DoD High Performance Computing Modernization Program

High performance computing (HPC) is a key enabling technology essential to ensuring U.S. forces maintain dominance on the battlefields of the 21st century. The National Military Strategy is built on the tenet that the U.S. will continue to have superior military technology.

The DoD High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP) has been established to ensure that defense scientists and engineers have access to the most powerful HPC capability available. This not only supports the development of highly optimized capabilities essential to national security, but also assures defense planners that the best capability is available early in the technology life cycle.

HPC is an enabling component of simulation-based acquisition. High-fidelity modeling and simulation assists in major milestone decisions. They are keys to identifying and correcting design problems before undertaking expensive, time-consuming prototype building and testing.

The requirements for a world-class HPC capability are generated by scientists and engineers responsible for DoD science and technology and test and evaluation projects. HPCMP requirements are grouped by computational technology area, and Services and Defense Agencies validate the requirements before using them for capacity planning.

Approximately 600 projects rely on one or more HPCMP computing resources. Thirty-nine are very large, computationally intensive DoD Challenge Projects that are allocated approximately 25 percent of the program’s total computing resources. The projects are selected annually based on a competitive peer review and on military priority and technical merit. The HPCMP supports collaborative HPC projects across government, industry, and academia.

High performance computing is making a contribution to Homeland Security through several projects. One example is the effort to expeditiously refine the low-resolution x-ray structure of anthrax, which will be instrumental in the development of an anthrax inhibitor. Another example is to design a thermobaric explosive weapon with improved lethality against underground facilities. Yet another project is the accurate simulation of transonic and separated flows coupled to the vehicle elastic response for Unmanned Air Vehicle systems. These projects have contributed to counter terrorism resulting in increased Homeland Security.

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