US Defense Dept. Wants to Use Blockchain to Improve Disaster Relief

Blockchain could make its way into disaster relief operations from the United States Department of Defense, the organization revealed in a press release Dec. 21.

During a presentation hosted by the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support's Continuous Process Improvement office in Philadelphia earlier this month, officials reviewed how blockchain technology could help emergencies responses.

Efforts to provide aid following Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico were used as a case study.

"Where do we want to be as an organization in shaping and influencing where the goes with blockchain?".

The technological improvements would target centralized aspects of the current system, notably areas of logistics that depend on multiple centralized entities.

Data sharing under such circumstances is an area ripe for innovation.

Also under review are "Transaction processing and in-transit visibility of shipments."

"Flowing from the manufacturer buying the raw materials togetting the transportation and getting it on the barges."

The broader U.S. defense setup has targeted blockchain's benefits for several years, involving everything from blockchain workshops to a cryptographic chat platform.