While the New York Times and others are contemplating the beginning of the end of oil, the Pentagon’s way-out research arm is trying to figure out what it would take to make the U.S. military “petroleum free,” according to Inside Defense.
Naturally, the mad scientists picked robots and wireless battlefield networks as two of their top energy savers.
This universal connectivity will allow commanders to track individual soldiers and robots as well as logistics system status and readiness, the summary [of a February Darpa energy workshop] states. These capabilities, coupled with advanced modeling and simulation tools, will allow commanders to rapidly explore and exploit warfighting options, which in the end translates into shorter execution time lines and reduced energy requirements.
Darpa-ites also saw drones as a potential boost to oil alternatives.
Using more unmanned systems will save energy because they will be smaller and lighter than manned systems that require armor, the summary states. Plus, robots and other unmanned systems will allow reduction of the number of combat soldiers needed to accomplish the mission, further contributing to reduced energy requirements.
Electricity will one day be the big replacement for oil, the Darpa conferees believe. And “since electricity can be generated from a variety of sources, it may be possible in 30 years to avoid having to rely on energy and fuel imported into a battlespace,” Inside Defense notes.
The military would also need portable generators and “‘ultra-high-capacity’ electric storage devices to support directed-energy weapons and other ‘futuristic gun systems’ that require massive amounts of energy in short bursts.“
But those ray guns shouldn’t be wired up to the generators. The energy should be beamed through the air, instead. “This technology will be valuable because power lines are highly vulnerable to sabotage,” the Darpa summary observes. Of course they are.
Good Morning,
Darpa may be on to something here. Aside from all the “Buck Rodgers” (so date me) stuff, the delivery of POL’s to the troops on the line or even front line support units is a major logistical problem in any conflict.
Cutting dependence on fuels and lubricants will represent a reduction in the tonage of supplies that has to be brought to the battlespace. In a tactical sence this would greatly reduce targets for a future enemy.
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner
“Stewart’s Platoon”
The military should research (if it hasnt already) a technology created my Nikoly Tesla in the early 1900’s, funded by JP morgan i think — same technology with no “need to produce” the energy itself, the reason it was scrapped back then was manpower and cost, but in modern times shouldnt a thang — just a thought.
Darpa added: “We have decided to call this network of unmanned drones SkyNet.”
Obviously any weapon system of any type that would save the lives of our boots on the ground and conserve and/or eliminate petroleum based products is a great idea. I acknowledge these “pain-rays” are in the earliest stages of development, but if nothing else we will have a great riot-fighter and discover what will and won’t work. In the not-to-distant-future stories in the Left Behind book series, the “DEW” (Directed Energy Weapon) was used to great affect, and I think our Troops will find them an excellent assault weapon as well as for riot control.
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