Supporting Information Technology for Military Packaging

Abstract: In the military logistics revolution, packaging is an important factor in logistics science, and its future development direction mainly has six aspects. The first is the development of military material transportation to containerization and support; the second is the development and application of new packaging technologies and materials; the third is that information technology will be widely used in military packaging; and fourth, integrated protective packaging will be the future. The focus of development; Fifth, focus on the development and application of functional materials; Sixth, military materials packaging to the low-cost, high-benefit direction.

Keywords: supporting information technology functional materials

Under the impetus of the new technology revolution, the digitization trend of the battlefield is rapidly developing, and logistical support methods and safeguard methods are facing severe challenges. Packaging, as an important factor in logistics science and a cornerstone of the logistics system, plays a pivotal role in this military logistics revolution. The future development direction of military packaging will, to some extent, affect the success or failure of this military logistics revolution.

First, the development of military material transportation to containerization and supporting

As early as during World War II, the U.S. military used palletized packaging to transport ammunition and other supplies. Palletized and packaged packaging has gained a great deal of development after World War II due to its high efficiency, ease of management, and ease of use for airdrops, airlifts, and cost savings. The U.S. 105mm tank bomb is packaged with 30 or 35 metal packaging cartridges fixed on a metal tray to form a reusable unit package. A unit package allows one tank to be used for loading a bomb. When loading a bomb, it is only necessary to open the metal end cap to remove the projectile, and the bomber will automatically send the projectile into the tank. This is very convenient. In the military logistics revolution carried out by the US military in recent years, Major General Williams, the deputy chief of staff of the Logistics Division of the US Army’s Equipment Department, proposed that “the use of a speed-type logistics system in place of a quantitative logistic system” means that the transportation of goods and materials will be supported. development of. Guided by this kind of thinking, the U.S. military improved the original palletized loading system, greatly improved its communication capabilities and information processing capabilities, and enabled the transformed loading system to have supporting transportation and all-weather operational capabilities.

The military transportation of our army started late and developed slowly. In the military transportation packaging industry for decades, we have just completed the transformation from shoulder-lift to basic mechanization. Due to the high cost of palletizing and containerized packaging, and the need for specialized equipment for the handling, loading and unloading of containerized material, its application range and location are subject to certain restrictions and are not commonly used in our military. Therefore, we should seize the opportunity of the logistics informationization revolution and strive to achieve a qualitative leap in military product packaging, and quickly increase the level of assembly and matching of our military material packaging.

In addition to improving the level of containerization of military materials, and researching and developing packaged packaging systems that are applicable to the transportation of military supplies, we must also focus on the matching and networking of transportation systems. Ultimately, logistics should be based on supply-based The system for a large number of inventory has turned into a system based on computer networks and distribution.

Second, pay attention to the development and application of new packaging technologies and materials

Nanotechnology and nanomaterials are currently the most widely used foreign technologies in the packaging field. Nanotechnology enables packaging materials to have a variety of ultra-high physical and chemical properties, and is of epoch-making significance for improving packaging functions. In the field of explosion-proof packaging, the United States took the lead in the explosion-proof packaging of detonators in the 1980s, followed by a series of studies on explosion-proof packaging for explosives. The U.S. military has successfully developed an explosion-proof packaging material that is filled in containers that contain explosives. The material is a composite material that is mixed with the adhesive and can be cast. It has the characteristics of light weight, multi-hole, shock wave absorption and shock absorption. The filling of this material into packaging containers not only prevents the explosion of explosives in the container, but also prevents the explosion of explosives in adjacent other containers; the United Kingdom has developed an organic combination of anti-corrosion and lubrication functions. Double functional coatings based on molybdenum disulfide and molybdic acid. Applying the paint to projectiles, as well as guns and barrels, can overcome the shortcomings of the traditional methods, it also has anti-corrosion function and lubricating effect, so that the projectile and the tube reduce friction, and improve the trajectory speed and shooting accuracy.

Modern warfare has developed from three-dimensional warfare from land, sea and air to four- and five-dimensional wars. In order to meet the needs of material protection under the conditions of modern warfare, the armed forces of various countries have continuously developed and utilized new technologies and materials and applied them to military packaging. In the coming period, military packaging will be further developed in smart packaging, explosion-proof packaging, ultra-high-functional packaging, anti-static packaging, anti-electromagnetic packaging, anti-IR packaging, radiation protection packaging, nanotechnology and nanomaterials.

Third, information technology will be widely used in military packaging

The information system of the new era will provide logistical personnel with a synchronized and accurate battlefield picture, giving logisticians an advantage in tactical information.

With the rapid development of information technology, the combination of information and logistics technology is an inevitable trend. The application of two-dimensional and even three-dimensional bar code, radio frequency technology and other information technologies in the field of military packaging has greatly enhanced the transparency of internal packaging, improved rapid response capabilities, and made material management easier. In Bosnia, in order to speed up the flow of supplies, strategic packaging, radio frequency tags, transportation tracking systems and automated shipment order system cards were used. The use of transport coordinators to automate transport information systems, coupled with the application of 2D barcodes, has significantly strengthened material deployment activities in Bosnia. The use of radio frequency tags and fixed or handheld locators has had a significant effect on material tracking. In the Gulf War, the U.S. military developed an automated manifesting system. The system uses a laser memory card as a database storage medium to provide detailed information on the contents of containers, which helps the US military to rapidly transfer thousands of sea containers and air pallets stacked at ports and airports to their destinations.

The logistics informationization of our military has begun to explore as early as a few years ago. For example, a two-dimensional bar code management system developed based on the construction of a visual warehouse, a network adjustment for the implementation of some military supplies by using a visual system, an online bank jointly established with a local financial institution, and an oil and military joint-venture network system. These tasks are the basis for our military to achieve packaging information, but we must fundamentally improve the level of packaging information, but also make great efforts to develop and use information technology, including the use of laser memory cards, radio frequency identification tags, smart cards, bar codes and other technologies. Only in this way can material information be grasped in a timely manner. Only on the basis of package-based material distribution can the time for material guarantees be shortened, and the response speed of packaging materials can be increased, so that material guarantees can be switched from passively reacting to predictably using resources.

Fourth, comprehensive protective packaging will be the focus of future development

With the rapid development of modern detection and guidance technologies such as radar, infrared, laser, and millimeter wave, and the gradual application of neutron bombs and microwave bombs, modern warfare has become even more highly technological. It is very difficult to effectively protect the contents of a single package of military materials. Modern high-tech weaponry and equipment collect light, machine and electricity in one, thus placing higher requirements on its packaging. Its protection does not only stop at the traditional moisture-proof and moisture-proof, but also takes into account new environments such as electromagnetic and radiation. factor. Therefore, in the future, the packaging of military materials, especially high-tech weapons and equipment, will inevitably continue to develop in the direction of multi-functional protection. With the advancement of science and technology, the successful development of various new materials such as photochemical functional materials, stealth functional materials, conductive functional materials, moisture-proof and antistatic composite membranes, and anti-static buffer materials has provided technical assurance for the realization of comprehensive protective packaging.

Fifth, pay attention to the development and application of functional materials

The so-called functional materials refer to special materials and composite materials that can transfer, convert or store materials, energy, and information. Such materials generally have the characteristics of light weight, easy processing, special functions or specific purposes, special applications, and high added value. According to the functional sources of materials, they can be divided into structural functional materials and composite functional materials. Because of its characteristics that other materials do not have, it has very broad prospects for development in military packaging.

The rapid development of infrared detection technology and electromagnetic wave detection technology has caused fatal threats to weapon systems and other military materials and equipment. The development and application of stealth functional materials play an important role in stealth technology and military packaging of weapons systems.

Stealth technology is one of the key military technologies in the world today, and a large amount of research work has been carried out at home and abroad. In terms of conventional weapons, radar waves and infrared stealth materials were used on the US M1A1 tank, and the former Soviet Union T-80 tanks were also coated with stealth paint. According to reports, the United States and other Western countries are conducting stealth technology research on new types of main battle tanks. Recently, the United States, Britain, Germany, and France have reached an agreement to jointly develop high-energy, low-signal signals and stealthy absorbers for low-sensitivity propellants. In particular, the United States has used stealth absorbers for Tao Yiz and Haier. "Anti-tank missiles", "Rattlesnake" and other air-to-air missiles.

Stealth function materials are materials that can absorb radar waves and infrared waves. It can absorb and attenuate the electromagnetic energy of the electromagnetic wave incident from the space, so that the reflected wave is reduced or substantially eliminated. At present, most of the multi-band stealth materials used in foreign countries are superimposed on two layers. One layer is a heat shielding layer and the other is a radar wave shielding layer. There are also multi-layered materials, among which there are metallic layers for reflection (made of aluminum, zinc, etc.), with the ability to penetrate hot red lines; colored plastic layers (polyethylene, etc.), plastic layers (polyvinyl chloride), with Certain radiation performance. In this multilayer stealth material, fillers for absorbing radar waves (such as carbon fiber and steel fiber) may also be added.

Sixth, military material packaging development to low-cost, high efficiency

Reducing costs and saving costs are the goal of all countries’ military material packaging efforts. For example, in the packaging of drinking water, as the bottled water is expensive, and the commercial transportation cost of bottled water is also very high, the U.S. Army adopted a vertical type pouring and sealing machine for reverse osmosis water purification equipment, which was developed by Texas General Packaging Equipment Company. With the unit equipped with reverse osmosis water purification device to form a drinking water packaging system. The filling system is easy to operate and can infuse about 25 l liters of water bags per minute. It can also infuse 5 liters and l5 litres of two sizes of water bags. This system has good maneuverability and can be packed and transported in a matter of hours. After deployment, it can be run for 24 hours, including an average of 2 hours of maintenance per day. The filling system played an important role in the "joint efforts" of the U.S. military. In the "Joint Effort" operation, bottled water used by the garrisons in Hungary, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina reached tens of millions of dollars. Initially, bottled water was purchased from Italian and French merchants at a price of 30 cents to 70 cents per liter. The bottled water was first shipped to Germany by ship and distributed to Hungary, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bottled water is loaded on leased containers using commercial trucks. The rent for each container is about $750 and the freight rate is between $1,000 and $40,000. By contrast, bagged water costs only 30 cents per bag, is produced in theaters, and is transported in military vehicles, eliminating the need for commercial transportation. The use of drinking water packaging systems in large-scale exercises and deployments has significant benefits that can reduce costs, ensure drinking water quality, and reduce transportation requirements.

In recent years, our army has also done a lot of work in the improvement of packaging technology and materials. If the packaged product is vacuum-packed, the volume of the vacuum-packed packaged product is reduced by 30% to 50% compared to the normal package, and it has the effect of preventing insects and mildew, saves transportation capacity during transportation, saves storage capacity during storage, and saves manpower during maintenance. Vacuum packaging equipment investment is less, easy maintenance, is a better way for our army to improve the packaging of the loaded goods. Reducing costs and increasing profits are basic requirements for the military’s military product packaging reform. The adoption of new packaging technologies and packaging materials such as flexible packaging, vacuum packaging and the use of anti-corrosion materials are the basic approaches.

Excerpt from: <China Packaging>