ARL PHOTO
Cedric Wins, ARL’s diverse team of more than 3,000 scientists, engineers, technicians, and military, administrative, and contractor personnel is pioneering cutting-edge technology for the protection of America’s Soldiers, the defense of our citizens, our technical superiority as a global leader and standard-setter, and our military dominance. More current technological successes ARL has under its belt include the Blow Torch Counter-IED System, a vehicle-mounted system that detonates improvised explosive devices at safe stand-
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PHOTO COURTESY OF NIKKI CHILDRESS
ABOVE: Two Ballistics Research Laboratory (BRL) employees working with the BRLESC-I, which, in 1962, was the fastest computer in the world. The computer was built entirely by BRL engineers from standard parts that were developed at the then-National Bureau of Standards. BRL, which was located at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, was the center for the U.S. Army’s research efforts in ballistics and vulnerability/lethality analysis. In 1992, BRL’s mission, personnel, and facilities were incorporated into the newly created Army Research Laboratory, and BRL was disestablished. RIGHT: The first Program Data Processor (PDP) 11/70 developed by Ballistics Research Laboratory (later to become a part of ARL) employees in the late 1970s. BRL played a significant role in the evolution of scientific computing architectures and technologies.