Laboratory Information:
Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center
6501 E. 11 Mile Road
RDTA-NA, MS 272
Warren, MI 48397
Website: http://tardec.army.mil/
Technology Transfer Website: http://tardec.army.mil/business.aspx
Agency/Department: Dept. of Defense - Army
Region: Midwest
FLC Laboratory Representative:
Mr. Peter DiSante
Phone: (586) 282-8958
Fax: (586) 282-6027
Email: peter.disante@us.army.mil
Background/History of the Laboratory:
In the early 1940s, the Army's 1.3 million-square-foot
Detroit Arsenal was built in just seven months. The facility
had a single purpose: to build quality tanks. The Army chose the site for the arsenal because of the
area's
wealth of automotive technology and manufacturing capability.
In 1946, the Tank-Automotive Components Laboratory, now
known as the Tank Automotive Research,
Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC), was formed at the recommendation of a committee led by
Chrysler Corporation's President K.T. Keller. This committee comprised of leading engineers from Chrysler,
Continental Aviation & Engineering, Ethyl, Ford, General Motors, Hudson Motor Car, International
Harvester,
Packard, Studebaker and Timken Detroit Axle determined that Detroit would be an ideal location for a
military
automotive laboratory. The newly created Components Laboratory spawned many successful collaborative
working relationships.
With more than 60 percent of U.S. automotive
engineers living and working in Michigan, TARDEC resides in the
heart of a concentrated source of automotive intellectual property unmatched anywhere in the country. TARDEC
is the Ground Systems Enterprise hub for the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command,
and is the Department of Defense's (DOD’s) lead laboratory for Ground Systems Integration. TARDEC’s
goal is
to accelerate automotive technology research and development and provide engineering solutions for DOD’s
tactical ground vehicle fleet and intelligent ground systems.
Mission of the Laboratory:
TARDEC:
As part of the TARDEC organization, the National Automotive
Center (NAC) is responsible for advancing the
emphasis on collaboration. This is accomplished by working with private industry to leverage commercial
automotive technologies for military use.
Facilities:
TARDEC’s Warren, Mich. operation has a resource value of over $950 million and occupies 12 facilities
on the
Detroit Garrison totaling over 840,000 square feet of laboratory space. Facilities include: system &
simulation
integration laboratories; survivability laboratories; physical simulation laboratories; fuels &
lubricants
laboratories; and prototype integration facility.
Technology Transfer Mechanisms:
- Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs)
- Education Partnership Agreements
- Patent License Agreements
- Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR)
- Test Services Agreements
Technology Areas of Expertise:
- Ground Vehicle Power & Mobility Integration
- Intelligent Ground Systems
- Survivability Integration
- Tactical Movement of Force Projection Technologies
- Vehicle Electronics & Architecture Integration
