Aberdeen Proving Ground, Military training base in Harford County, Maryland.
Aberdeen Proving Ground is a military training and research facility in Harford County and Baltimore County near Chesapeake Bay in the US state of Maryland. The facility spans an area of roughly 293 square kilometers (113 square miles) with specialized installations for weapons testing and technological development of the Army.
The US Army founded the facility in October 1917 during World War I in response to the need for modern weapons testing. The grounds replaced the previous testing facilities in Sandy Hook and rapidly developed into a central location for ballistic testing and materials research.
The name honors Aberdeen in Scotland, recalling the origin of early settlers in this region near Chesapeake Bay. The military installation shapes the daily life of surrounding communities through numerous jobs and through shared use of sports fields or recreational facilities for families of soldiers and civilians.
The base lies between Baltimore and the Delaware border in an area mixing military operations and residential development. Access happens through controlled gates with security screening, and only individuals with authorization or business purpose may enter the grounds.
On the grounds sits a museum of ordnance technology with exhibits ranging from small firearms to armored vehicles spanning decades of military development. Some testing areas also serve to examine the effects of weather and aging on military equipment under real conditions.
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