Tag: NRL
Warfighters Will Be Able to Press and Repair their Armor
Research chemists at U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) have developed and patented a transparent thermoplastic elastomer armor to reduce weight, inherent in the most bullet-resistant glass while maintaining superior ballistic properties. The thermoplastic transparent will also be repairable using a process similar to iron pressing to remove scratches.
CICADA – Close-in Covert Autonomous Disposable Aircraft
CICADA - for Close-in Covert Autonomous Disposable Aircraft, is developed by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) to enable rapid dispersion of communication nodes, sensors, or effectors can then be placed in a programmable geometric pattern in hostile territory without directly over-flying those regions or exposing human agents on the ground.
X-Wing Drone Launched From a Submerged Submarine for the First Time
The US Navy has recently demonstrated the launch of an all-electric, fuel cell-powered, unmanned aerial system (UAS) from a submerged submarine. For the test,...
Layered Multi-Ply Armor Enhances Ballistic Protection
The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has developed new methods to enhance the ballistic performance and penetration resistance of ballistic armor by the application of...
Electrically Powered Ion Tiger Drone Set 48 hour Flight Record
Researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory flew their fuel cell powered Ion Tiger UAV for 48 hours and 1 minute on April 16-18...
Could Dust Packed Missiles Clean Low-Earth Orbit?
Millions of small debris orbiting earth at Low Earth Orbit (LEO - at altitudes of 2,000 kilometers and below) are posing serious risk to manned and unmanned spacecraft. Scientists at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) suggest that ballistic missiles loaded with tons of tungsten dust could be used to ‘sweep’ these objects from their LEO orbit, slowing and lowering them into the upper atmosphere, where they will decay the heat generated from drag induced by the upper earth atmosphere.
CICADA Micro-Drones Open New Opportunities for Future Covert Surveillance
CICADA is a concept for a low-cost, GPS-guided, micro disposable air vehicle that can be deployed in large numbers to "seed" an area with miniature electronic payloads. These payloads could be interconnected to form an ad-hoc, self-configuring network. Communication nodes, sensors, or effectors can then be placed in a programmable geometric pattern in hostile territory without directly over-flying those regions or exposing human agents on the ground.
Multi-Band SAR Supports Task-Force ODIN in Iraq in C-IED Operations
Northrop Grumman Corporation's software-defined Multi-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (MB SAR), recently provided counter-improvised explosive device (IED) support assisting the drawdown of U.S. combat troops...