How Synthetic Blood Could Transform Military Healthcare in Future Conflicts
Joanne Swann
Joanne Swann
10/20/2025
The Need for Innovation in Military Healthcare
Military healthcare is under pressure: modern conflict and battlespaces are not as they once were. Militaries are facing urban operations, scattered battlefields and complex environments where quick evacuation of injured soldiers is not always feasible. When contending with these conditions, it is no surprise that providing efficient healthcare presents a significant challenge – especially when it comes to blood supply. Traditionally, blood transfusions have relied on supplies that must be transported carefully and kept cold – this is hard to manage during frontline or long-term field medical situations.
Ukraine has taught us that blood solutions are vital to saving lives at the point of injury. So, with defence medical services seeking to strengthen resilience and readiness, one question is gaining increasing attention: could synthetic blood be the breakthrough that transforms military healthcare and ensures lifesaving care remains consistently accessible?
Understanding Synthetic Blood - What It Is and How It Works
Synthetic blood (otherwise known as oxygen therapeutics or artificial oxygen carriers) has been designed to mimic the oxygen-transporting role of human blood without the need for whole red blood cells. Currently, there are two main types of synthetic blood being developed. The first is called haemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs), and it uses natural or modified haemoglobin (which is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen). The second is known as perfluorocarbon emulsions - this is made from man-made fluorocarbon liquids that can dissolve and transport oxygen throughout the body.
https://www.defenceiq.com/defence-technology/articles/how-synthetic-blood-could-transform-military-healthcare-in-future-conflicts
