Air Force Office of Scientific Research-sponsored university biofuel research holds the promise of utilizing hydrogen gas produced by algae and types of bacteria to power future military systems. Princeton University leads a group of eight academic institutions investigating under the BioSolarH2 initiative how to genetically engineer these microbes so that they will use light energy to split water and produce hydrogen in the presence of oxygen. Currently the microbes can only perform the process in the absence of oxygen. This initiative is one of USAF’s many activities aimed at exploiting renewable, affordable, and environmentally friendly sources of energy to lessen US dependence on foreign oil. (AFOSR report by Molly Lachance)
The Air Force is moving forward with a new, algorithm-driven system to help U.S. Northern Command better detect airborne threats. NORTHCOM and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, which are tasked with protecting the homeland from attack, depend on a slew of radars and other data systems to monitor U.S.…