Air & Missile Defense

Expertise

The Laboratory maintains operational and technical end-to-end system expertise across the air and missile defense missions; that is, national and theater ballistic missile defense, and area defense and self defense against aircraft, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. Our diverse and experienced staff has the prerequisite operational experience and technical knowledge to define, develop and test elements in the Detect—Control—Engage functional domains, and integrate them into highly effective weapon systems.

To solve the myriad of complex challenges of engaging new or evolving threats, our programs are staffed with strong technical teams with members assigned from an organizational matrix of core competencies. The matrix provides technical team leaders, system engineers and subject matter experts in radars and electro-optics design, missile guidance and navigation, sensor networks and sensor data processing, automated decision making and command and control, weapon control, and communication networks. Computer science, software engineers and subject matter experts develop the spectrum of physics-based modeling and simulation tools and special applications for very large-scale analysis projects, as well as develop real-time prototype systems for operational assessment. Other experts lead field test planning teams and on-site test teams for the government during live test events at sea or in the field. APL is an enterprise organization that encourages and enables programs to draw from its broad range of unique experts and other resources available in the Laboratory.

We strive to advance our operational understanding of air and missile defense imperatives, and to expand our knowledge of functions and technologies that will improve the performance of modern weapons and combat systems. We work in modern laboratories and facilities, using the latest technologies, modeling and simulation techniques, and instrumentation for conducting critical experiments. Staff are encouraged to gain hands-on experience with the employment of AMD systems by participating in critical experiments in the field and working alongside operational users. Staff members have opportunities to lead and execute tasks, represent the Laboratory to the sponsors, lead multi-organizational teams, and participate in professional societies or associations. These internal investments in people and facilities are essential for advancing our ability to provide balanced and affordable, end-to-end system solutions to our sponsors’ most critical problems.

Integrated management teams, composed of project managers and technical leaders, system engineers and subject matter experts, are responsible for understanding the sponsor’s subject area and needs, matching those needs to APL technical strengths, establishing appropriate tasks, and for ensuring product deliveries. Within the Laboratory, knowledge and expertise is shared across programs to ensure consistent understanding and an integrated approach to meeting the services’ and DoD’s needs. Our program managers work team with supervisors and lead engineers in the technical groups to ensure close working relationships with the Government program managers.

Over 76% of the technical staff working in AMD have advanced degrees. Predominant professions are electrical, mechanical and aerospace engineering. This core is enhanced with mathematicians, physicists and computer scientists, and lesser numbers in other technical and scientific professions. We emphasize sustained growth and development of our people, who with their skills make up the AMD and Laboratory core competencies. Development programs are designed to rapidly assimilate new and early career staff and include extensive orientation and mentoring programs and continuing education opportunities. The Whiting School of Engineering, an academic division of Johns Hopkins University, offers on-site and local graduate education programs designed to accommodate full-time working professionals.

Our Staff

One of our major strengths is the extensive experience of our staff in all aspects of U.S. Navy air defense operations and systems including sensor systems, combat direction systems, and missile and other engagement systems, and the skills we have demonstrated in applying systems engineering to complex, multi-disciplinary problems; knowledge of certain key radar, real-time computing, and missile technologies

The majority of our staff members are engineers. That core is enhanced by mathematics and computer science experts, along with a small number of physicists and other professional specialties. More than half of our staff members have master’s degrees, 18% have PhDs, and 28% have bachelor’s degrees.

We establish integrated Program Office management teams made up of strong system engineers and technical experts. Those teams are responsible for understanding the sponsor’s subject area and needs, for matching those needs to APL technical strengths, for establishing appropriate tasks, and for ensuring product delivery. We frequently work across sponsors to ensure a consistent, integrated approach to meeting the Navy’s needs in a larger context. Our program managers maintain close working relationships to Government program managers and work closely with the supervisors and lead engineers from our technical groups to develop and execute tasks, to represent the Laboratory, or to lead teams of technical organizations.