Air War College, Futures Group discuss technology impact on defense industry

  • Published
  • By Maria Callier
  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
The Air Force Office of Scientific Research recently hosted a conference with representatives from the Air War College and the Air Force Futures Group.

Participants included Air War College students who have been researching nanotechnology, biotechnology, directed energy and cyberspace as part of the Air Force's Futures Group study. Also present were program managers, scientists and engineers from the operations, futures technologies and analysis divisions.

Dr. Mitat Birkan, an AFOSR program manager, led the discussions. Dr. Birkan oversees the space power and propulsion basic research investment portfolio at AFOSR.

"Studies like this give a decision tool to Air Force leaders to select science and technology pathways that will help the Air Force continue to have air and space superiority in the future," Dr. Birkan said. "The Air War College study also helps to create the leaders of the future with a solid technical background."

Dr. Kenneth H. Watman moderated the meeting. He is the associate director of strategic
planning and deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and programs at the Air Force headquarters in Washington, D.C. Dr. Watman assists the director of strategic planning as required in performing the directorate's mission of developing and evaluating future strategies, policies and objectives to improve the Air Force's contribution to national defense.

During the group meeting, the students from the Air War College gave presentations in their respective areas of study and discussed how research may impact the Air Force and defense industry over the next 25 years. Presenters and their topics included Lt. Col. Rich Hughey, Directed Energy; Col. Phil Samples, Biotechnology; Lt. Col. Steve Garland, Nanotechnology; and Lt. Col. Mark Mattison, Cyberspace.

Discussions also included logistics/staging time savings with directed energy weaponry, human immune system on a chip for rapid development of vaccines, nano particle effects on human toxicology, failure rates of carbon-based materials and composites, quantum computing and the Air Force's strategic issue of creating technical leadership. Final reports are expected to be completed in June 2007.