Keynote: U.S. Army Seeks Research To Find Lighter Weight, Stronger Composites for Missile Systems

The story below was published on GrapheneEntrepreneur.com about an important conference this week at the Inn at Ole Miss. sponsored by the Mississippi Research Consortium and the Ole Miss School of Engineering. 

James B. Lackey, Director, US Army Aviation and Missile R, D & E speaks about the Army’s needs for research in the areas of lighter weight, stronger composite systems and materials for missile systems.

Today at the “Advanced Materials for Transformative Changes to the Defense, Aerospace and Civil Environments” conference on the University of Mississippi campus, James B. Lackey, Director, US Army Aviation and Missile R, D & E spoke about the Army’s needs for research in the areas of lighter weight, stronger composite systems and materials for missile systems.

The conference, in its second day being held at the Inn at Ole Miss, is being held on the University of Mississippi campus and is sponsored by the Mississippi Reseach Consortium, chaired by Gordon C. Cannon, Vice President for Research at the University of Southern Mississippi. The consortium is made up of Mississippi’s four research universities: University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University, University of Southern Mississippi and Jackson State University. The University Mississippi School of Engineering and those involved with its Nanomaterials Infrastructure Research Group (NIRG) are serving as the hosts.

The unique concept has brought together over 100 people from around the country. The group includes researchers, representatives of defense,

Dr. Christine Surbeck, Associate Dean of the University of Mississippi School of Engineering and Dr. Hunain Alsaid Alkhateb, Associate Professor of Engineering at the University of Mississippi.

aerospace and civil environments as well as private companies, all collaborating on solving problems with advanced materials. Representatives of several U.S. Army research arms, the National Science Foundation and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center made presentations.

Lackey’s talk was a prime example of goal of the conference being realized — “to bring forward recent advances in materials science and mechanics in the vaious sectors (defense, aerospace and civil) and to bridge the gaps between them by increasing awareness of research needs and capabilities in order to create enabling technologies for various applications that have national impact.”

Lackey outlined the primary challenges the Army is facing in an effort to inspire researchers to develop solutions. He talked about the Army’s goals — to continue to find improved ways to protect its the Force and insert itself into battles on land, maritime, space and cyberspace.

Yoan C. Simon, Assistant Professor of Polymer Science and Engineering and Robson F. Story Bennett Distinguished Professor, both of the School of Polymers and High Performance Materials at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Here was the abstract for his talk: “This changing and complex world demands the Army to be proactive, innovative, efficient, and effective. The Army must respond to evolving threats, deter conflict, prevail in war and succeed in a wide range of contingencies and every operational environment To equip the Force for the current and future fight, the Army invests in Science and Technology and Product Realization. The U .S.Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDE C) is committed to developing science and technology advancements into solutions for Army’s Aviation and Missile Weapon Systems. Materials Science is one of the many focus areas that AMRDEC bridges the gap between Soldier needs and capabilities. AMRDEC acknowledges that requirements and desired attributes of Future Weapon Systems face several limitations and threats that could prohibit Material science growth. Materials and Structures must enable the Weapon Systems to be lighter in weight with maximum range, flexible flight times with extended duration, increasing

It takes a team to put on a well-organized conference.

Materials Science is one of the many focus areas that AMRDEC bridges the gap between Soldier needs and capabilities. AMRDEC acknowledges that requirements and desired attributes of Future Weapon Systems face several limitations and threats that could prohibit Material science growth. Materials and Structures must enable the Weapon Systems to be lighter in weight with maximum range, flexible flight times with extended duration, increasing manufacturing and production with limited cost, and become rapidly available with logistic burdens. In response, the AMRDEC team designs for maximum capabilities while identifying, addressing and optimizing processes throughout the Life Cycle to ensure successful fielding and sustainment of these new materials. AMRDEC has proven. In response, the AMRDEC team designs for maximum capabilities while identifying, addressing and optimizing processes throughout the Life Cycle to ensure successful fielding and sustainment of these new materials. AMRDEC has proven success of on-going programs such as the Additive Manufacturing, Optic Metrology, Structural Bonding Technology for Composite Aviatio n and Missile Systems, Advanced Thermostructural Composites, Composite Analysis Tools for Impulse Loading, Topology Optimization of Missile Structures, Electrically Conductive Coasting Technology for Composite Missile Structures, and Laser Welding Composites. The AMRDEC team will continue to lead the Army’s development of Material Science by defining and executing the necessary objectives to accomplish the elevating goal of a stronger, equipped Future Army.”

Allison Buchanan is CEO of New Media Lab LLC, parent company of Graphene Engrepreneur She can be reached at allison.buchanan@newmedialabllc.com

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