WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio, March 9, 2006 – Aeronautical Systems Center's Major Shared Resource Center, one of four major high-performance computing centers in the Department of Defense, celebrated the culmination of its High Performance Computing Technology Insertion acquisition process for fiscal year 2005 on March 6 during a ribbon cutting ceremony here.

The Department of Defense High Performance Computing Modernization Program's mission is to deliver world-class commercial, high-end, high-performance computational capability to the Department of Defense’s science, technology, test and evaluation communities. The insertion of the two super computers validates that mission and also supports the Air Force mission.

The arrival of an SGI Altix 3700 continues the long tradition of SGI high performance computing at the resource center. This latest SGI system expands the center's SGI supercomputing capability to more than 4100 processors spread across five separate shared memory systems.

Hewlett Packard was chosen as the second system for the Major Shared Resource Center's upgrades. The powerful HP XC Cluster supercomputer will enable the Department of Defense to accelerate its research and collaboration on advanced weapons concepts, improve and speed up modification programs, enhance simulation programs and enable more efficient tests and evaluations.

"I'm very excited about supporting the work force with the new capabilities of the most powerful Major Shared Resource Center in the Department of Defense," said Steven Wourms, director, Aeronautical Systems Center's Major Shared Resource Center.

Wourms said there were some early success stories regarding aging aircraft research with an increase in the accuracy of engineering tools, the ability to assess the level of risk for future missions, and the capacity to include the effects of environmental degradation.

During the ceremony, Anthony Robbins, president, Silicon Graphics Federal, said, "I'm delighted as a professional to support the men and women of the Armed Forces and provide them with nothing (less) than the best."

These new systems enable the center to continue contributing to the engineering and scientific research community, helping to achieve modeling and simulation of complex systems while also reducing costs and the time it takes to field new warfighting capability.

"We're quite proud of the implementation of the HP XC Cluster," said Joe Nadler, vice president, Business Critical Servers/HPC for Americas Hewlett-Packard. "We have a long legacy here with the Major Shared Resource Center, in making significant investments toward innovation and technology, pushing the edge of technology, and we look forward to a continued relationship with the Aeronautical Systems Center's Major Shared Resource Center."

"These new computers will help the Air Force accomplish its mission to deliver sovereign options for the defense of the United States and its global interests, and to fly and fight in air, space and cyberspace," said Lt. Gen. John Hudson, commander, Aeronautical Systems Center. "And these new, more powerful machines will help us fight and win the global war on terrorism, and will help us recapitalize faster.

"For example, on March 1, I helped Air Force Special Operations Command take delivery of a brand new CV-22, hot off the production line," said Hudson. "The Major Shared Resource Center has helped solve key challenges of tilt-rotor aviation, and as evidenced today, the center and its partners are truly 'Powering Tomorrow's Solutions' with high-powered systems and personnel, helping Aeronautical Systems Center deliver dominant airpower to our Air Force, joint and international warfighters."