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Synthetic fuels can be manufactured through a process known as Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis. The FT process converts synthetic gas, composed of primarily carbon monoxide and hydrogen, derived from various feedstocks (e.g. natural gas, coal, biomass or petroleum coke) into synthetic hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons can then be further processed into various FT hydrocarbon products, including diesel fuels or jet fuels. The military has several reasons for their interest in FT fuels. This paper explores these reasons, including the emerging global FT industry, the technologies being investigated for power and propulsion systems, the environmental benefits, and the potential for enhanced strategic mobility and energy security.

The Army's Mobile Parts Hospital (MPH) program has been established to increase vehicle readiness by fabricating repair parts near the point of need. The mobile capability will include a satellite for part data transfer, hardware and software for reverse engineering, and manufacturing equipment from both the traditional manufacturing and the rapid prototyping industries. Additionally, the MPH will set up agile manufacturing cells in the continental United States to do the things that cannot be done in the field system. These agile manufacturing cells will be able to receive the engineering data generated from the mobile system and rapidly produce a qualified part to be shipped to the military unit needing the part. This paper will focus on the manufacturing capabilities that are planned for the mobile field system.

Rubber is used throughout an automobile for many components and these present a recycling challenge. Unlike thermoplastic materials that regain flow characteristics upon reheating (making them easier to recycle), vulcanized rubber exists as a network of crosslinked polymers, which is thermally irreversible. A new technology for ultrasonically devulcanizing crumb rubber (derived from scrap tires) is being investigated. The ultrasonic devulcanization transforms the vulcanized rubber back into a viscous, fluid-like material that can be easily reprocessed. Experiments are underway to determine the feasibility of reusing the devulcanized rubber in new automotive rubber components at substantial quantities. Sample products chosen for demonstration include mats, pedal pads, body plugs and tires.

It has become critical to the Army to use simulation as a design tool to decrease development costs while ensuring a more user-friendly weapon system. This necessitates that man-in-the-loop simulation exercises be conducted that allow comparisons of a new system against a known baseline. Discussed is the process of developing the Data Collection Exercises for the Crewman's Associate ATD, which will compare futuristic 2-crew and 3-crew crew stations against the current 4-crew M1A2 Abrams crew compartment. Given are details on the experimental protocol, a brief description of the tactical scenario used, the personnel required, and the measures that data were gathered on in the baseline.