ANALYSIS OF EGYPTIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE E-WASTE PROCESSES AND MANAGEMENT

This thesis presents an in-depth analysis of the E-waste management process used by the Egyptian Ministry of Defense (MOD), highlighting opportunities to improve efficiency and economic outcomes. Currently, E-waste is stored in centralized warehouses and sold every three months to private sector buyers, a process that neglects the substantial potential value within discarded electronics. By adopting urban mining—extracting valuable metals such as gold, silver, copper, and palladium from electronic waste—MOD could recover resources internally and enhance sustainability. Many private-sector buyers lack a proper recycling infrastructure, often leading to environmentally harmful disposal practices and the loss of critical materials. Establishing internal recycling facilities would allow MOD to control the full process, increase revenue, and minimize environmental risks associated with improper E-waste handling. Recovered materials could directly support Egypt’s defense industrial base, reducing reliance on imported resources and strengthening national supply chain resilience. This study includes a comparative cost-effectiveness analysis as well as detailed process mapping of both the current and proposed E-waste management systems. The findings show that, although internal recycling requires a higher initial investment, it ultimately delivers greater financial returns, stronger regulatory compliance, improved material flow, and better alignment with national sustainability.Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.Colonel, Egypt ArmyCaptain, Egypt Arm

COMPUTATIONAL COMPRESSOR PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENTS UTILIZING SELF-RECIRCULATION THROUGH INLET GUIDE VANES

Compressor stall is a performance limit on aircraft engines. Increasing compressor stall range broadens the safe operating range of the aircraft. Research into compressor casing treatment designs is needed to accomplish an increase in compressor stability range, while not completely sacrificing efficiency. Flow recirculation over the compressor rotors has been demonstrated to improve both efficiency and stall range in transonic compressors; however, a single general method has not been developed. A different approach to extend the stability range of transonic compressors is flow recirculation through the inlet guide vanes, which was explored in this study. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to predict performance improvements in the demonstration transonic compressor at the Naval Postgraduate School's Turbo Propulsion Lab. This study demonstrated that pressure side axial flow-recirculation provided a 7.89% stability range increase, a 2.96% stall margin increase, and a 0.23% efficiency increase.Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.Ensign, United States NavyONR 35, Arlington V

THE UTILITY OF PROXY WARFARE

Proxy warfare continues to be actively employed by both Western powers and states in the Global South. Contemporary proxy wars retain many characteristics that concerned Great Powers during the Cold War, particularly the issue of a proxy’s utility or effectiveness. One way to evaluate this utility is through the nature of the relationship between the proxy and its patron. This thesis seeks to determine whether the character of this relationship can predict the success of a patron-proxy pair in war.Through statistical analysis, this study aims to assess whether the ideological or strategic basis of a patron-proxy relationship influences conflict outcomes. While the analysis shows no statistically significant correlation, the findings still contribute meaningfully to the broader discourse on proxy warfare. In particular, they provide a foundation for comparing American and Iranian strategies for proxy engagement.The results should encourage American policymakers to reassess the criteria used when choosing proxies. In a world where direct intervention is often politically unviable, a nuanced understanding of what makes proxy relationships effective, or ineffective is essential for advancing U.S. strategic goals in complex geopolitical environments.Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.Lieutenant, United States Nav

Faces of NPS: Lt. Angelia O'Toole, USN

Faces of NPS features Interviews spotlighting the students, faculty, staff and alumni of our Nation’s premier defense education and research institution.Link to video can be found at: https://youtu.be/_40dyi85iYc?si=YZg4l4HAOs0ypty

Faces of NPS: Tristan Volpe, PhD

Faces of NPS features interviews spotlighting the students, faculty, staff and alumni of our Nation's premier defense education and research institution

LEGAL SETTLEMENTS ON THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF OPIOID ADDICTION IN THE WAKE OF THE OPIOID CRISIS

Many public discussions surround the opioid crisis, a focal point asking how to effectively allocate legal settlement awards to address opioid addiction. While there have been a mix of proposals for fund allocations and how to prioritize funds, there has been no consensus among the states as to how to effectively allocate funds in order to establish prevention programs, harm reduction, and treatment services to mitigate societal costs. This study examines the best practices for allocation recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM), comparing them to funding allocation approaches of three states representative of diverse populations: Arkansas, Texas, and California. Data pertaining to opioid legal settlements for different opioid abatement categories are analyzed using a synthesis, to characterize the allocations employed by these three states to promote areas of harm reduction, prevention, and treatment in the wake of the opioid crisis. To effectively reduce mortality rates, communities must communicate their primary areas of concern to receive settlement allocations where most needed. Recommendations include outreach efforts to populations at risk of overdose, expanding access to medications for opioid use disorder (OUD), focusing on evidence-based treatments, and collaborating with public safety programs.Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.Civilian, Department of the Nav

SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO MANAGING HUMAN TRAFFICKING RISKS IN DEFENSE CONTRACTING

The Department of Defense (DOD) faces growing scrutiny over its ability to prevent human trafficking, particularly forced labor, in its overseas construction contracts. Despite the USG zero-tolerance policy and various compliance measures, oversight bodies have repeatedly found that the DOD’s efforts are fragmented, reactive, and insufficiently risk-informed. This study proposes the integration of the OMB’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework, as outlined in Circular A-123, into the DOD’s Combating Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) program. Through qualitative analysis of policy documents, federal regulations, and oversight reports, this research maps current CTIP practices against ERM’s five core risk management phases: identification, assessment, response, monitoring, and communication. The study reveals significant gaps across the contract lifecycle, particularly in pre-award planning and post-award oversight. To address these gaps, the study presents a comprehensive ERM-integrated CTIP framework designed to shift the DOD’s approach from reactive enforcement to proactive risk management. Recommendations include implementing trafficking risk screening tools, enhancing contractor vetting, standardizing monitoring practices, and improving interagency data sharing. The proposed framework aims to better protect vulnerable laborers, strengthen contractor accountability, and ensure the DOD’s contracting practices align with both ethical standards and legal mandatesDistribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.Major, United States Arm

Neutron Detection Using CNT-BNNT Resistive Detectors

This paper was presented at the 39th Annual HEART Conference Huntsville, AL, April 15–19, 2024.A Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)-based resistive sensor combining boron-nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with an interdigitated electrode design, printed with conducting ink, can be used to detect thermal neutron radia tion. However, the sensitivities of these detectors have been shown to vary with the value of initial resistance. This work explores the reasons why the initial resistance of a BNNT and MWCNT mixture, forming percolative conductive paths between printed electrodes, influ ences the percent change in resistance of the sensor following thermal neutron exposure.In addition to explaining the reason for this dependence, the experiments conducted in this work attempt to determine an ideal initial resistance that produces the most sensitive neutron detector within an appropriate dynamic range

ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF PRODUCT LINE ARCHITECTURE IN AIRSHIP DESIGN USING MODEL-BASED SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

As anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations become increasingly complex and expensive, new platforms are required to enhance detection, tracking, and engagement capabilities while maintaining cost efficiency. This proposal presents a modular and scalable ASW airship combat system, leveraging model-based product line engineering (MBPLE) to optimize design, integration, and sustainment. The proposed airship will incorporate sonar systems, sensor suites, and weapons payloads, utilizing product line engineering (PLE) principles to enable component reuse and mission-specific customization. To assess the feasibility and economic benefits of the ASW airship, a detailed reused model based on the Constructive Product Line Investment Model (COPLIMO) was applied to evaluate cost savings, development efficiency, and return on investment (ROI). This approach quantifies the financial impact of component reuse across multiple airship variants, demonstrating how the product line strategy reduces lifecycle costs. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess how modifications in relative cost of development for reuse (RCDR) impact ROI, ensuring that cost-effectiveness is maintained across varying operational requirements. This research offers a methodology and adapts COPLIMO aimed at the design of airship ASW systems, while also setting a new foundation for further exploration in ASW system product line engineering.Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release: Distribution is unlimited.Lieutenant, United States Nav