National Security
Georgia Tech has helped meet the need for mission-critical defense and security research since the 1950s. Today, experts at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), working collaboratively with other Georgia Tech research and academic units applies scientific, engineering and policy know-how to help solve some of the toughest problems of the modern battlefield. This includes an expanding focus on cyberspace.
Georgia Tech experts develop new technologies to defeat enemy threats and provide a strategic advantage against adversaries. From enhancing soldier survivability, to modernizing defense electronics, to preparing a new wave of virtual “troops” to defeat cyber-attacks Georgia Tech is improving the safety and security of military personnel abroad and citizens at home.
Putting a long history of systems engineering excellence into action, teams of Georgia Tech researchers are building new systems, integrating new technology into older systems, and rapidly producing end-to-end solutions that can be deployed wherever they are needed most. These include new generations of unmanned systems in the air, on land, and in the sea, working together to protect those who defend the nation and ensure that their missions are accomplished. Much of this research takes place at GTRI, Georgia Tech’s applied research organization, which conducted more than $300 million in research during fiscal year 2012.
Georgia Tech’s expertise in a broad range of sensor technologies is critical to truly innovative defense technologies. From antennas, to lasers, to radar—and everything in between—Georgia Tech scientists and engineers are experts in designing sensors, integrating them, and making them smarter. This helps the military prepare for a future that will include advanced sensor networking, sensor fusion, and leading-edge information visualization.
The transportable test and evaluation system, called the
XM-15S threat simulator, was recently fielded at Eielson
Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska by a research team
from the Georgia Tech Research Institute. Full Story >
Warfare increasingly involves the virtual world of cyberspace, where enemies attempt to cripple critical infrastructure to gain a competitive edge. Georgia Tech is battling these threats through research on improving network security, sharing information to defend against threats, and countering hostile activities on both civilian and military networks. The Georgia Tech Information Security Center (GTISC) provides leadership in this area in collaboration with industrial partners from other Georgia Tech units.
Georgia Tech researchers also help the nation stay a step ahead of adversaries through expert modeling of enemy capabilities and operations, which includes reverse engineering of complex systems and modeling of the beliefs, desires, and intentions of rivals. Policy research focuses on issues ranging from the implications of new science and technology to the complex issues that arise from international conflict.
