9 août 2018 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre

Military researchers think spider silk may keep US troops lighter and cooler in combat

Christopher Woody\

  • Researchers are looking at ways to lighten the load troops carry in the field and better regulate their temperatures.
  • Synthetics like artificial spider silk are one material they're looking at for that purpose.
  • Scientists have often found military applications in strange substances found in nature or made in labs.

The silk spiders produce is tougher than Kevlar and more flexible than nylon, and Air Force researchers think it could it could be key to creating new materials that take the load and heat off troops in the field.

Scientists at the Air Force Research Lab and Purdue University have been examining natural silk to get a sense of its ability to regulate temperature — silk can drop 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit through passive radiative cooling, which means radiating more heat than it absorbs, according to an Air Force news release.

Those researchers want to apply that property to synthetics, like artificial spider silk, which is stronger than Kevlar, the polymer typically used in body armor, and more flexible than nylon.

Enhancing body armor and adding comfort for troops is one of many improvements hoped for by a team led by Dr. Augustine Urbas, a researcher in the Functional Materials Division of the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate.

"Understanding natural silk will enable us to engineer multifunctional fibers with exponential possibilities. The ultra-strong fibers outperform the mechanical characteristics of many synthetic materials as well as steel," Urbas said in the release. "These materials could be the future in comfort and strength in body armor and parachute material for the warfighter."

https://www.businessinsider.com/military-scientists-want-to-use-spider-silk-for-body-armor-parachutes-2018-8

Sur le même sujet

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 4, 2019

    5 février 2019 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité, Autre défense

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - February 4, 2019

    DEFENSE COMMISSARY AGENCY Coast Produce Co., Los Angeles, California, is being awarded an indefinite-delivery, requirements type contract to provide fresh fruits and vegetable products for commissaries located in the west areas of the continental U.S. The award amount is estimated at $153,648,855 for the base year. Actual obligations using resale stock activity group, defense capital funds, will occur upon issuance of delivery orders during the period of performance. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract is for a 24-month base period beginning Feb. 25, 2019, through Feb. 21, 2021. The contract includes three one-year option periods. If all three option periods are exercised, the contract will be completed Feb. 21, 2024. The Defense Commissary Agency, Fort Lee, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HDEC02-19-D-0002). NAVY General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (BIW), Bath, Maine, was awarded a $126,171,106 cost-plus-award-fee contract for DDG 51 class integrated planning yard services. BIW will provide expert design, planning and material support services for both maintenance and modernization. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $719,178,832. Work will be performed in Bath, Maine, and is expected to be completed by January 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy); and fiscal 2019 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $21,022,460 was obligated at time of award, and $4,549,434 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured, in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-19-C-4452). (Awarded Jan. 30, 2019) Swiftships LLC,* Morgan City, Louisiana, is awarded a $26,683,722 modification to previously awarded fixed-price incentive contract N00024-18-C-2401 to exercise an option for construction of Landing Craft, Utility (LCU) 1701 and 1702. LCU 1700 will replace the existing LCU 1610 class of amphibious landing craft on a one for one basis. LCU 1700 will be a similarly rugged steel craft which will recapitalize the LCU 1610 capabilities and have a design life of 30 years. LCU 1700 craft will be a highly reliable and fuel efficient heavy lift platform whose capability will be complementary to the faster air cushion landing craft which have a significantly shorter range, smaller payload capacity, no habitability, and operating hour limitations. Work will be performed in Morgan City, Louisiana, and is expected to be completed by May 2021. Fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $26,683,722 will be obligated at time of award, and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Kingfisher Systems Inc., Falls Church, Virginia, is awarded a $14,236,278 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for advanced cyber support services in support of the Marine Corps Cyberspace Operations Group. This one-year contract includes four one-year option periods which, if exercised, would bring the potential value of this contract to an estimated $73,344,685. Work will be performed in Quantico, Virginia. The period of performance of the base period is from Feb. 4, 2019, through Feb. 3, 2020. If all options are exercised, the period of performance would extend through Feb. 3, 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $5,500,000 will be obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via request for proposal N66001-18-R-0011 which was published on the Federal Business Opportunities website and the Space and Naval Warfare e-Commerce Central website, with five offers received and one selected for award. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N66001-19-C-3406). Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Military Aircraft Systems, Melbourne, Florida, is awarded $11,654,051 for modification P00068 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-13-C-9999). This modification provides for non-recurring engineering to incorporate the Multifunctional Information Distribution System/Joint Tactical Radio System into the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft in support of the government of Japan. Work will be performed in Melbourne, Florida (75.15 percent); Norfolk, Virginia (8.98 percent); Ronkonkoma, New York (8.42 percent); St. Augustine, Florida (6.34 percent); Misawa, Japan (.32); and various locations within the continental U.S. (.79 percent), and is expected to be completed in June 2020. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $11,654,051 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Canadian Commercial Corp., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, is awarded an $11,382,478 firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides services in support of Navy ship and weapons systems test events such as target presentations, planning and conducting of test, and analysis and evaluation of the assigned surface weapons systems during test events as well as systems engineering and program management support. Work will be performed at Point Mugu, California (85 percent); Ridgecrest, California (6 percent); Las Cruces, New Mexico (3 percent); Kauai, Hawaii (2 percent); Salt Lake City, Utah (2 percent); Lompoc, California (1 percent); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in February 2024. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, California, is the contracting activity (N68936-19-D-0008). UPDATE: The contract deductive modification awarded to Gilbane Federal, Concord, California (N39430-15-D-1634) on Jan. 16, 2019, to decrease the value of the contract for the cleaning, inspection and repair of Fuel Storage Tanks 305, 307, and 308 at Defense Fuel Support Point, Tsurumi, Japan, was not signed on that actual date. The modification for $10,966,383 will now be executed Feb. 4, 2019. Work on Tanks 305, 307, and 308 is being removed from the contract by mutual agreement of the parties. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Beacon Point & Associates LLC,** Cape Coral, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $49,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for hospital equipment and accessories. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. This was a competitive acquisition with 71 responses received. Location of performance is Florida, with a Feb. 3, 2024, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-19-D-0010). AIR FORCE Akima Logistics Services LLC, Herndon, Virginia, has been awarded a $13,536,602 firm-fixed-price contract for fuels and supply services. This contract provides for services to support all management, personnel and equipment to perform fuels and supply services. Work will be performed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 29, 2020. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and five offers were received. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $6,768,301 are being obligated at the time of award. The 11th Contracting Squadron, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, is the contracting activity (FA2860-19-C-0004). DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc., San Antonio, Texas, has been awarded an $11,816,042 modification (P00037) to previously awarded contract HR0011-16-C-0001 for classified information technology services. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $116,832,430 from $105,016,388. Work will be performed in Arlington, Virginia, with an expected completion date of February 2020. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $5,430,798 are being obligated at time of award. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity. *Small Business **Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1747970/

  • US-South Korea defense talks on track, but November not a hard deadline-US official
  • Boeing Begins MH-139A Grey Wolf Production

    9 mars 2023 | International, Aérospatial

    Boeing Begins MH-139A Grey Wolf Production

    The MH-139A?s enhanced capabilities allow it to accomplish missions more quickly, quietly and efficiently

Toutes les nouvelles