12.22.2005
ashington, DC -- Six defense-related projects--priorities of Seventh District Congressman, Majority Whip Roy Blunt--have been approved in the 2006 Department of Defense Appropriations Act (H.R.2863). The projects include five research programs and completion of the first phase of converting the old MFA mill into a high-tech research and development facility in center city Springfield. The total appropriation for Southwest Missouri projects is more than $27.1 million.
“These funds open the door for Springfield and Joplin to enter the creation of a new industry for Southwest Missouri-advanced defense research,” Blunt said. “New world threats require the development of a new line of military technologies to prevent and respond to potential biological, chemical and nuclear attacks. Some of that cutting-edge research will take place in Southwest Missouri at the Jordan Valley Innovation Center. The Jordan Valley Innovation Center reflects a ‘grains to brains’ shift in the region’s economy and culture from one that was predominately agricultural when the MFA mill was built in the 1920’s to a more technology-based job environment today.”
The 2006 defense appropriations bill continues several research projects begun last year. It includes $4.4 million to complete the first phase of construction to convert the MFA mill into the new home for Missouri State University’s Center for Applied Science and Engineering (CASE) in 2007. The Jordan Valley Innovation Center will house state-of-the-art clean rooms, sophisticated laboratories and offices for CASE and its private-sector research partners. Blunt secured $8 million for the renovation project in 2005 appropriations and ground was broken for the work earlier this month.
The research projects include:
Nantero & Missouri State University’s CASE working on carbon nanotube-based radiation hard non-volatile RAM: $7 million
“This is critical research,” Congressman Blunt said. “In the event of a nuclear strike much of the electrical systems we depend on-computers, appliances, and electrical services-could be rendered inoperable. This research will respond to that kind of threat.” CASE will work with researchers from Nantero Incorporated to develop and demonstrate a new, fast radiation-hardened random access memory chip to be used in space applications. Blunt worked to earmark $4.5 million for this research last year.
Brewer Science & Missouri State University’s CASE working on enabling material for Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS): $4.5 million
MEMS devices are designed not just to sense and act but to think and communicate with other systems, but much of the materials and packaging for these new mirco machines is from older technologies. The research will identify new materials and packaging technologies to further advance the use of MEMS technologies. Brewer Science has been involved in the research since 2002.
Crosslink & Missouri State University’s CASE working on polymer research and self-decontaminating polymer systems for chemical and biological warfare agents: $2.87 million
Crosslink, a Fenton, Missouri-based company, is working to produce self-decontaminating fabric materials that resist exposure to chemical and biological warfare agents. Their work offers the promise of manufacturing polymer-based coatings for fabrics and other materials that are superior to current decontamination techniques.
Gestalt LLC, Joplin monitoring of military computer systems: $7 million
Blunt secured $3.8 million for the new Joplin-based Gestalt Company last year, which began operations in March of this year. C2SLM is designed to monitor the efficiency of dozens of the military’s command and control computer systems. Gestalt CEO Bill Loftus says the additional funds will allow his operations to expand well beyond the dozen employees he has in Joplin now.
Eagle Picher, Joplin, working on thin film battery research and development: $1.4 million
This research will lead to development of thin film batteries for military use. Eagle Picher predicts the technology will add an array of new capabilities to weapons designers.