Defense Dept. buys Linux supercompters

The Defense Dept. has purchased five Linux supercomputers from Linux Networx, Federal Computer Week reports.  The deal includes three Advanced Technology Clusters supercomputers for the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Major Shared Research Center and two LS-1 supersystems for the ARL and the service’s Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. The buy increases the ARL Major Shared Resource Center’s computing capability to more than 80 trillion floating-point operations, according to a Linux Networx statement.

“The Technology Insertion 2006 increase in computing capability will give DOD scientists and engineers the additional ability to solve more complex, 3-D, time-dependent, physics-based problems in a time frame that can provide the data necessary to assist with weapon development and procurement decisions,” said Charles Nietubicz, director of the ARL Major Shared Resource Center and director of the Computational and Information Sciences Directorate’s High Performance Computing Division.

“This procurement features our Linux supercomputers powering a broad set of applications to solve a number of complex challenges — leveraging a variety of visualization capabilities within the DOD and within the defense community special programs,” said Robert “Bo” Ewald, chief executive officer of Linux Networx.