Aeromedical Research Laboratory
The U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory, one of six research laboratories within the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, was established at Fort Rucker in 1962 to accomplish research in support of Army Aviation and airborne activities, and to provide a central aeromedical research and reference library. Its mission today has expanded to focus on the mounted warrior. It encompasses visual systems research, helicopter crash injury research, helmet impact and retention testing, flight performance research, aeromedical evacuation equipment testing, aircrew hearing protection and communications research, and cognitive modeling and workload assessment.
The Laboratory’s highly skilled workforce is predominately civilian and consists of rated aviators, physicians, doctoral and masters level researchers, and skilled technicians. USAARL researchers seek to enhance force effectiveness by preventing or minimizing health hazards created by military systems, doctrine and tactics. Specifically, they identify, investigate, and solve medical and health-related problems that deter Soldiers/Aviators from performing their mission or compromise their safety. Collocation with the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence allows the USAARL’s unique mix of scientific personnel to successfully conduct critical research for solving operational medicine problems and to provide military developers with information and expertise to enhance the performance and safety of future Army systems.
Research assets include: NUH-60FS research flight simulator, JUH-60A helicopter, anechoic chamber, multi-axis ride simulator, free fall helmet drop tower, fabrication shop, fully-equipped sleep laboratories, electromagnetic interference (EMI) chamber, shaker table, fully-equipped audiology laboratory, and world-class aeromedical research/reference library.
Through research, the USAARL preserves and enhances the health, safety, combat effectiveness, and survivability of the Warfighter.
For more information, phone 255-6907.
