The U.S. and its allies must maintain our technological edge against adversaries, be they Houthi rebels or the Chinese People鈥檚 Liberation Army. An important place to start: advanced energetic materials鈥攃hemicals that propel or explode.
During World War II, the U.S. and Britain made huge progress in energetic materials. Among them was Torpex, a blend of aluminum power, TNT and another explosive, RDX. Torpex, short for 鈥渢orpedo explosive,鈥� was about 50% more powerful than TNT. This new compound, used in mines, torpedoes and depth charges, gave the Allies a crucial advantage. Torpex-filled Tallboy bombs helped sink the German battleship Tirpitz in 1944. The U.S. military still relies on materials from that era, reflecting the brilliance of its scientists but also the lack of innovation since.
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