rifle	-
Fusion Weapons	Weapons Technology	EMP Weapons	40	40	225	350	-	-	Blaster Launcher	Fusion Lance (Aerospace)

Defensive Tech

These research projects study the potential uses of Alloys, Elerium and Weapon Fragments, unlocking more advanced Body Armor, MEC Suits and SHIVs.

Defensive Tech
Research	Credit type	Prerequisites	Cost					Unlocks
Research	Credit type							Research	Foundry	Loadout	Other
Alien Materials	-	-	4	4	5	4	20	Alien Biocybernetics Improved Body Armor Gauss Weapons Elerium Advanced Aerospace Concepts All UFO Analyses	Alien Nucleonics Alien Metallurgy Improved Salvage Advanced Scavenging Enhanced Ballistics Aircraft Boosters	Alloy Plating Shredder Ammo Breaching Ammo Heavy Mags Alloy Bipod	Phoenix Cannon (Aerospace) Tracking Booster (Aerospace)
Improved Body Armor	Armor Technology	Alien Materials	8	-	-	-	40	Advanced Body Armor	Project Iron Resolve	Phalanx Armor Reinforced Plating Armor Piercing Ammo	-
Advanced Body Armor	Armor Technology	Improved Body Armor Chryssalid Autopsy	-	-	-	-	50	Mobile Power Armor	Mechanized Defenses	Kestrel Armor Carapace Armor	-
Mobile Power Armor	Armor Technology	Advanced Body Armor Elerium	60	-	-	-	80	MEC Mark 2 Advanced Power Armor	-	Aurora Armor Banshee Armor Aegis Armor	-
Advanced Power Armor	Armor Technology	Mobile Power Armor Berserker Interrogation Alien Power Systems	120	80	-	-	350	MEC Mark 3: Light MEC Mark 3: Heavy Antigrav Systems Stealth Systems	-	Corsair Armor Titan Armor Walker Servos Core Plating	-
MEC Mark 2	Armor Technology	Alien Biocybernetics Mobile Power Armor	60	40	180	-	75	MEC Mark 3: Light MEC Mark 3: Heavy	-	LMEC2 (Valiant) HMEC2 (Defender)	-
MEC Mark 3: Heavy	Armor Technology	Advanced Power Armor MEC Mark 2	240	10	460	-	300	-	-	HMEC3 (Dauntless) UHMEC3 (Devastator)	-
MEC Mark 3: Light	Armor Technology	Advanced Power Armor MEC Mark 2	20	80	320	-	300	-	-	LMEC3 (Vindicator) ULMEC3 (Vanguard)	-
Antigrav Systems	Aerospace Technology	Advanced Power Armor Heavy Floater Interrogation Alien Propulsion	-	-	-	-	100	-	Advanced Flight	Seraph Armor Archangel Armor The Thumper (MEC)	Hover SHIV
Stealth Systems	-	Advanced Power Armor Alien Communications	-	-	-	-	100	-	Stealth Satellites	Ghost Armor	-
Mind and Machine	Psionics	Alien Biocybernetics Alien Command and Control	-	-	-	-	30	-	-	Vortex Armor	Reduces MEC Augmentation and Psi Training times by 50%

Alien Autopsies

Alien Corpses that have been returned from successful missions can be autopsied for further analysis, once the required research projects have been completed.

In addition to the listed unlocked items, autopsies also unlock the ability to capture aliens of the researched species on the battlefield for a followup interrogation within the Alien Containment via the Stun Rifle.

Alien Autopsies
Research	Prerequisites	Cost		Unlocks
Research		Corpses		Research	Foundry	Loadout	Other
Sectoid Autopsy	Xenobiology	1 Sectoid Corpse	5	Sectoid Interrogation	-	-	-
Thin Man Autopsy	Xenobiology	1 Thin Man Corpse	20	Thin Man Interrogation	-	Restorative Mist (MEC)	-
Floater Autopsy	Xenobiology	1 Floater Corpse	15	Floater Interrogation		Flak Ammo	Aim Booster (Aerospace)
Muton Autopsy	Xenobiology	1 Muton Corpse	25	Muton Interrogation	Alien Grenades	-	-
Berserker Autopsy	Xenobiology	1 Berserker Corpse	30	Berserker Interrogation	Shaped Armor	Combat Stims	-
Sectoid Commander Autopsy	Xenobiology	1 Sectoid Commander Corpse	45	Sectoid Commander Interrogation	-	Psi Frayer	-
Muton Elite Autopsy	Xenobiology	1 Muton Elite Corpse	40	Muton Elite Interrogation	Ammo Conservation Improved Medikit	-	-
Heavy Floater Autopsy	Xenobiology	1 Heavy Floater Corpse	40	Heavy Floater Interrogation	SHIV Advancements III Advanced Repair	-	-
Ethereal Autopsy	Xenobiology	1 Ethereal Corpse	50	Ethereal Interrogation Alien Command and Control	-	-	-
Drone Autopsy	Alien Circuitry	1 Drone Wreck	5	Advanced Beam Lasers	-	-	-
Seeker Autopsy	Alien Circuitry	1 Seeker Wreck	15	-	UFO Countermeasures	Chameleon Vest Shadow Device	-
Chryssalid Autopsy	Xenobiology	1 Chryssalid Corpse	30	Advanced Body Armor	-	Chitin Plating	Muscle Amp Regenesis (Gene Mods)
Cyberdisc Autopsy	Alien Circuitry	1 Cyberdisc Wreck	15	Pulse Lasers	SHIV Advancements II	-	Dodge Booster (Aerospace)
Mechtoid Autopsy	Alien Circuitry	1 Mechtoid Core	30	-	Advanced Servomotors	-	Alloy SHIV
Sectopod Autopsy	Alien Circuitry	1 Sectopod Wreck	45	-	-	Battle Computer	-

Alien Interrogations

Alien captives that have been captured with a Stun Rifle and housed in the Alien Containment can be interrogated for unlocking research projects and granting research credits.

All interrogations unlock certain research credits, which increases the research speed of all future research projects and Foundry projects that match the credit type.

Alien Interrogations
Research	Prerequisites	Cost		Unlocks			Research Credits
Research		Captives		Research	Loadout	Other	Research	Foundry
Sectoid Interrogation	Sectoid Autopsy	1 Sectoid	30	Xenopsionics	-	-	Cybernetics: Xenogenetics Alien Biocybernetics	Cybernetics: Advanced Repair Advanced Servomotors Advanced Surgery Improved Medikit Jellied Elerium MEC Warfare Systems
Thin Man Interrogation	Thin Man Autopsy	1 Thin Man	50	Experimental Warfare	-	-	Laser Weaponry: Beam Lasers Advanced Beam Lasers Pulse Lasers Advanced Pulse Lasers	Laser Weaponry: Aircraft Boosters Enhanced Lasers Supercapacitators
Floater Interrogation	Floater Autopsy	1 Floater	140	Advanced Gauss Weapons	-	-	Aerospace Technology: UFO Analysis: (all) Advanced Aerospace Concepts Alien Propulsion Antigrav Systems	Aerospace Technology: Advanced Flight Aircraft Boosters Armored Fighters Cooling Coils Elerium Afterburners Improved Avionics UFO Countermeasures UFO Tracking
Muton Interrogation	Muton Autopsy	1 Muton	190	-	-	Tactical Rigging (Foundry Project) Dual Heart Adrenal Neurosympathy (Gene Mods)	Gauss Weaponry: Gauss Weapons Advanced Gauss Weapons	Gauss Weaponry: Mag Pistols Phoenix Coilguns Quenchguns Rail Pistols
Berserker Interrogation	Berserker Autopsy	1 Berserker	240	Advanced Power Armor	-	Neural Damping Smart Macrophages (Gene Mods)	Armor Technology: Improved Body Armor Advanced Body Armor Mobile Power Armor Advanced Power Armor MEC Mark 2 MEC Mark 3: Heavy MEC Mark 3: Light	Armor Technology: Armored Fighters Shaped Armor Mechanized Unit Defenses Tactical Rigging
Sectoid Commander Interrogation	Sectoid Commander Autopsy	1 Sectoid Commander	270	-	Psi Defender	Inner Fire Telekinetic Field (Psi Powers)	Psionics: Xenopsionics Alien Operations Alien Command and Control Mind and Machine	Psionics: Psi Warfare Systems
Muton Elite Interrogation	Muton Elite Autopsy	1 Muton Elite	280	Light Plasma Weapons	-	Enhanced Metabolism Iron Skin (Gene Mods)	Weapons Technology: All Laser Weapon Research All Gauss Weapon Research All Pulse Weapon Research All Plasma Weapon Research Alien Weaponry EMP Weapons Fusion Weapons	Weapons Technology: All Laser Weapon Projects All Gauss Weapon Projects All Plasma Weapon Projects Ammo Conservation Enhanced Ballistics Beam Strengthening SHIV Advancements I
Heavy Floater Interrogation	Heavy Floater Autopsy	1 Heavy Floater	260	Standard Plasma Weapons Antigrav Systems	Advanced Launcher	Cooling Coils Heavy Shells (Foundry Projects)	Plasma Weaponry: All Plasma Weapon Research	Plasma Weaponry: Condensed Plasma Reflex Pistols
Ethereal Interrogation	Ethereal Autopsy	1 Ethereal	340	-	-	Psi Mastery (Psi Power)	All Research	All Projects

Main Tech

Main Tech
Research	Credit type	Prerequisites		Cost						Unlocks
Research	Credit type		Items					Other		Research	Foundry/Facility	Loadout	Other
Alien Circuitry	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2 UFO Power Sources	30	Alien Power Systems Alien Biocybernetics All Robotic Autopsies	Satellite Nexus	Arc Rifle Arc Pistol	-
Xenobiology	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2 Sectoid Corpses	15	Xenoneurology Xenogenetics All Biologic Autopsies	Alien Containment	Stun Rifle AR Targeter	-
Xenogenetics	Cybernetics	Xenobiology	-	-	-	-	12	-	35	Alien Biocybernetics	Genetics Lab	-	Predictive Tracking Advanced Perception (Gene Mods)
Xenoneurology	-	Xenobiology	-	-	-	5	-	2 Sectoid Corpses	10	Xenopsionics	-	Respirator Implant	-
Alien Communications	-	-	Alien Base Assault Completed	-	10	-	-	-	30	Stealth Systems	Hyperwave Relay	-	-
Xenopsionics	Psionics	Xenoneurology Sectoid Interrogation	-	-	50	-	-	2 UFO Power Sources	15	Alien Operations	Psi Warfare Systems Psionic Labs	-	Countercharge Mindfray Psi Panic Kinetic Blast Psi Inspire Mind Merge (Psi Powers)
Alien Operations	Psionics	Xenopsionics	Outsider Shard Acquired	-	-	-	-	-	20	-	-	-	Skeleton Key
Alien Biocybernetics	Cybernetics	Xenogenetics Alien Materials Alien Circuitry	-	5	30	50	20	-	40	Mind and Machine MEC Mark 2	MEC Warfare Systems Advanced Surgery	Neural Scope MEC I (Paladin) Kinetic Strike Module (MEC) Flamethrower (MEC)	-
Experimental Warfare	-	Alien Weaponry Thin Man Interrogation	-	-	-	20	-	-	50	Advanced Aerospace Concepts Gauss Weapons	Beam Strengthening New Combat Systems	-	-
Elerium	-	Alien Materials	Hyperwave Beacon	-	10	-	-	-	10	Alien Power Systems Mobile Power Armor	Jellied Elerium	Elerium Turbos	-
Alien Power Systems	-	Alien Circuitry Elerium	-	-	180	-	-	12 UFO Power Sources	100	Alien Propulsion Advanced Power Armor Pulse Lasers	Elerium Batteries UFO Tracking Elerium Generator	-	-
Advanced Aerospace Concepts	Aerospace Technology	Hyperwave Relay Alien Materials Experimental Warfare	-	-	-	50	-	-	210	Alien Propulsion	Armored Fighters Improved Avionics	-	-
Alien Propulsion	Aerospace Technology	Alien Power Systems Advanced Aerospace Concepts	-	60	-	-	-	8 UFO Power Sources	60	Antigrav Systems	Elerium Afterburners	-	Firestorm (Aerospace) Interceptor Cost -25%
Alien Command and Control	Psionics	Ethereal Autopsy	Ethereal Device	-	-	-	-	-	30	Mind and Machine	Aegis Initiative Gollop Chamber	-	-

UFO Analysis

Once a UFO has crashed or landed and then is successfully assaulted, it can be analyzed as a research project. Once the research project has completed, interceptors gain 30% increased fire rate against all UFOs of the same size. Also, once UFO Scanners Foundry project is completed, analyzed UFO's display damage during Air Combat.

All UFO Analysis have the Aerospace credit type. Once a Floater has been interrogated, the speed at which UFOs are analyzed increases by 100%.

UFO Analysis
Research	Credit type	Prerequisites		Cost	Unlocks
Research	Credit type		Other		Other
UFO Analysis: Small UFOs	Aerospace Technology	Alien Materials	Small UFO Destroyed in Air or Small UFO Successfully Raided	450	30% Increased Fire Rate vs Small UFOs Salvage 30% more alloys and elerium from Small UFOs
UFO Analysis: Medium UFOs	Aerospace Technology	Alien Materials	Medium UFO Destroyed in Air or Medium UFO Successfully Raided	700	30% Increased Fire Rate vs Medium UFOs Salvage 30% more alloys and elerium from Medium UFOs
UFO Analysis: Large UFOs	Aerospace Technology	Alien Materials	Large UFO Destroyed in Air or Large UFO Successfully Raided	350	30% Increased Fire Rate vs Large UFOs Salvage 30% more alloys and elerium from Large UFOs
UFO Analysis: Very Large UFOs	Aerospace Technology	Alien Materials	Very Large UFO Destroyed in Air or Very Large UFO Successfully Raided	250	30% Increased Fire Rate vs Very Large UFOs Salvage 30% more alloys and elerium from Very Large UFOs

Research Archives

Here you can view a list of and summaries of all completed research projects.

Research Credits

Various technologies will offer research credits that will speed up research and foundry projects in broad categories.

Each research credit reduces the time to complete research and foundry projects in it's category by 20% (50% if the "Ready For War" start bonus is active).

Gene Labs

Modify the genes of up to 2 soldiers with Meld to install Gene Mods.

More information on Gene Mods can be found here: Gene Mods

Comprehensive Tech Tree [not updated]

Alt Tech Trees [not updated]

Core: Offense: Defense: Autopsy: Interrogation: