Two recent reports from startup Simba Chain and blockchain firm Constellation show that they have contracts with the United States Air Force. It seems that the Air Force is taking a close look at fresh technology in order to increase security of its data and supply chains. Specifically, Simba Chain is tasked with security for 3D printing and manufacturing processes. Constellation is tasked with a security command for multiple domains of the Air Force.

These projects will be associated with drones, satellites and planes operated by the Air Force. Simba Chain was founded from a grant in 2017 that went to the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. Its purpose was to make a platform for communications that could not get hacked.

The entire Department of Defense is taking a look at blockchain. It has a lot of info that it must process. It also has a lot of backlogged contracts for managing supply chains that it needs to manage. It is looking at cybersecurity to make those tracking systems unhackable.

As a part of the four year plan for the Department of Defense, it has a prospective block chain cybersecurity component. It plans to use blockchain to facilitate security and identify the people or entities that try to hack into its systems.

In March, the Department of Defense asked for $9.6 billion for cybersecurity. Its plan for the money did not specifically say how in depth the cybersecurity would go. Its needs are evolving. Supply chains are a huge challenge for the Department of Defense. The chain itself could be disrupted, or components could be hacked before they are received.

The Huawei electronics ban is an example of why the Department of Defense needs to do this. The contracts part of the plan shows a need for cost management. The supply network of the Department of Defense is global. It gets parts from around the world. There is also a lot of bureaucratic waste in the Department of Defense that requires attention. Blockchain technology could identify the waste and help eliminate it, resulting in a savings to American taxpayers.