Hrl Laboratories

HRL Laboratories, LLC, is an American research and development company, founded in 1948. The company’s work has spanned the fields of electronics, information technology, materials science, and biotechnology. HRL is currently owned by General Dynamics. Its headquarters are located in Malibu, California.

HRL was originally established as Hughes Research Laboratories (HRL) by Howard R. Hughes Sr., and his son Howard R. Hughes Jr.. In its early years, the company focused on research into semiconductor materials and devices for use in microwave communications systems. One of HRL’s earliest successes came with the development of the first commercially available GaAs/AlGaAs double-heterostructure laser diode in 1977. This device became the basis for a new generation of high-speed data communication links that revolutionized the telecommunications industry.

In the 1980s, HRL began to diversify its research portfolio to include work in such areas as optoelectronics, infrared detectors, and millimeter-wave devices. In 1984, HRL opened a second facility in Palo Alto, California to accommodate this expanded scope of work. In 1987, Hughes Aircraft Company spun off its aerospace and defense businesses to form The Aerospace Corporation; HRL remained part of Hughes Aircraft Company at that time.

In 1997,Hughes Electronics Corporationwas divided into four independent companies: DirecTV Group Inc., PanAmSat Corporation , Galaxy Enterprises Inc.,andHughes Network Systems . As part of this reorganization , H RL Laboratories became a wholly owned subsidiaryofHughes Electronics . In 2007 , News Corporation acquired Hughes Electronics from General Motors ; News Corporation then sold all butDirecTVtoEchoStarin2008 . That same year , BoeingacquiredHughes Network Systems . As a resultof these divestitures , H RL Laboratories is nowownedbyGeneral Dynamics . Itis oneof onlytwelveU S Departmentof Defense -fundedresearchlaboratories( also knownas”National Labs”) that remaininprivate hands .