National and Homeland Security
To solve some of the biggest challenges our world faces, scientists must spend years studying phenomenon, collecting data, performing experiments, and conducting analysis. But what do you do when the world requires a “right-now” solution? When a problem has national security significance and time is of essence, people turn to places like Idaho National Laboratory.
Nuclear Nonproliferation
Critical Infrastructure Protection
Defense Systems
Wireless Security
How We Stand Out
INL’s national security capabilities include:
- Industrial cybersecurity, operational technology, and control systems
- Infrastructure resiliency, geospatial modeling and analysis, vulnerability assessments
- Wireless 5G device and network security, cellular drone operation, spectrum sharing
- Nuclear materials management, global safeguards, forensics, counterproliferation
- Material science, armor and barrier development, explosives testing and analysis
- 890-square mile test range with multiple, full-scale infrastructure test beds
- World-renown radiological and cybersecurity training courses and exercises
Cutting Edge Research
INL’s national security employees know how to solve complex problems. Through innovation, efficiency, and confidentiality, our people come to the lab everyday with an unwavering commitment to mission success. Their dedication, passion, and patriotism can turn a novel idea into a transformational solution.
Critical Infrastructure Protection
In today’s interconnected world a subtle risk can rapidly evolve into a major threat. That’s why researchers at INL are dedicated to securing the critical assets, control systems, and operational technology commonly found at power and renewable energy utilities, oil and natural gas refineries, water treatment plants, and manufacturing facilities. From adept and malicious cyber actors, to disruptive weather-related disasters and geomagnetic phenomenon, INL is widely recognized for our expertise in securing critical digital systems and improving infrastructure resiliency.
Nuclear Nonproliferation
Nuclear materials have shown endless value in medicine, energy and food safety, but they can be dangerous in the wrong hands. INL experts work around the globe to design cutting-edge nuclear detection technologies, secure research facilities, evaluate security measures for current and future facilities, conduct vulnerability assessments, and train first responders to respond to radiological emergencies.
Defense Systems
The dangers of an explosive attack, and the evolving defensive measures to counter those attacks, have existed for centuries. Whether protecting people, facilities, or infrastructure, INL researchers take materials science to new levels. They design, develop, test, and manufacture armor solutions, conduct advanced modeling and simulation, perform data analysis, and detonate and analyze the blast effects of shaped charges, rockets, and improvised explosive devices. Our work creates informed solutions ranging from better barriers to stronger, lighter armor packages.
Wireless Security
If you own a cell phone, work remotely, or commute in an autonomous vehicle, the wireless spectrum is critical to your life. The spectrum is the invisible highway that allows wireless signals and data to stream across the country and around the world. How we design, use, and secure this information superhighway has major implications to national security. This is especially true at 5G expands worldwide, connecting billions of devices and nodes. For decades, INL employees have conducted research, testing and training on wireless systems, including radios, cellphones and satellites. INL continues to develop award-winning and patented technologies to improve wireless security and increase efficient use of the wireless spectrum.