Materiel Protection through Biologics
Abstract
Military infrastructure and systems are expected to function years beyond their original intended lifetime but are subject to degradation by environmental factors. For instance, the formation of biofilms is ubiquitous, corroding and biofouling many military systems, such as aircraft, fuel tanks, ships, medical devices, and filtration systems for water and air. In another example, critical defense assets such as missile silos and naval piers rely on aging concrete infrastructure, ultimately costing the DoD billions of dollars annually to repair and maintain. Building upon technologies investigated under the Bio-Inspired Coastal Defense program, the Materiel Protection through Biologics thrust will develop approaches to sustain military infrastructure and systems by developing biological or bio-inspired technologies to imbue beneficial functions into existing systems, resulting in benefits such as, but not limited to, reducing drag, mitigating corrosion, or repairing concrete. These bio-inspired interventions will protect and sustain equipment and infrastructure, reducing operation costs and increasing service lifetime.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2024
- Source ID
- 6d64794ea2ddbe120a28bab9fbb344c4