DSIAC collects and publishes articles related to our technical focus areas on the web to share with the DoD community.
In a brief press release last month, the US Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced it had completed, on time and within budget, the manufacturing of a key replacement component for submarine-launched nuclear warheads. What the release didn’t say is how the new device reportedly dramatically increases the capability of refurbished weapons
Society faces threats through the malicious use of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and/or explosive (CBRNE) materials. The detection of illicit trafficking or other criminal acts, as well as many security and safety applications, call for novel material analysis techniques and instruments. These detection systems should be non-destructive but still be able to detect and identify
Aluminum-ion batteries (AIB) have significant merits of low cost, non-flammability, and high-capacity metallic aluminum anodes based on three-electron redox properties. However, due to its inadequate cathodic performance, especially in terms of capacity, high-rate capability, and cycle life, AIB still cannot compete with Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors. To address these issues, a research team led by
The Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp. contracts to develop new, lower-cost cruise missiles capable of flying in swarms to target enemy air defenses. Lockheed, the world”s largest defense contractor, announced it received a five-year $110 million contract from the lab to build the “Gray Wolf.” The weapon
Within five years, the Army would like to start testing remote combat vehicle prototypes, known as RCVs, which are unmanned, as light and as fast as a Stryker, but provide the same level of firepower as an M-1 Abrams tank, said Maj. Alan L. Stephens. Stephens, an Acquisition Corps officer at the Mounted Requirements Division
Nothing proves the value of the helicopter to the civilian populace more than natural disasters, and there is nothing sweeter than the sound of a helicopter swooping in to rescue someone from a flooded house or off the top of a submerged car following the latest hurricane, as recent events have hammered home. Unfortunately, in
What do the ancient Japanese art of origami and laser cutting have in common? For the U.S. Army, it could mean the saving of Soldiers” lives on the battlefield. Researchers Dr. Nathan Lazarus and Gabriel Smith at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory have demonstrated for the first time the creation of complex 3-D parts directly
Inspired by graphene, researchers at the University of Arkansas are at the frontier of a new research direction to create atomically narrow one-dimensional wires, called “single atom chains.” If successful, this work funded by a $60k Short-Term Innovative Research award from the Army Research Office could potentially revolutionize electronics. In the past, efforts to create
The success of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in providing real-time information to military commanders has contributed to both mission effectiveness and protecting personnel. The expansion of commerical UAVs can bring about disruptive uses, intentional or not, as well as their use in asymmetric warfare. Combating these potential threats will require a new front in electromagnetic
China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) released images on 28 November showing the test-firing in Beijing of what appears to be a new counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS). The shelter (ISO container)-based, truck-mounted C-UAS, which the MND refers to as a short-range air defense system, appears to be carried by at least two vehicles: one features
A new, lightweight composite material for energy storage in flexible electronics, electric vehicles and aerospace applications has been experimentally shown to store energy at operating temperatures well above current commercial polymers, according to a team of Penn State scientists. This polymer-based, ultrathin material can be produced using techniques already used in industry. This is the
The aviation industry produces 2 percent of global human-induced carbon dioxide emissions. This share may seem relatively small – for perspective, electricity generation and home heating account for more than 40 percent – but aviation is one of the world”s fastest-growing greenhouse gas sources. Demand for air travel is projected to double in the next