Hagel announces push to boost U.S. military's technological edge

[Old Nick]

Source: Jerusalem Post

By REUTERS \ 11/16/2014 06:23

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, warning that the Pentagon's technological edge is eroding, announced an ambitious effort on Saturday to identify and develop weapons systems to enable continued US military dominance in the 21st century.

Hagel, in a speech at the Reagan National Defense Forum, said the new Defense Innovation Initiative would include an effort to develop and field new systems using technologies such as robotics, autonomous systems, miniaturization, big data and three-dimensional printing.

Noting the Defense Department did not dominate the technologies it hoped to exploit, Hagel said the Pentagon would turn to businesses and universities for ideas and help.

He said the Pentagon expected the push to produce systems that would offset its rivals' advantages, as atomic weapons did in the 1950s and precision strike and stealth have done today.



Read more: http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Hagel-announces-push-to-boost-US-militarys-technological-edge-381903

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You know, it's getting very late, even on Mountain Time, and I'm tired ^double meaning.^ Good night!

[DetlefK]

1. Wow! They will finally get a 21st Century accounting-system?

[father founding]

2. Cebturies ahead

Since there is no new large threat to the USA, they have to come up new ways to steal taxpayers money.

[DetlefK]

3. My guess, what technologies they will focus on:

- "Space Marines": heavily armoured, strength-amplifying exoscelettons and helmets with HUD and sensors; especially useful in urban combat

- hand-held medical tricorder (there are prototypes...) for field-dressing

- hand-held translator for spoken language (there is a prototype) for troops deployed to foreign countries (I think, it was the DoD that recently complained that they don't have enough translators who speak arabic)

- drone-tanks that go on patrols and are less vulnerable to IEDs than fleshy humans

- small flying drones for a tactical overview of the battlefield

- technologies that make troops less dependent on supplies, e.g. foldable solar-cells to deliver electricity anywhere

- non-lethal ranged weapons