Gordon Welchman by Joel Greenberg

Author:Joel Greenberg
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781473834637
Published: 2015-12-07T16:00:00+00:00

Forrester and Project Whirlwind were unpopular with most of the computer community, which was mainly concerned with mathematical and scientific problems. He was fighting for a fast universal machine that would operate without failures, and this cost a lot of money. That he got away with it was due to the urgent need for an effective defence against nuclear air attack. His project led directly to the SAGE computers, built by IBM to his specifications. And he himself developed the first reliable fast-access storage – his magnetic core memory. This was a remarkable series of achievements.

In April 1953, the US Air Force accepted a proposal from a small group which included Forrester, Everett and Valley for improvements to be made to the ground environment of the US Air Defense Command. In the summer of 1954 the proposed system was named the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE). Division 6 had started design work on the Whirlwind II while IBM was commissioned to build a computer for the SAGE system.10 In 1956, Forrester left Lincoln to return to MIT as a Professor of Management and Everett became head of Division 6.

Throughout 1957, the Air Force had been unable to find a contractor to take on the integration of the myriad of weapons and sensors into SAGE. It therefore decided to create a new, not-for-profit corporation that would become the Air Force’s centre of technical advice on SAGE and its future development. The core of the new company was Lincoln’s Division 6 and Bob Everett became Technical Director. The new company, called MITRE, had the daunting task of integrating a long-range surface-to-air missile system (Bomarc), a line-of-sight missile system (Nike), and the SAGE system. The first SAGE command centre became operational on 1 July 1958

The work at MITRE represented the beginning of a permanent technical revolution in weapon systems. The US military became ever more dependent upon advanced technology and the engineers who implemented it successfully, much as the Germans had become dependent on the Enigma system and its operators. Who better for MITRE to hire than the man who had led the attack on Germany’s tactical communication system during the Second World War? Welchman joined MITRE in 1962 at the request of his former colleague from Project Whirlwind. Bob Everett wanted Welchman to contribute to tactical programmes in development and to explore some open-ended questions such as the application of digital technology to battlefield communications.

Welchman had first-hand knowledge of Germany’s innovative use of radio communications to support battle plans. Blitzkrieg, the rapid, disruptive penetration of enemy lines, often achieved by racing around entrenched positions, depended on interconnected radio networks. Commanders in the field could call in air support and maintain constant contact with headquarters.

Welchman’s first assignment at MITRE in 1962 was a small project related to USAF operations during a nuclear attack. As project leader, he supervised the formulation of a scheme, which was fully approved by NORAD command. The US was worried about the vulnerability of the headquarters of NORAD’s Commander-in-Chief (CINCNORD).

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