DSIAC collects and publishes articles related to our technical focus areas on the web to share with the DoD community.
The newest Airbus and Boeing passenger jets flying today are made primarily from advanced composite materials such as carbon fiber reinforced plastic—extremely light, durable materials that reduce the overall weight of the plane by as much as 20 percent compared to aluminum-bodied planes. Such lightweight airframes translate directly to fuel savings, which is a major
A GO-KART ISN’T the most obvious place to find the engine that could change how cars, drones, and anything else with a motor gets around, but it makes sense when you think about it. Karts are small, cheap, and crazy fun. “It’s a thrilling ride,” says Alexander Shkolnik. Shkolnik is the president and co-founder of
ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Maryland — The Defense Department”s push to develop leap ahead technology known as the “third offset strategy” must include ground forces, an Army official said Aug. 3. The third offset strategy calls for the development of cutting edge technologies in various fields that will give the services battlefield advantages. Many of the
The Air Force this week declared that the F-35 Lightning II, one version of the most expensive weapon system ever, had reached initial operating capability, some 15 years after the Joint Strike Fighter program got underway. The Air Force’s announcement that the fifth-generation fighter was “combat ready” follows the Marines’ declaration last summer that its
Some of our nation’s toughest challenges are only one or two connections away from being solved. By joining the Doolittle Institute SOFWERX ecosystem, you are committing to being part of the net-worked solution. You will occasionally receive e-mails informing you of current challenges and how you can participate.
A contract to develop the Afghan National Army’s capacity to maintain its growing fleet of vehicles has more than doubled in cost, reaching a total of $423 million, a recent Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction [SIGAR] report found. See SIGAR 16-49, July 2016,Afghan National Army: DOD Has Taken Steps to Remedy Poor Management of
Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter officially opened the Defense Innovation Unit-Experimental in Boston July 26, and unveiled a slew of new efforts to enhance the Pentagon’s outreach to the commercial technology sector. DIUx Boston is the second such office in the country. The first was opened last year in Silicon Valley to help the Defense
Following the recent mass shooting in Orlando, and the shootings in Minnesota and Dallas, the sharp political divisions over gun control within the U.S. are once again on display. In June, House Democrats even staged a sit-in to advocate for stronger laws. There is some evidence that more restrictions can reduce gun violence, but another
PEO Maritime Technical Diving Event: Operations performed by Special Operations Forces Combat Divers can be long in duration while exposing them to extreme variations in water temperatures, and in some cases at deep depths. The SOF CD program is seeking ways to improve current profiles that have limited bottom time and limited exposure time. USSOCOM
The Air Force has too few pilots. The Navy has too few planes. Textron has a solution: outsource to us. No, the defense contractor isn’t proposing privatized air wars. It’s suggesting that military training make greater use of privately owned aircraft as the “enemy” in mock dogfights. The leader in this field, at least in
The Pentagon’s office tasked with tweaking existing and developing military technology for new uses is pushing development of ammo meant for the electromagnetic railgun for use in existing naval guns and artillery pieces. The initiative will recast existing weapons as potential air defense platforms through a change in ammunition. About year and a half ago,
FARNBOROUGH: In a clear effort to defang critics who might slam their product as — gasp — foreign, Raytheon and the Norwegian defense firm Kongsberg told reporters here they will build a production line in Tuscon, Ariz. to build advanced missiles for the U.S. Navy. The first missile to get built should be the Naval