Alternative Fuels and Propulsion Systems: Some Technology trends and Possible Implications for the Future Army

摘要

Alternative fuels and propulsion systems are key emerging science and technology areas that will impact on defence in the next two decades. This report explores some of the associated issues in order to gauge where and how they might influence the military within the Army- After-Next timeframe. Our analysis is built upon an environmental scan of New Scientist magazine, from which we identified a number of key emerging themes - Strategic Issues, Non- renewable sources, Renewable sources, Recycled energy sources, Novel materials, Miniaturised systems and Novel approaches to propulsion. For each of these, technological developments are captured and considered in terms of their implications, both on military systems directly, and the broader implications for the future context. The impacts on Land Force core skills within the Army- as-a-system framework of these technologies are discussed.