A high-ranking official from the U.S. Department of Defense reported successful field tests in producing explosive charges from simple, locally available materials, including coffee grounds, coconut fibers, and volcanic rocks. According to Defense One, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology Joseph Jewell made this statement during the Defense One technology summit in Virginia a week ago.
Jewell presented the Pentagon’s vision for future wars, starting with a simple question: “What if troops could produce some of their military needs from available ecological resources around them?” He noted that the U.S. Marine Corps conducted experiments in the Pacific region, using 3D printing to create controlled explosive charges.
Production from Local Resources
These charges utilized plastic water bottles, crushed volcanic rocks, coconut fibers, and coffee grounds. All the manufactured models successfully detonated, with volcanic rocks demonstrating the best efficiency. According to the American official, the goal was not to test a specific material but to validate a new concept of military production that involves converting local materials into combat capabilities suitable for immediate use.
These experiments showcased the potential for manufacturing ammunition directly in operational zones, rather than relying solely on traditional supply lines that stretch thousands of kilometers. The use of 3D printing reduced deployment time by 99 percent. The charges produced with this technology exhibited approximately 25 percent better concentration properties compared to some models made using traditional methods.
The Pentagon envisions a future where mobile production units can be deployed within military transport containers equipped with 3D printers and raw materials. This would enable the production of ammunition directly near the front lines. Joseph Jewell added that these containers could also produce biodiesel fuel and aviation fuel from resources available in the local environment.
Lessons from the War in Ukraine
These concepts were part of a broader discussion on the lessons learned by the United States from the war in Ukraine. Jewell noted that Kyiv and its allies managed to introduce military capabilities on the battlefield that did not exist at the beginning of the war with Russia. The Ukrainian drone industry developed rapidly due to operational necessity, allowing new systems to emerge in short periods.
The United States has industrial resources that enable it to replicate this model of rapid military innovation on a larger and more developed scale. The American official cited the example of Ukraine’s ability to diminish the role of the Russian Black Sea Fleet using small systems that are difficult to detect and are deployed in large quantities.
Joseph Jewell stated that expensive advanced weapons will remain a crucial part of modern warfare, but the battlefield increasingly relies on a large number of drones. He believes that the military impact previously achieved by a single combat platform could in the future be supported by hundreds or thousands of coordinated drones with the assistance of artificial intelligence. The natural progression of this path lies in the transition of drones from direct human control to higher levels of autonomous operation supported by AI.
Accelerating Military Innovations
In the context of accelerating military innovations, Jewell discussed a program launched by the U.S. Department of Defense to facilitate private companies’ access to government technologies. Deputy Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Emile Michael announced the “Patent Holiday” program in January of last year, which allows companies to use a range of government patents for free.
Joseph Jewell reported that the program covers about 500 patents, of which 14 have already received licenses for commercial use, while dozens of other applications are still under consideration.
Source: Sky News Arabia