Aberdeen Proving Ground at full speed

If our readers are interested in the difference between commercial and military science, they should take a tour of the Aberdeen Proving Ground

. One of seven such DoD sites nationwide (and the oldest), Aberdeen has been tearing through experiments, working at what its commander calls a “fast and furious rate” to deploy safe and effective emerging technologies to the terror battlefield. “We’re inserting them into the war without the breadth and depth of testing that we would go through in peacetime,” said center director Colonel John Rooney. “There’s a whole different dynamic of supporting an Army at war that’s different that in peacetime. You have to make sure you do an adequate job (of testing), but not at the expense of withholding capabilities.”

It sure does not seem that anyone is holding back — at least not by a fear of product liability suits. “During the past two years, the center’s scientists, technicians and engineers have tested about 30 rapid fielding initiatives a week, with more than 1,400 tests conducted last year alone,” Defense Tech reported. “There’s been an 87 percent increase in range activity here since fiscal 2001.” Much of it has focused on developing vehicle armor against IEDs. According to Rooney, the center has tested 500 different solutions, with prototypes run through various obstacles and challenges (in other words, shots) to test their effectivesness. The test ranges, DefenseTech tells us, are made up of “nine miles of interconnecting roads and twenty-five permanently constructed courses.” It was at Abererdeen that the Stryker’s cage-like armor was first developed.

“Every time something gets added or placed on a vehicle, you have to look at the whole range of effects,” said Rooney. “When you evaluate protective armors, you have to work hand-in-glove with the automotive side, because even if a vehicle stops everything (in terms of ballistics), if it can’t drive, it’s of no value.”