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AGARD (Advisory Group for Aerospace Research & Development)


now called: click here for more information

Research & Technology Agency (RTA)


7 Rue Ancelle
F-92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine
France

Introduction to AGARD

AGARD is a NATO Agency under the authority of NATO's Military Committee consisting of:

The Chairman of the National Delegates Board and of AGARD is elected by the Board from among its members for a three-year term. The present Chairman is Dr. Michael Yarymovych of the US.

A Director of AGARD, who acts as the Chief Executive Officer of AGARD, is appointed by the North Atlantic Military Committee, on the advice of the National Delegates Board, for a period of three years. The present Director is Mr. Jürgen H. Wild from Germany.

AGARD operates under policy and guidance promulgated by the Military Committee. The general outline and scope of its annual Programme of Work, including the magnitude of the effort in different areas, is recommended by the National Delegates Board for approval by the Military Committee. The items making up the programme may be proposed by the Military Committee, the National Delegates Board, the members of Panels or committees, or by nations. Much of the programme, including all the technical meetings and technical publications, is supervised by the Panels or committees, but Lecture Series and the interchange of experts between nations for consultancy purposes are managed by AGARD staff.

Attendance at most AGARD events is limited to nationals of NATO nations.

AGARD was formed in April 1954 and its direct costs are supported by NATO funds.

For more information about AGARD, you should get in touch with the National Coordinator in your country. If your country is not a member of NATO, you should write to AGARD Headquarters at the address given at the top of this page.

AGARD's Mission

In essence, the mission of AGARD is to enhance the exchange of aerospace technology within the NATO Alliance with the goal of bringing the nations, and their military organisations, to a common level of knowledge of aerospace research and development. AGARD also has a remit to advise the Military Committee of NATO on aerospace research and development particularly in relation to its military application.

It does this by organising and publishing the proceedings or lecture notes of Symposia, Specialists' Meetings, Lecture Series and courses, setting up Working Groups and publishing the results of their work, sponsoring other publications, and arranging for the interchange of experts for short periods of consultancy in other nations. In addition, there is a specially-targeted programme of suport to Greece, Portugal and Turkey.

NATO Member Nations

The nations that currently participate in AGARD are:
Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

National Delegates Board

The National Delegates Board is the highest authority within AGARD. It consists of up to three officially appointed senior representatives from each member nation.

Panels/Committees

The mission of AGARD is carried out by the seven AGARD Panels and two Committees listed below. Each consists of experts actively engaged in research, development or management in government establishments, academic institutions or industrial enterprises related to the aerospace field, who are appointed by their National Delegates. Each of the Panels and Committees elects from among its members a Chairman (and Deputy Chairman, apart from the AASC). The Chairmen are responsible for leading their Panels in the light of guidance from the National Delegates Board, and are the links between their Panel and the Board. In particular, they are responsible for presenting their Panel's proposed programme to the Board. Each Panel and committee also has a full-time Executive and Secretary, who are members of AGARD's staff.

National Coordinators

In order to coordinate within their countries the various actions to be taken in relation to AGARD activities, most NATO Member Nations have appointed a National Coordinator. The duties assigned by the National Delegates to the National Coordinators vary from one Nation to another, but in general they concern coordination within the Nations and liaison with the AGARD Director and Staff on matters agreed upon by their National Delegates. The National Coordinators meet once a year at the time of the of the National Delegates Spring Meeting to compare their methods of operation, and to discuss with the AGARD staff matters of common interest. National Coordinators are also the focal point for information about AGARD within their country.

AGARD Staff

AGARD has about 50 staff located at its Headquarters in Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris, France. It comprises about 30 full-time NATO staff and about 20 "Voluntary National Contributions" - staff provided by the nations, usually for three years, at no cost to NATO.

Symposia, Meetings, Lecture Series, Conferences, and Workshops

AGARD organises some 15 scientific and technical Symposia or Specialists' meetings each year, held in different member nations. In addition it generally runs up to four Lecture Series each year, each given in three venues, and a number of Short or Special Courses. Full details are given in the publication, "Technical Programme", which is generally available in October of the previous year.

AGARD Publications

AGARD publishes some 40 - 50 unclassified scientific or technical publications each year. They include the proceedings of all its technical meetings, the conclusions of Working Groups, and publications specially commissioned by one of the Panels. AGARD also publishes a number of information bulletins and indexes to its publications. A list of AGARD's publications (almost 20.000 bibliographic references, most of them with abstracts of the individual papers) is also available on a CD-ROM, "NATO Science & Technology Disk" - cost $ 790, excluding tax if applicable. This disc also contains details of the publication programme of NATO's Scientific Affairs Division.

The "NATO Science & Technology Disk" can be ordered from:

NATO ASI SERIES Publication Coordination Office (PCO),
(Information Office of WTV GmbH, Germany)
Elcerlyclaan 2, B-3090 Overijse / BELGIUM

Obtaining AGARD Publications

AGARD's publications are distributed through National Distribution Centres (there is one in every member nation except Luxembourg), from whom spare copies may occasionally be available, except in the USA. There are also three Sales Agencies, in the US, UK, and France, and copies may occasionally be bought from AGARD HQ, according to availability.

Addresses of Distribution Centres or Sales Agencies may be obtained from the National Coordinator or from AGARD (fax: +33-1-55612299)

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