University of Arizona gets warfare research funding

Thursday, January 10, 2008
KVOA Tucson
Dan Marino Reports

The University of Arizona is getting more than $2 million in federal funding.

All the money is going towards the University’s Asymmetric Threat Response and Analysis Project, also known as ATRAP.

The project is a joint effort between the University and Fort Huachuca.

The goal is to keep our military troops safe on the ground.

Professor Jerzy Rozenblit says, “Clearly the objective is to avoid war if we can. Being able to predict the intent of our adversaries, perhaps, would allow us to generate courses of action that lead to what we call stability.”

ATRAP is capable of producing large amounts of data in an easily understood format.   For example, a military commander can keep tabs on a possible terrorist cell or threat.

Ultimately, the goal of the ATRAP project is to save our troops’ lives and defeat our enemies.

Retired Air Force Major General Donald Shepperd says, “We need the courage of our 18-year-old kids from Tucson with a rifle on his back, to kick through a door, but he has to know what door to kick through, and when to kick through it.   That’s what ATRAP will help with.”

U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was on hand to announce the federal funding for the project.

Giffords says, “The ultimate goal is to make sure that the troops that are on the ground, also our allies, have the research and have the ability to know where threats are coming from and being able to predict the future and that’s what’s so hard.”

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