Welcome to the Member-site of the Aeroballistic Range Association (ARA).



What is the Aeroballistic Range Association?

Since its inception in 1961, the ARA (originally, the Aeroballistic Range Association) has served as a meeting point for facilities engaged in research and development using guns and related launchers. Membership of research facilities grew rapidly it now contain 51 organizations that include virtually all activity in the general field plus a good representation from related endeavors. Also, the ARA elects outstanding individuals active in our research affairs as ‘Fellows of the ARA’. They have status of member organizations as long as they maintain their participation in our annual meetings.

Information about facility design, instrumentation development and range operations is shared among the membership through informal papers presented at annual meetings held at member facilities. The collected proceedings of our first 53 meetings (now available on CD ROM with a search engine and shortly to be reproduced at this web site) form the most comprehensive block of information available covering the areas of:

• ballistic range operation;
• instrumentation for studying; dynamic mechanical events;
• exterior and terminal ballistics research technology;
• development of research launchers;
• evaluation of range accidents;
• impact mechanics and shock physics research technology;
• evaluation of high speed vehicle flight characteristics;
• armor development technology; and
• non-classical applications of gun-related testing.