Innovation and Impact
At APL, we create technologies and innovations to protect our homeland and warfighters, enable teamwork between people and machines, expand the limits of computing power, and improve the ability of people to survive in the most remote parts of the globe.
By combining creativity and technical expertise with a culture of risk-taking — brought together in cutting-edge collaboration spaces, labs, and test facilities across our campuses — we tackle increasingly difficult challenges with impacts across multiple domains.
Air and Missile Defense
We develop advanced capabilities to defend our forces and allies against aircraft and missile threats.
Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Autonomy
Advancing AI and intelligent systems to ensure the technology’s capabilities while identifying, minimizing, or eliminating its weaknesses.
Biology and Bioengineering
We work to measure, understand, and harness biological systems and processes to drive innovation and enable new capabilities to address critical challenges.
Climate Security
APL is bringing all of its core competencies to bear on this critical challenge area, and exploring strategic opportunities to address the national security and global challenges of climate change.
Communications Systems
APL develops reliable, resilient, and secure communications technologies and systems for dynamic environments.
Cybersecurity
We develop and implement revolutionary situational awareness capabilities across critical cyber platforms.
Health
APL is transforming health care to enhance the nation’s ability to predict, prevent, and detect illness and injury.
Hypersonics
Our foundational expertise in hypersonic technologies allows us to be a critical difference-maker for national defense.
Independent Research and Development
Our Independent Research and Development program funds ideas that address domains or areas of interest to APL and the nation.
ISR Technology
We develop, prototype, and transition state-of-the-art capabilities to revolutionize intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems and technologies.
Next-Generation Materials
Advancing next-generation materials for critical national security applications, such as hypersonic flight, space-based missions, and naval ship construction.
Space Science and Engineering
Since the dawn of the Space Age, APL has expanded the frontiers of space science and technology.
STEM and Community Engagement
Honoring our enduring commitment to inspiring and training the next generation of scientists, engineers, and researchers.
Strategy and Analysis
APL serves a special role for the United States as a cornerstone research and analysis institution for critical defense technologies.
Systems Engineering
APL has been developing systems since day one, and our world-class expertise in systems engineering is applied to solve complex and difficult problems.