• Crystal-Clear Path to Advanced Encryption and High-Resolution Photography

    Air Force Research Laboratory-funded research of unconventional imaging methods may prompt advancements for the Air Force, particularly in the areas of data encryption and wide-area, high-resolution photography. Princeton University's Dr. Jason W. Fleischer leads a team exploring the use of a

  • Energy Harvesting for Future UAVs

    Dye-sensitized solar cells constitute an emergent technology expected to power Air Force unmanned air vehicles of the future. The basis of this expectation lies in the cells' capacity as optimum energy harvesters, power sources that may ultimately enable longer flight times without additional

  • New Generation of Energy-Efficient UAVs

    Driven by ever-increasing military demands to reduce unmanned air vehicle size and weight but lengthen flight times, Air Force Research Laboratory is funding a project exploring the integration of solar power sources directly into the base materials used to build UAVs. Dr. Max Shtein and his team of

  • Curved Laser Beams Just Around the Bend

    Research exploring the use of curved laser beams in the space environment may one day enable charged particles to be accelerated and high-power microwaves and radio frequency waves to be guided while in the air, advantageous capabilities for the Air Force in terms of remotely detecting explosives

  • Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft Makes First Flight

    The famed "Skunk Works®" advanced development program launched a new era of aircraft manufacturing technology and performance with the successful flight of the Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft, a vehicle developed jointly by Air Force Research Laboratory and Lockheed Martin. Conducted at US Air

  • Successful Launch for AFRL TacSat-3 Satellite

    An Air Force Minotaur I rocket launched the Air Force Research Laboratory's TacSat-3 satellite, National Aeronautics and Space Administration's PharmaSat microsatellite, and NASA's CubeSat Technology Demonstration experiments into low earth orbit. The launch team declared the event successful after

  • SecDEF announces return of KC-X program

    Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced the return of the KC-X program to the Air Force during the 2009 Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition at the National Harbor, Oxon Hill, Md., Sept. 16. The announcement sparked applause as KC-X, the Air Force's tanker

  • CSAF to attend USAF Marathon

    In another historical first, Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff, is scheduled to attend the U.S. Air Force Marathon on Sept. 19. General Schwartz's attendance marks the first time the service's most senior officer will attend the event, which is in its 13th year. The general, an avid

  • SBIR On Board With Engine Health Management

    A successfully demonstrated Small Business Innovation Research outcome could ultimately pay dividends in the area of maintaining aircraft engine health, specifically in the fielding of low-cost, onboard, integrated engine health management systems for monitoring engine vibration and other key

  • Conductive Ink Energizes Solar Use for Soldiers

    Check your pockets--you just might be sporting a novel technology that boosts your personal capacity to harvest solar energy power for your critical communication, navigation/location-finding, and other portable--and in some cases, wearable--devices. The main ingredient of this emergent capability