Tech Talk

September 2005

Air Force Claims Fastest Computer in Defense

edited by Robert H. Williams

Scientists at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, say they have one of the fastest supercomputers on the planet. The new Eagle computer is ranked 17th in speed worldwide and easily breezes by other computational devices in the Defense Department, according to a news release.

The machine currently is running through a test phase and is expected to be fully operational next month, says Steve Wourms, director of the aeronautical systems at Wright-Patterson.

“Researchers with the Defense Department have a large backlog of requirements for the high-end, computational ‘big iron’ systems,” he notes. “This new SGI Altix system will go a long way toward enabling the department to better tackle the most complicated and demanding of technical problems.”