According to Cray Chairman and CEO Jim Rottsolk, SMDC and Cray will collaborate in evaluating the Cray X1 system's ability to produce higher-resolution results using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes. The codes are used to generate aerodynamics models for a wide range of missile configurations, and for simulating phenomena such as jet and shock interactions, combustion modelling, and propulsion flow.

"We are very pleased that SMDC researchers will have access to the power of Cray's latest high performance computing system", Jim Rottsolk stated. "Entering into an important new collaboration with this long-time customer is another step in our long term growth strategy." SMDC currently operates a Cray SV1 supercomputer system.