The Pentagon is calling for help from technological innovators to take on the future of warfare.

(Article by Cheyenne MacDonald, republished from //www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3495596/Could-America-s-major-war-MEGACITY-Pentagon-bosses-call-hi-tech-help-increasingly-likely-battles-giant-cities-world.html)

In the program titled ‘Thunderstorm Spiral,’ the US government solicits demonstrations to tackle the challenges of megacities and underground environments, which will become increasingly prevalent as populations continue to grow.

The agency is now accepting applications, but teams who have not yet turned in ideas will need to work fast – the deadline for submissions is March 23.

A megacity is defined as a city with more than 10 million residents. A report from last year revealed that there are over 30 urban areas that now have surpassed megacity status. Number one is Japan’s metropolitan area, Tokyo-Yokohama with 37,843,000 estimated population. Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo, Japan, pictured above

‘Megacities’ may sound like a far off concept, but in many areas of the world, they’re closer to reality than you might think.

A megacity is defined as a city with more than 10 million residents. To put this in perspective, there are currently over 8 million people living in New York City.

As these numbers continue to grow within defined areas, infrastructure will have to adapt, pushing megacities toward the development of subterranean – or underground – environments.

In 2014, there were 23 megacities with ‘vast subterranean structures’; in 2025, it’s expected this number will reach 37.

To meet these needs, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Emerging Capability and Prototyping, Rapid Reaction Technology Office (RRTO) Technology Demonstration Program is sponsoring the request for information (RFI) issued by the Pentagon.

‘As the world’s population grows, the probability of the U.S. needing to conduct combat and humanitarian assistance / disaster relief (HA/DR) operations within a megacity (defined as a city with more than 10 million residents) also grows,’ the solicitation states.

Read more at: //www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3495596/Could-America-s-major-war-MEGACITY-Pentagon-bosses-call-hi-tech-help-increasingly-likely-battles-giant-cities-world.html