Impact

Innovation and Impact

At APL, we create technologies and innovations to protect our homeland and warfighters, enable teamwork between people and machines, expand the limits of computing power, and improve the ability of people to survive in the most remote parts of the globe.

By combining creativity and technical expertise with a culture of risk-taking — brought together in cutting-edge collaboration spaces, labs, and test facilities across our campuses — we tackle increasingly difficult challenges with impacts across multiple domains.

Guidance Systems Evaluation Laboratory

Air and Missile Defense

We develop advanced capabilities to defend our forces and allies against aircraft and missile threats.
Learn more about Air and Missile Defense
An APL engineer modifies a robot to test  its navigation algorithms

Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Autonomy

Advancing AI and intelligent systems to ensure the technology’s capabilities while identifying, minimizing, or eliminating its weaknesses.
Learn more about Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Autonomy
Heba Mostafa (left), assistant professor of pathology at Johns Hopkins Medicine, joins APL biologists Tom Mehoke (center) and Peter Thielen as the team initiates a sequencing of the genome of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19.

Biology and Bioengineering

We work to measure, understand, and harness biological systems and processes to drive innovation and enable new capabilities to address critical challenges.
Learn more about Biology and Bioengineering
Climate security

Climate Security

APL is bringing all of its core competencies to bear on this critical challenge area, and exploring strategic opportunities to address the national security and global challenges of climate change.
Learn more about Climate Security
Communications Systems

Communications Systems

APL develops reliable, resilient, and secure communications technologies and systems for dynamic environments.
Learn more about Communications Systems
LIVE Lab

Cybersecurity

We develop and implement revolutionary situational awareness capabilities across critical cyber platforms.
Learn more about Cybersecurity
Health Engineering Analytics Lab

Health

APL is transforming health care to enhance the nation’s ability to predict, prevent, and detect illness and injury.
Learn more about Health
Hypersonics

Hypersonics

Our foundational expertise in hypersonic technologies allows us to be a critical difference-maker for national defense.
Learn more about Hypersonics
APL researcher

Independent Research and Development

Our Independent Research and Development program funds ideas that address domains or areas of interest to APL and the nation.
Learn more about Independent Research and Development
C4ISR

ISR Technology

We develop, prototype, and transition state-of-the-art capabilities to revolutionize intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems and technologies.
Learn more about ISR Technology
Next-Generation Materials

Next-Generation Materials

Advancing next-generation materials for critical national security applications, such as hypersonic flight, space-based missions, and naval ship construction.
Learn more about Next-Generation Materials
Dragonfly

Space Science and Engineering

Since the dawn of the Space Age, APL has expanded the frontiers of space science and technology.
Learn more about Space Science and Engineering
STEM and Community Engagement

STEM and Community Engagement

Honoring our enduring commitment to inspiring and training the next generation of scientists, engineers, and researchers.
Learn more about STEM and Community Engagement
Global network (Credit: Bigstock)

Strategy and Analysis

APL serves a special role for the United States as a cornerstone research and analysis institution for critical defense technologies.
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Combat Systems Evaluation and Minotaur Laboratories

Systems Engineering

APL has been developing systems since day one, and our world-class expertise in systems engineering is applied to solve complex and difficult problems.
Learn more about Systems Engineering