Nanotechnology a high priority for Pentagon

"Pentagon official says nanotechnology a high priority" reports that Clifford Lau, the senior science adviser in the Pentagon's office of basic research, said "Nanotechnology is one of the highest priority science and technology programs in the Defense Department," with the Pentagon spending $315 million in fiscal 2004 on all nanotechnology research. The specific projects cited are all near-term nanoscale science projects, mostly materials, like lightweight, radar-resistant nanocomposite materials for airframes and coatings to eliminate barnacle buildup on submarines. Foresight Founder and President Christine L. Peterson adds "This piece mentions that 'Pentagon interest in nanotechnology dates to the 1980s'. We at Foresight can back this up, as we were the only ones discussing nanotechnology back then, and we did indeed hear from military types quite early on."