3D Printing Aerodynamic Improvements

Fuel availability is a security imperative for aircraft fleets, and tactical dependence on fuel will critically tie global fleets to investments in new drag-reduction technologies that optimize fuel utilization. Roberto Guerrero, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Air Force for Operational Energy, recently wrote in Defense News that “when we use our assets more efficiently in peacetime, we build a more energy-aware culture that will better prepare our airmen for tomorrow's fight, if and when it happens.”

Adopting sustainability measures today directly affects operational and national security, and it benefits us all to find ways to use less. In its 2019 Sustainability Report and Implementation Plan, the Department of Defense states that its sustainability efforts “focus on mission assurance, operational readiness, and cost-effective business practices.” The report goes on to add that, “The Department strives to maximize the efficient use of mission-critical energy, water, and material resources…[to] ensure we are prepared when threats arise in the future.”