DISASTER TECHNOLOGIES INC — Department of Defense STTR Phase I: AF21B-T001

Description

The U.S. Air Force (USAF), along with the other military Services, are often tasked to support Humanitarian Assistance / Disaster Relief (HA/DR) operations due to the tremendous capabilities the USAF possesses to plan and synchronize aviation assets, repair and run airfield operations, and deliver an impressive number of supplies and other needed capabilities such as medical support.  Examples include disaster relief in support of the 2010 Haiti Earthquake, 2011 Japanese earthquake and Tsunami, 2015 Nepal Earthquake, and the 2017 Hurricane responses.  The USAF and other DoD components are in a supporting role during HA/DR operations.  Responses are international and involve the multiple nations, non-governmental organizations, the United Nations, and the private sector.  For an international response like those highlighted above, there is not a shortage of supplies or capabilities, but there is a challenge of prioritization and unity of effort when so many well-meaning organizations come together to provide relief to those in need.  One of the central tenets of airpower is centralized command/decentralized execution.  Centralized control maximizes the efficiency and effectiveness of airpower by establishing priorities and synchronizing objectives under one commander while decentralized execution ensures flexibility of employment at the tactical level to meet the established objectives.  Centralized control is difficult to achieve during a HA/DR mission because there are so many entities trying to deliver supplies and DoD is not the lead for the operation.