MCRU/Penn State connection, The

Sea Power, Apr 2001 by Brill, Arthur P Jr

ARL is a technologist's utopia. Over 1,000 "man-years" (equating to about 1,400 different researchers, faculty members, and graduate students) work in 66 diverse project areas. Their areas of expertise include acoustics, electrooptics, laser processing, navigation, propulsors, sonars, ultrasonic inspection, undersea vehicles, and others. Thermoacoustic refrigerators, drivetrains, and medical technology are just a few of the ARL projects that benefit business as well as government and the Navy. The ARL's thermoacoustic refrigerator prototypes have flown on the Space Shuttle, and are used to cool radar electronics aboard Navy ships.

Following are some other ARL success stories:

Various ARL water test tanks determine the acoustic characteristics of sonar devices, the strength of structures, and the viability of sensors and propulsors.

The ARL's fleet of multipurpose test vehicles-fitted with bottom-searching sonars, fiber-optic gyroscopes/guidance wire systems, and intervehicle communications-help develop unmanned undersea vehicles and weapons systems.

The unique navigation facility at Warminster, located at what is believed to be the most seismically and environmentally "quiet" spot in the continental United States, helps ARL explore new navigational and sensor concepts.