When the Massachusetts Institute of Technology opened Lincoln Laboratory on the grounds of Hanscom Air Force Base in 1951, its mission was pioneering: Build the nation’s first air defense system. It succeeded, and has since developed revolutionary new technologies to protect our service members while contributing to the Massachusetts economy.
Yet for all its cutting edge research and development, the infrastructure at Lincoln Labs could not keep up with modern times and a 2008 independent study found the facilities “structurally obsolete.” But the Department of Defense recently announced a $265 million investment to upgrade Lincoln Labs in order to continue and grow its essential work.
Lincoln Labs is key to one of Hanscom’s main missions: to research, develop and maintain some of the military’s most sophisticated, advanced and critical resources. This mission was reinforced when the Defense Department announced the addition of another highly technical program at Hanscom, bringing with it an executive officer and upwards of 80 new jobs, thanks to an increasing recognition and appreciation for the region’s talent and expertise.
Hanscom exemplifies Massachusetts’ unique ecosystem, bringing together world-class academic institutions, high-tech military facilities, strong intergovernmental partnerships, top-tier private companies and a talented workforce to form an innovation hub unlike anywhere else.
The benefits are many: developing modern resources for the military, boosting local economies, growing high-tech jobs and sparking private-sector innovation. Some of the most groundbreaking technologies have been developed by Massachusetts small businesses and have roots in our defense sector, including portable MRI equipment from Holyoke’s Meridian Industrial Group, Black Hawk helicopter components from Southampton’s J&E Precision Tool, and technology developed by CPI Radant Technologies in Stow used for Wi-Fi on commercial airliners, to name just a few.
Massachusetts’ military installations — including Hanscom, the Natick Soldier Systems Center, Joint Base Cape Cod, Fort Devens, Westover Air Force Reserve Base and Barnes Air National Guard Base — play a major role in positioning Massachusetts as a leader in technological innovation.
Two reports from the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute found these bases, along with Massachusetts National Guard armories and Army Reserve Centers, had an economic impact of more than $13 billion and supported more than 57,000 jobs in 2013.
Natick Soldier Systems Center’s specialized facilities ensure service members have quality food, clothing, shelter and other support items.
But this is very much a partnership. To help the Soldier Systems Center continue to innovate, Massachusetts invested $900,000 to upgrade a climatic chamber, where soldiers and their equipment can be tested in extreme weather conditions. The center’s research in nutrition, physiology, and biomechanics will have both military and civilian benefits.
Recently, the Obama administration and Defense Department increased the emphasis on military research and development, presenting collaborative opportunities for Beacon Hill and Capitol Hill to ensure federal officials are taking full advantage of all Massachusetts has to offer as a leading innovator and engaged partner.
Our top-tier facilities, companies and minds are positioned to support service members and the economy well into the future.
Read the full op-ed at: http://www.bostonherald.com/opinion/op_ed/2016/03/lincoln_labs_us_military_boost_mass_economy
