Agencies collaborate with industry on nuclear supercomputer

The Energy Department and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) will join forces with Sandia National Laboratories and the technology firm Cray to develop a supercomputer as part of the department's Stockpile Stewardship Program.

Dubbed "Red Storm," the $90 million project will be part of the NNSA's plan to provide a computer system that can simulate nuclear weapons operations. It will complement the NNSA's advanced simulation and computing program, which joins the NNSA with U.S. computer manufacturers in order to produce more powerful computing systems.

"The Department of Energy has a successful history of advancing high-performance technical computing through mutually beneficial partnerships with the U.S. computer industry," Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said in a press release. "Red Storm will serve the nation's security mission and be instrumental in assuring continued confidence in the nuclear stockpile."

The project is scheduled to be fully operational by 2004.