DSIAC collects and publishes articles related to our technical focus areas on the web to share with the DoD community.
TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — The future Marine Corps fighting force is taking shape in the desert this summer with the start of an 18-month experiment that could transform the basic infantry unit into a deadlier revolutionized team. The Marine Corps must be prepared to counter and defeat a range of adversaries in high-tech environments, leaders
A team of researchers at MIT has designed one of the strongest lightweight materials known, by compressing and fusing flakes of graphene, a two-dimensional form of carbon. The new material, a sponge-like configuration with a density of just 5 percent, can have a strength 10 times that of steel. In its two-dimensional form, graphene is
Drone boats belonging to the U.S. Navy have begun learning to work together like a swarm with a shared hive mind. Two years ago, they would have individually reacted to possible threats by all swarming over like a chaotic group of kids learning to play soccer for the first time. Now the drone boats have
Marines may win physical battles but still lose because of failure to fight effectively in the cognitive dimension. As the Marine Corps looks to prepare for future conflicts and expand key highly skilled communities, the service will consider adding a new primary military occupational specialty: 0521, Military Information Support Operations. A briefing document obtained by
The lifetime of man-made materials is controlled largely by the wear and tear of everyday use, environmental stress and unexpected damage, which ultimately lead to failure and disposal. Smart materials that mimic the ability of living systems to autonomously protect, report, heal and even regenerate in response to damage could increase the lifetime, safety and
The U.S. Navy relies upon satellite and other communications systems to make sure ships, planes, and sailors can share information across the Seven Seas. In peacetime, those systems are a given. But what happens in wartime, when satellites are shot down and other forms of comms are jammed or otherwise disrupted? That”s a very good
Fault tree analysis is a useful probability theory-based tool for evaluating a system’s risk and reliability. Typically, fault trees are populated with basic event failure probabilities from a variety of quantitative and qualitative sources. This article presents a new methodology that combines simulation with game theory to populate a fault tree with strictly quantitative probability
This report highlights the Defense Department”s top 10 issues in 2016. During the year, DoD continued to counter terrorism and proceed with missions in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and Afghanistan. Defense Secretary Ash Carter expanded efforts to build the Force of the Future while seeking new technologies, promoting the well-being of troops and pushing for
The US Army isn’t counting on airpower in the next war. Without that cover, there won’t be supply drops, recon drones or medevac helicopters picking up your casualties — and you will have casualties. “Land-based forces now are going to have to penetrate denied areas to facilitate air and naval forces. This is the exact
Additive manufacturing (AM)—known also as “3D printing”—has exploded into public consciousness over the past several years. Stories and perspectives seem to appear in the popular press and technology blogs on a near daily basis. Enthusiasts tout the prospect for AM to revolutionize manufacturing industries and the markets they serve, while skeptics point to the relatively
One of the biggest revolutions over the past 15 years of war has been the rise of the drones — remotely piloted vehicles that do everything from conduct air strikes to dismantle roadside bombs. Now, a new generation of drones is coming. Only this time they are autonomous — able to operate on their own
Baratunde Cola would like to put sand into your computer. Not beach sand, but silicon dioxide nanoparticles coated with a high dielectric constant polymer to inexpensively provide improved cooling for increasingly power-hungry electronic devices. The silicon dioxide doesn”t do the cooling itself. Instead, the unique surface properties of the coated nanoscale material conduct the heat