energy penetrators and armor are vitally impor- 

 tant phenomena which are not well understood. 

 At present a comprehensive theory of penetration 

 does not exist. Although great strides have been 

 made in the generation and use of both sophisti- 

 cated computer simulations and simpler engineer- 

 ing models, they all involve empirical correlation 

 of input and output data. While essentially empiri- 

 cal prediction techniques are useful, greater pro- 

 gress in both penetrator and armor design will be 

 made when reliable analytical prediction capabili- 

 ties are available. This complex, interdisciplinary 

 problem involves a variety of deformation and 

 failure mechanisms in both the penetrator and the 

 armor. A basic research program involving both 

 mechanics and material sciences is needed in this 

 area. 



Materials research. More than 65 percent of 

 advanced weapons system failures are materials 

 failures. To counter the penalties due to such fail- 

 ures, the Army conducts a broad-based materials 

 research program directed toward four generic 

 weapon system areas: Aircraft, armament, armor, 

 and missiles. The objective is to develop and 

 characterize materials to provide weapon system 

 cost reduction, improved performance and relia- 

 bility, and reduced maintainability for new and 

 improved weapon systems. Current weapon sys- 

 tem deficiencies include need for improved armor 

 for advanced ground combat vehicles, need for 

 improved munitions to defeat advanced armor, 

 need for high-strength, lightweight materials to 

 reduce the costly accelerated wear of helicopter 

 transmissions and gears, and the need for ad- 

 vanced high temperature ceramics for Army gas 

 turbine engines. The Army will apply increased 

 resources and emphasis to these deficiences and 

 will exploit technological opportunities for provid- 

 ing cost effective, reliable, and maintainable weap- 

 on systems for the modern field Army. 



Medical research. The loss of military manpow- 

 er resulting from combat casualties, injuries, and 

 disease has represented a large cost in both 

 trained manpower and rehabilitation and treat- 

 ment costs. Medical R&D programs are being 

 conducted to reduce manpower and treatment 

 costs through avoidance of environmental inju- 

 ries, prophylaxis, and improved procedures for 

 treatment of casualties. Particular emphasis will 

 be given in these programs to combat surgical 

 techniques, environmental injuries, performance 

 and stress prophylaxis to protect troops against 

 disease, and defense against biological and chemi- 

 cal agents. 



Organizational effectiveness. A priority require- 

 ment is the development of organizational effec- 

 tiveness to improve quality and competence of 

 officer and enlisted personnel and performance of 



68 DEFENSE 



Army organizations. A new research thrust is 

 required to develop tools, methods, and tech- 

 niques that will assist Department of the Army 

 major commands and individual units in identify- 

 ing, handling, and evaluating organization prob- 

 lems and solutions. Examples include unit attri- 

 tion, individual and unit mission readiness, indivi- 

 dual and unit training requirements, developing 

 job designs and redesigns to handle new tactics 

 and weapon system installations and usage, logis- 

 tical and maintenance systems, and the range of 

 personnel, supervisory, and workload factors 

 that degrade individual and unit performance. 



Ice adhesion. The adhesion of ice to surfaces, 

 such as power lines, antennas, communication 

 towers, ships, military ground equipment, helicop- 

 ters, and pavements, still remains one of the big- 

 gest, only partially solved, problems in cold re- 

 gions research. The diflficulties concentrate largely 

 in industrialized areas south of the advancing po- 

 lar air masses. An icing storm can substantially 

 affect missile defense systems or impede military 

 operations in Europe. This consideration has 

 prompted an intensified attack on basic research 

 problems in this field, in cooperation with univers- 

 ities. The surface chemistry of ice and substrate is 

 being examined, including crystallographic defects 

 and dielectric aspects. The potential of surface 

 coatings and physical or chemical treatment is 

 being examined. Climatological criteria leading to 

 difficulties are being derived. Experiments on the 

 icing of rotating elements have been conducted in 

 a laboratory and under most difficult conditions in 

 the field. Theoretical models are being developed 

 that show the icing potential as a function of the 

 relevant physical parameters involved. Work is 

 needed to find the correct effect of windspeed. 



Although the Army has an extensive research 

 program spanning almost the full spectrum of sci- 

 ence and technology, and tries to support mean- 

 ingful research in every area considered vital to 

 its needs, there are a few important areas in 

 which the Army has been directed not to have a 

 research effort. For example, in the areas of drug 

 abuse, venereal disease, and basic immunology, 

 the Congress has enjoined the Army from con- 

 ducting research. This is believed wrong, since drug 

 abuse and venereal disease in military populations 

 constitute unique problems in which further re- 

 search is required, and basic immunology is a vi- 

 tal building block in any program of research to- 

 ward prevention of infectious disease. Renewed 

 emphasis on non-goal-oriented basic immunology 

 is necessary to ensure availability of required 

 tools and expertise to solve scientific problems of 

 importance to the Army. 



