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United States Army Research Laboratory: Difference between revisions
United States Army Research Laboratory (view source)
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=== Background (1962–1985) === | === Background (1962–1985) === | ||
The formation of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory was a product of a decades-long endeavor to address a critical issue facing the Army's independent research laboratories. Due to a surge of technological advancements set off by | The formation of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory was a product of a decades-long endeavor to address a critical issue facing the Army's independent research laboratories. Due to a surge of technological advancements set off by World War I and [[World War II]], the early 20th century introduced major developments in the study and practice of warfare. The rapid growth and diversification of military science and technology precipitated the creation of numerous research facilities by the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]] to ensure that the country remained competitive on the international stage, especially as [[Cold War]] tensions reached new heights. The high demand for greater and more sophisticated military capabilities led to a proliferation of Army laboratories that not only advanced competing military interests but also operated in an independent fashion with minimal supervisory control or coordination from U.S. Army headquarters. By the early 1960s, the Army recognized a significant flaw in this approach to pursuing in-house research and development. Competition for government funding led to fierce rivalries between the research facilities that ultimately eroded communication between the Army laboratories. Research installations began to prioritize the survival and longevity of their own operations over the overarching Army goals and engaged in turf disputes to protect their own interests. As a result, the laboratories often did not share their findings or learn about the projects being performed at other facilities, which led to duplicated research and resource waste. Furthermore, the lack of central guidance produced research that distinguished the laboratories from each other but did not fulfill the most urgent or relevant needs of the Army.<ref name=":3">{{Cite report |url=https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/documented_briefings/2005/DB390.pdf |title=Organizational Management of Army Research |last=Wong |first=Carolyn |date=2003 |publisher=RAND Corporation}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last1=Holmes |first1=John |last2=Barnett |first2=Anne |last3=McGurin |first3=Dennis |date=September 1992 |title=The Army Research Laboratory |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fe4E5ho3fQsC&q=%22atmospheric+sciences+laboratory%22+lab21 |work=Army Research, Development & Acquisition Bulletin |pages=13–14 |volume=92 |issue=5}}</ref> | ||
In the ensuing decades, the U.S. Army conducted various restructuring efforts to resolve this issue. The reorganization of the Army in 1962 discontinued the Technical Services and established the [[United States Army Materiel Command|U.S. Army Materiel Command]] (AMC) to manage the Army's procurement and development functions for weapons and munitions. Research facilities within both the [[United States Army Ordnance Corps|U.S. Army Ordnance Corps]] and the [[United States Army Signal Corps|U.S. Army Signal Corps]], two major agencies of the Technical Services, were consolidated under AMC. This decision united the Army's combat materials research and the Army's electronic materials research under a single command. Despite this change, the realigned research facilities continued to operate in an independent manner, and the problems remained unresolved. Later in the decade, AMC organized the former Ordnance Corps facilities into one group and the former Signal Corps facilities into a different group to foster closer working relationships within each group. While the former Ordnance Corps facilities became known as AMC laboratories and reported directly to AMC headquarters, the former Signal Corps facilities reported to a major subordinate command in AMC called the Electronics Command (ECOM). Although AMC had hoped that this arrangement would encourage research sharing and foster cooperation, the lack of progress on this issue prompted the U.S. Army to change its approach.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> | In the ensuing decades, the U.S. Army conducted various restructuring efforts to resolve this issue. The reorganization of the Army in 1962 discontinued the Technical Services and established the [[United States Army Materiel Command|U.S. Army Materiel Command]] (AMC) to manage the Army's procurement and development functions for weapons and munitions. Research facilities within both the [[United States Army Ordnance Corps|U.S. Army Ordnance Corps]] and the [[United States Army Signal Corps|U.S. Army Signal Corps]], two major agencies of the Technical Services, were consolidated under AMC. This decision united the Army's combat materials research and the Army's electronic materials research under a single command. Despite this change, the realigned research facilities continued to operate in an independent manner, and the problems remained unresolved. Later in the decade, AMC organized the former Ordnance Corps facilities into one group and the former Signal Corps facilities into a different group to foster closer working relationships within each group. While the former Ordnance Corps facilities became known as AMC laboratories and reported directly to AMC headquarters, the former Signal Corps facilities reported to a major subordinate command in AMC called the Electronics Command (ECOM). Although AMC had hoped that this arrangement would encourage research sharing and foster cooperation, the lack of progress on this issue prompted the U.S. Army to change its approach.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> | ||