U.S. Navy awards ARL the largest research contract in Penn State history

The U.S. Navy on Wednesday awarded a research contract, worth as much as $2.1 billion over 10 years, to the Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State.

The research contract — the largest in university history — is to conduct research and development to improve national security.

“This contract demonstrates the great positive impact that Penn State research has on our nation and the world through the breadth and depth of our programs in engineering, technology, and applied science,” ARL Director Paul Sullivan said in a Penn State news release. “From the deepest part of the ocean to satellites in geosynchronous orbit, ARL provides leading-edge technologies.”

According to the university’s release, ARL is one of 14 Department of Defense University Affiliated Research Center laboratories. It was established in 1945.

The contract will be administered by the Naval Sea Systems Command, which engineers, builds, buys and maintains the Navy’s ships and submarines and their combat systems, the release said.

“Under this new agreement, ARL scientists and engineers will expand their vital role developing research that advances science and promotes national security,” Neil Sharkey, Penn State vice president for research, said in the release.

This story was originally published March 1, 2018 at 2:48 PM with the headline "U.S. Navy awards ARL the largest research contract in Penn State history."