(video via BAE Systems)

Today's modern wars are fought with a severe technology disparity between the factions. One side is making improvised explosive devices while the other uses augmented reality to call in air strikes. Despite the differences, the modern countries continue to innovate against a possible war with its hi-tech peers. BAE Systems has just released its "Adaptiv" vehicle camouflage that mimics the heat signatures in its surroundings.

The Adaptiv technology consists of hexagonal "pixels." An onboard camera samples the background and displays the IR-image on the pixels accordingly. The process happens fast enough for a moving vehicle to not even make an impression under IR surveillance. The pixels can also be arranged to make the vehicle look like another. In the video example, a tank is make to look like a Jeep.  The pixels could also be used to display words or a message, if need be.

The project is funded by the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration, who wanted a focus on IR cloaking. However, the BAE engineers combined the Adaptiv pixels with other electro-magnetic spectrum cloaking devices to provide further stealth coverage.

BAE plans on adapting the technology for warships and buildings. For this application, larger panels will be used.

I would like to see similar technology for use on soldiers. Seeing soldiers get taken out by UAVs at night, via infrared cameras, is disturbing. Again, the battles are usually one sided anyway. I have never heard of a drone on drone battle in any war.

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A team from the University of Southampton has used 3D printing techniques to build a working UAV from the ground up in just under a week. The team, led by Andy Keane and Jim Scanlan, demonstrated their effort at an air strip just a little down the road from Stonehenge. The 1.5 meter wing span, ultra-low-drag, aircraft successfully flew showing it is possible to build for each individual application.

At 100 micrometers (4 thousands) at a time, a laser traces out the 2D cross section of the design. The laser can "print" with many different types of materials, from polyamide plastic to stainless steel or titanium powder. When forming parts with the metallic powder, the team stated that it is as strong as if the parts were machined from raw/bare metal. To create a stronger formed part, an electron laser sintering is used, instead of the conventional laser, to melt the powder completely.

Of course, the electronics in the craft are not printed. At least not yet. http://www.element14.com/community/community/doittogetherblog/blog/2011/07/14/grow-electronics-by-the-molecule

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Airbus A320neo (left). AA branded Boeing 737 (right)  (images via each respective company)

The news has hit the airwaves, American Airlines (AA) wants 460 new jets for their fleet. United States based Boeing will build 200, while France based Airbus will get 260 orders.

Currently, AA has an entire fleet of Boeing built aircraft. With a previous order of 207 jets, Boeing still has 52 to produce on that request along with the 200 more. Not to over strip Boeing's capability, American Chairman and CEO Gerard Arpey said, "No single manufacturer could provide the number and variety of aircraft we need to fulfill our vision for the future." Now, some of the burden is placed on Airbus.

What AA will ultimately get are not all new aircraft, but slightly modified existing planes. From Boeing, they will get 100 regular 737s, with an option for 40 more. Also from Boeing, AA will get 100 "re-engined" 737s, with an option for 60 additional. Re-engined planes are existing platforms with new, modern engines.

From Airbus, AA will receive 130 A320 Family planes with 130 re-engined A320neos, with an option for 365 more.

The engine options are LEAP-X from CFM International and the Pratt & Whitney Pure Power PW1100G. These engines will give the jets they are used on better fuel efficiency and less of a carbon foot print.

AA plans to replace all of their mid-80s purchased 757 and 767-200 airplanes. Aprey wrote, "These new aircraft will enable us to reduce our operating and fuel costs and deliver state-of-the-art amenities to our customers, while maximizing our financial flexibility. ... These new deliveries are expected to pave the way for us to operate the youngest and most fuel-efficient fleet among our U.S. airline peers in approximately five years."

Having flown on an AA 767-200 recently, the upgrade could not come fast enough. Hopefully, AA will start introducing biofuels to their new fleet. At the average of 1.2 miles per gallon on previous generation jets, anything improvement is worth it.

Side note: Boeing 737 operators want a newly designed airplane, not re-engined aircraft. U.S. Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire said the 737 is a piece of history. He welcomes a re-engined 737. More on this, in the coming years.

Cabe

KLM Passenger Jet via KLM

The oldest airline with the same name since it started, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines founded in the Netherlands in 1919, is showing off the first use of a biofuel blend on a commercial passenger aircraft. 170 passengers on a Boeing 737-800 flew from Amsterdam to Paris on June 22, 2011. KLM managing director Camiel Eurlings spoke about the use of the fuel, "In November 2009 we demonstrated that it was technically possible to fly on biokerosene. Now, a year and a half after our first demonstration flight on Camelina, a new phase has been entered around the world, that of certification. Authorisation will soon be granted to operate commercial flights on biofuel. I am especially proud to announce that KLM will take this substantial step in September."

Biokerosene if a 50/50 blend of kerosene and biofuel made from used cooking oil produced by Dynamic Fuels, a Tyson Foods and Syntroleum Corporation partnership. The Biokerosene met the same specifications of standard kerosene, and required no modification to the aircraft. The end result was a substantial reduction of CO2 emissions and a minimum negative impact on biodiversity and the food supply due to the fuel source.

KLM's consortium that is seeking out and developing sustainable aviation biofuel, SkyNRG, supplied the fuel. After seeking the advice of an independent sustainability board consisting of Solidaridad, Copernicus Institute of the University of Utrecht, and the World Wide Fund for Nature, they were given the OK on the mix of Biokerosene.

KLM admits that the price of the Biokerosene is very high. To meet true sustainability, the price of the fuel has to "come down substantially and permanently." However, KLM's demonstration is an indicator of big changes on the way. No wonder KLM has been a sector leader of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the past six years.

Perhaps they should look into algae, as in the recent U.S. Navy's recent biofuel helicopter test fight.

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The Robotic Refueling Mission via NASA

Despite the retiring of the space shuttle program, NASA sent up a space craft refueling and repairing platform. The Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) sent on the Atlantis space shuttle on July 8th, 2011 and installed in 15 minutes on the International Space Station. The RRM features a twin-armed robot dubbed "Dextre." The Dextre, Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, will be controlled by a person located on Earth. Using Dextre will make repairs and refueling to cost far lower than with an astronaut on a spacewalk. Overall, the RRM with Dextre will prolong space travel for crafts already orbiting the planet.

Another use of the RRM comes in repairing satellites, where there are already hundreds out of commission at the moment. This is a service never before attempted. NASA's Satellite Servicing Capabilities Officer Benjamin Reed said, "We anticipate [the RRM] enabling future missions, future capabilities, for the international aerospace community."

We're going to make this data available to everybody," said RRM project manager at the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office Frank Cepollina. "That is, all commercial industry that may want to leap off and start their own ventures."

Heavy-Lift rocket concept via NASA

On related space news, the U.S. Congress demands to know why a new heavy lifting rocket is not completed by now. With the cancellation of some space programs by the Obama administration has led to many delays. Since the retirement of the shuttle program a new type of space craft is needed to get satellites, equipment, and people out of the atmosphere. The Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket is what President Obama is now backing as a contender for a new vehicle. However, current plans will not have a manned mission aboard the new craft until 2020. Which could be in line with President Obama's wishes for a manned mission to an asteroid by 2025 and to Mars by 2035.

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At the IEEE Symposium in Chicago this week, Nasa physicist John J. Chapman suggested that boron could be used as an "aneutronic" fuel, a fusion power source where neutrons carry no more than 1% of the total released energy (Wiki). What he implied was a new type of fusion thruster.

Using an off the shelf laser directed on to a thick metal foil, the energy is used to accelerate protons. The then rush of electrons leaved behind an overly positive charge. Which creates an imbalance with the protons left behind, resulting in a micro explosion. The explosion will send protons from the metal sheet to a second sheet made up of thin sliced Boron-11.

When the protons interact with the Boron-11, carbon nuclei are formed, but then decays to Helium-4 & beryllium nucleuses. All this would then decay to a pair of alpha particles, which is two protons and two neutrons bound together into a particle identical to a helium nucleus (alpha particles are incredibly dangerous to living cells). Each reaction creates 3 alpha particle, and according to Chapman the process is "very efficient." Electromagnetic force would then channel the alpha particles and all matter they touch through a nozzle. Chapman believe that this fusion thruster would be more efficient that current ion propulsion, but does not see his idea emerging for at least another 10 years.

Where would be we if we all did not speculate from time to time?

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