Special Technology Area Review on Displays. Report of Department of Defense Advisory Group on Electron Devices Working Group C (Electro-Optics)

摘要

Displays are critical devices in all weapons systems. Sensors and information systems enable warfighters to detect, locate, identify, and track targets, assure accurate real-time battlespace situational awareness, and provide an accurate battlefield damage assessment -- but only if there is a display at the location of each and every friendly combatant. Display research spawns whole new fields as a result of its multidisciplinary nature; for example, the cathode ray tube enabled radar and television and the first commercially successful micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) was a high definition digital display system device. Display technology is vital to all six Quadrennial Defense Review Transformational Operational Goals and offers advanced technology solutions to the problems of accurate real-time situational awareness, identification, precision targeting, and timely informed decision- making. The continued development of high-performance, man-in-the-loop, and autonomous systems using advanced display technology is absolutely necessary to revolutionary improvements in defense capabilities for global surveillance and communications, special operations, precision strike missions against fixed and mobile targets, advanced antisubmarine warfare capabilities, and space and sea control systems. Display technology is also needed in Homeland Security because the applications there have human-information interfaces like those in DoD. AGED makes four recommendations regarding display access, planning, investment, and transition: (1) DoD should take steps to mitigate the risk of its current, near absolute reliance on off-shore sources of displays; (2) DoD should establish a more rigorous mechanism to manage and coordinate available investments in displays; (3) DoD should invest $100M/yr in display areas where military advantage is foreseen and payoff is timely; (4) Services should fund engineering development and manufacturing technology to rapidly leverage new products.