Twenty-two Picatinny Arsenal scientists and engineers have won the Army’s top award for research and development. The Army Research and Development Achievement Award is presented to a select group of scientists and engineers whose outstanding achievements have significantly advanced capabilities and contributed to the national defense. The Picatinny awardees represent seven different R&D programs.

Richard Becker, George Hathaway, Karolanne Liu Madulka and Mark Witherell of the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center’s (ARDEC) Armament Engineering Technology Center’s (AETC) Benet Laboratories, Watervliet Arsenal, New York, were selected for inventing two devices that allow soldiers to train to fire the 120mm mortar system using less expensive 81mm mortar ammunition. Estimates suggest that the devices the team developed will save the government more than $35 million per year.

The team of John Niles, Michael Ivankoe and Steven Sicoli of ARDEC’s Armament Systems Integration Center and Pamela Ferlazzo of AETC was selected for its successful incorporation of insensitive munitions requirements within the XM155 Spider Munition Program.

Dr. Ernest Baker, Dr. Christos Capellos, and Tan Vuong of AETC won the award for discovering a breakthrough detonation theory for combined effects explosives. Their discovery will lead to the design of a more lethal generation of lighter warheads with wide application for the Future Force and legacy systems.

AETC’s Richard Fong, William Ng, Peter Rottinger and Steven Tang were recognized for designing, developing and demonstrating an airbag munition for defeating rocket-propelled grenade threats and enhancing soldier and vehicle survivability.

Emily Cordero, Andrew Perich, Neha Mehta, Gartung Chen and Robert Lateer won an award for inventing a simple, economical, safe method for producing lead azide in the U.S. without incurring the high costs that establishing a traditional production facility would involve. Lead azide, the most widely used high explosive ingredient in U.S. military munitions, is no longer manufactured in this country. The team developed a safe, compact, on-demand production process and the required equipment from off-the-shelf components.

Fong and Richard Hasenbein of AETC were selected to receive leadership achievement awards.

Hasenbein, who works at Benet Weapons Laboratory, was recognized for his stewardship of research efforts in large caliber launcher system development and creation of an environment that encourages excellence within his organization. Fong was selected for the leadership role he has played in the development of advanced explosively formed penetrator warhead technologies for future smart munitions.

The Army will recognize these recipients at the 25th Army science conference in Orlando, Florida, in November 2006.