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    SMDC hosts ribbon cutting for new, state-of-the-art facilities

    SMDC hosts ribbon cutting for new, state-of-the-art facilities

    Photo By Ronald Bailey | U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command's Richard P. De Fatta, deputy to the...... read more read more

    REDSTONE ARSENAL, AL, UNITED STATES

    08.08.2022

    Story by Jason Cutshaw 

    U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command

    REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. – Two technology complex laboratory facilities designed to give the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command’s scientific and engineering talent the opportunity for hands-on, in-house research and development have officially opened their doors.

    USASMDC Technical Center’s Technology Complex hosted the ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony for the Directed Energy Systems Integration Lab and the Air and Missile Systems Integration Lab on Aug. 8, on Redstone Arsenal. The complex will be a focal point for research, development, and engineering advancement in directed energy strategic weapons technologies as well as other key components of the Army’s modernization efforts.

    “For the Directed Energy Systems Integration Lab, it’s really one-stop shopping,” said Lt. Gen. Daniel L. Karbler, USASMDC commanding general. “We can do everything from computer simulation to sub-component and sub-system testing to actual systems verification and validation. Having all our capabilities literally under one roof is invaluable.

    “These facilities are fantastic,” he added. “Instead of having to go across the nation to another range, we can simply go out our garage doors. We can fire it, test it, and see if it is successful or not. And if it is not, we can use our analysis and find out what we have to do to fix it. So it really speeds up our time in analyzing the results.”

    DESIL is a 5,400-square-foot facility designed is to provide the Army with a consolidated capability to support a full end-to-end directed energy system, from software simulation, to subcomponent system testing, subsystem testing and full system verification and validation testing.

    It has an integrated characterization and testing environment with specialized safety systems for directed energy; specialized directed energy characterization technology to assist in measurement and verification of directed energy systems; a 400-meter directed energy range for full system performance metrics; and a distributed network with other partner organizations for directed energy research to share information.

    The DESIL dedication ceremony culminated with a ribbon cutting by Karbler; Richard P. De Fatta, USASMDC deputy to the commander; and Michael Krause, acting director of the command’s Technical Center. Afterward, attendees received a short tour of the facility before moving to the AMSIL’s ribbon cutting and dedication.

    AMSIL is a 6,400-square-foot facility designed to enable the rapid development and fielding of future weapon systems through integration and interoperability testing, sensor and command and control design, pre- and post-flight test analysis as well as verification and validation within an accredited environment.

    AMSIL provides a lab environment, infrastructure and model development capabilities for system integration and interoperability testing, pre-and post-flight test analysis, and warfighter training for air and missile systems. The facility features high-bay work area with open workspaces to promote collaboration, conference rooms as well as specialized computational and networking capabilities.

    “These are very unique facilities,” Krause said. “They will allow us to fully test systems with different capabilities. We are always trying to make systems smaller and adaptive so Soldiers can ultimately carry into the field.

    “Our goal is to provide support for research and development in partnership with Team Redstone organization, industry and academia,” he added.

    The technology complex will enable collaboration across Team Redstone, the Army, and industry for crucial technology development to maintain the nation’s competitive edge against adversaries.

    “These government-owned and government-operated capabilities will serve as crucial nodes in support of Army modernization programs and priorities that government, industry and academia can leverage to push the possible,” said Col. Todd Book, Technical Center deputy director. “They provide a central capability where researchers and engineers across Team Redstone, the Army, industry and academia can meet and share the consolidated resources contained within these facilities for their specific needs without having to bear the cost for maintaining their own individual capabilities.”

    Book added that the technology complex is a significant step for the Technical Center.

    “By having a consolidated government-run and government-operated complex for laboratory research, it reduces overhead costs for research and allows the Tech Center to make more efficient use of resources to conduct research versus funding overhead,” Book said. “Not only can these facilities support science and technology activities, but they can equally support prototype and program of record engineering, development, and testing activities. There are no facilities currently that will have the same capabilities that will be found under the roofs of the AMSIL and DESIL.”

    Flickr photo set: https://www.flickr.com/photos/armysmdc/albums/72177720301154196

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 08.08.2022
    Date Posted: 08.09.2022 08:24
    Story ID: 426823
    Location: REDSTONE ARSENAL, AL, US

    Web Views: 661
    Downloads: 0

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