Scientists Develop Military Camouflage Face Makeup That Shields From Bomb Blast Heat

For thousands of years, soldiers have used camouflage to escape detection and hide from their enemies. Camouflage face paint has been an iconic look for soldiers the world over.

Face paint or camo paint generally utilizes three basic colors, green, brown and black. But depending on the environment, other colors are better. For forests, the best camo colors to use are green, black, and brown. Tan, brown and light green are better for desserts and in snow, grey, green and white works well. For city and urban landscapes, brown, black and grey are usually preferred.

New era in camouflage makeup: Shielding soldiers from searing heat of bomb blasts

Camouflage face makeup for warfare is undergoing one of the most fundamental changes in thousands of years, as scientists today described a new face paint that both hides soldiers from the enemy and shields their faces from the searing heat of bomb blasts. Firefighters also could benefit from the new heat-resistant makeup, according to the report.

It was part of a broader symposium on innovations in ingredients for personal care products held during the 244th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society. The meeting, which includes almost 8,600 reports on new discoveries in science and other topics, continues through Thursday. The other reports (abstracts appear below) included new hairsprays, mousses, denture adhesives, tartar-control toothpastes, mouthwashes and personal cleansing products.

Robert Lochhead, Ph.D., who presented the report, explained that soldiers have used face paint for centuries for one kind of protection ― to help their skin blend in with the natural environment and shield them from enemies. The new material continues that tradition, but also provides protection from the searing heat of roadside bomb blasts and other explosions that have claimed a terrible toll in Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflicts.

"The detonation of a roadside bomb or any other powerful explosive produces two dangerous blasts," Lochhead said. "First comes a blast wave of high pressure that spreads out at supersonic speeds and can cause devastating internal injuries. A thermal blast follows almost instantaneously. It is a wave of heat that exceeds 1,112 degrees Fahrenheit. That's as hot as a burning cigarette. The thermal blast lasts only two seconds, but it can literally cook the face, hands and other exposed skin."

Air Force Office of Scientific Research Funds Lightweight and Tougher Body Armor Derived From Mantis Shrimp

The main purpose of body armor is to protect the wearer from harm. It is protective clothing specifically designed to absorb, deflect, and/or mitigate damage from slashing, bludgeoning, and penetrating attacks.

There are two types of armor; regular non-plated armor and hard-plated reinforced armor.

Non-plated armor are bullet resistant clothing (textile armor) that offers protection from firearm fired projectiles such as small caliber handguns and shotguns. It also offers protection against small fragments from explosives such as hand grenades. Hard plated reinforced armor usually used in military combat operations offer additional protection from rifle rounds and explosive shrapnel.

Armored caterpillar could inspire new body armor

Military body armor and vehicle and aircraft frames could be transformed by incorporating the unique structure of the club-like arm of a crustacean that looks like an armored caterpillar, according to findings by a team of researchers at the University of California, Riverside's Bourns College of Engineering and elsewhere published online today, June 7, in the journal Science.

The bright orange fist-like club of the mantis shrimp, or stomatopod, a 4-inch long crustacean found in tropical waters, accelerates underwater faster than a 22-caliber bullet. Repeated blows can destroy mollusk shells and crab exoskeletons, both of which have been studied for decades for their impact-resistant qualities.

The power of the mantis shrimp is exciting, but David Kisailus, an assistant professor at the Bourns College of Engineering, and his collaborators, were interested in what enabled the club to withstand 50,000 high-velocity strikes on prey during its lifespan. Essentially, how does something withstand 50,000 bullet impacts?

Office of Naval Research: Free Electron Laser Weapon System To Debut This Year

A weapon that travels at the speed of light; Nothing can outrun, out maneuver, or escape it. It is the Free Electron Laser Weapon System. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is supporting the technology to build a working prototype by this year, 2012.

Last year, Scientists at the Jefferson Lab in Newport News, VA. used massive levels of power into a prototype accelerator that produced a supercharged electron beam that can burn through 20 feet of steel per second. This world record puts the US Navy one step closer from constructing a practical Free Electron Laser weapon system to be used on battleships.

A Free Electron Laser (FEL) provides naval platforms with a highly effective and affordable point defense capability against surface and air threats, future anti-ship cruise missiles or swarms of small boats. It can shoot cruise missiles from the sky with deadly accuracy. Utilization of FEL also allows an unlimited magazine with speed-of light delivery.

FEL generates high-intensity laser light by using energy from unbound and accelerated high energy electrons. This technology is commonly used in the Department of Energy’s particle colliders for basic subatomic research. The FEL program is an investment by the Office of Naval Research to transition the accelerator technology from particle colliders to a future ship self-defense weapon system.

Office of Naval Research To Discuss Prototype Electromagnetic Railgun

A railgun is an electrically-powered artillery gun.

The railgun accelerates a projectile along metal rails using electromagnetic energy. Railguns uses two sliding or rolling contacts that permit a large electric current to pass through the projectile. This current interacts with the strong magnetic fields generated by the rails and this accelerates the projectile. Particular characteristics are the lack of propellant (only the projectile and the electrical energy to launch it are required), and the ability to launch projectiles much faster than firearms-based technology allows.

Current technology allows a projectile fired from a rail gun to achieve speeds of around Mach 8 (8 times the speed of sound). Watch the second video below to see the latest declassified video of the test firing of the BAE System Electromagnetic Railgun last Feb 2012.

The Office of Naval Research hosted a media teleconference Feb. 28 to announce the Electromagnetic Railgun (EM Railgun) program's new test series following the first full-energy shot on its industry-built prototype launcher. Previously, the Navy used a laboratory railgun system to develop the technology. The new launcher brings advanced material and high-power technologies into a system that now resembles a large-caliber gun.

Engineers at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) will fire the first full-energy shot on the EM Railgun prototype launcher, built by BAE Systems, recently installed at a test facility in Dahlgren, Va. The test shot kicks off a month-long series of full-energy tests to evaluate the first of two industry-built launchers that will help bring the Navy a step closer to producing a next-generation, long-range weapon for surface ships.

Lightweight Solar Power Generator Enters Full Production For Military Use

The U.S. Department of Navy, through funding from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) has entered into full production its solar generator, the Ground Renewable Expeditionary ENergy System (GREENS).

GREENS is a portable, 300-watt, hybrid battery generator that uses the light from the sun to produce electricity. It was developed to provide Marines with continuous power in the battlefield. In fact, several GREENS are already being used in the field.

Cliff Anderson is the logistics program officer in ONR's Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare & Combating Terrorism Department. He says that GREENS significantly reduces the amount of fuel that has to be delivered to the field. With less fuel to deliver, it minimizes the number of warfighters on the roads, convoys and hazards. It also lowers the cost of logistics associated with distributing fuel.

"That was really the objective: to get warfighters out of harm's way and reduce the cost of transporting fuel."

The GREENS project was conceived in 2008 when a Universal Needs Statement was submitted from Iraq for an expeditionary renewable power system. Approval for this project was expedited and technical execution took less than six months with the first unit tested in July 2009.

The system transitioned from the ONR to the Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC). From there, GREENS went into production. The solar powered generator provided Marines with power to use various military devices. Several small Marine Corps outposts have even used GREENS as their sole energy source.

Video: Ground Renewable Expeditionary ENergy System

The overall goal for GREENS is that it will reduce the logistics burden for providing power to remote locations. It provides the military the AC and DC power it needs to charge typical communication, targeting, and computing devices. GREENS also reduces fossil fuel use otherwise needed for typical generators, and will lessen the need for fuel resupply, reducing the associated threats to vehicle convoys in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Justin Govar, chemical engineer and program manager, Expeditionary Power Sources Office, says, "GREENS is important because within the Marine Corps we are fighting in areas that are remote, that require very difficult logistical trains to get to."

"Infantry battalions that are far forward do not have immediate access to a wide range of logistics and maintenance equipment; therefore, any source of power that requires no [military-grade fuel], low maintenance and no special skills to operate becomes an instant success," said Maj Sean Sadlier, a logistics analyst with the Marine Corps Expeditionary Energy Office, who trained users on and tested GREENS in the field with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. Additionally, "GREENS is modular, portable, rugged and intuitive enough to deploy in a combat environment. Units trained on GREENS as part of pre-deployment training have provided positive feedback."

The Ground Renewable Expeditionary ENergy System supports the Marine Corps' objective of generating all power needed for sustainment and command, control, communications, computers and intelligence equipment in place in the field by 2025. This vision, as laid out in the USMC Expeditionary Energy Strategy, aligns with the Marine Corps Vision and Strategy 2025. The goal is to enable Marines to travel more lightly and quickly by reducing the amount of fuel needed.

GREENS was set up and tested at NSWC Carderock in West Bethesda, Md. It was subjected to a 300-Watt continuous power testing at NAVAIR China Lake during the 2010 Empire Challenge. Ambient temperatures recorded during the China Lake exercise exceeded 116 degrees Fahrenheit and even under these extreme temperature conditions, the system provided an average of 85% of the rated energy. This result exceeded expectations and led to an MCSC request that the product be rapidly developed and readied for acquisition.

Even with the positive feedback, The Naval Surface Warfare Center are still looking into getting the average rated energy up from 85% up to 100%

The solar powered generator is composed of 1600-watt solar arrays and rechargeable batteries combined to provide 300 watts of continuous electricity for Marines in remote locations. Additionally, there is a toolkit feature that allows Marines to enter their expected mission profile and determine which components from GREENS that they will need to take with them. GREENS can be rapidly deployed and is High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) transportable.

RELATED LINKS

Office of Naval Research
Marine Corps Systems Command
Ground Renewable Expeditionary ENergy System
Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division
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