System Development Corporation
| Company type | Non-profit (initially), later for-profit |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer software |
| Founded | December 1, 1955 in Santa Monica, California, United States |
| Fate | Acquired by Burroughs Corporation in 1981; later absorbed into Unisys Defense Systems and subsequent companies |
| Headquarters | Santa Monica , United States |
| Products | Software for IBM AN/FSQ-7, SAGE System Training Program, timesharing OS for AN/FSQ-32, JOVIAL programming language, Time-Shared Data Management System (TDMS) |
System Development Corporation (SDC) was a computer software enterprise headquartered in Santa Monica, California. Initially created as a division within the RAND Corporation in December 1955, it became an independent entity by October 1956. During the late 1950s, SDC significantly contributed to educating a large portion of the emerging American programming talent.
History
SDC began as the systems engineering team supporting the SAGE air defense initiative at RAND. In 1955, RAND secured a contract to produce software for SAGE, which led to rapid growth of the division from 500 employees to 1,000 within a single year. The following year, RAND established SDC as a non-profit organization dedicated to providing specialized knowledge to the U.S. military on intricate computer-controlled systems. By 1969, SDC transitioned into a for-profit company, expanding its client base beyond military contracts.
Among SDC’s early undertakings were the development of software for the IBM AN/FSQ-7 computer used in the SAGE system and the SAGE System Training Program designed for IBM 701 series machines. The Q-7 computer was distinguished by its vacuum tube design and substantial infrastructure needs, including extensive cooling requirements.
In 1961, SDC assumed the role of Computer Program Integration Contractor (CPIC) for the Air Force Satellite Control Network (AFSCN), overseeing software creation and deployment for satellite tracking stations both within the United States and internationally.
Ownership
The year 1981 saw SDC acquired by Burroughs Corporation. After Burroughs merged with Sperry Corporation in 1986 to form Unisys, SDC was absorbed into Unisys Defense Systems.
To facilitate a potential divestiture aimed at lowering Unisys’ debt, Unisys Defense Systems was rebranded as Paramax in 1991. In 1995, Unisys sold Paramax to Loral Corporation, although certain projects that originated at SDC remained under Unisys control.
Paramax was then purchased by Lockheed Martin in 1996. A year later, under Frank Lanza’s leadership—former CEO of Loral—Paramax became part of L-3 Communications as a subsidiary.
In 2019, L-3 Communications merged with Harris Corporation, creating L3Harris Technologies.
Software projects
During the 1960s, SDC developed a timesharing operating system for the AN/FSQ-32 (Q32) mainframe computer commissioned by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). The Q-32 was one of the pioneering systems enabling multiple users and inter-computer communication. Experiments involving a dedicated modem link to the TX-2 computer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology resulted in early implementations of computer communication technologies such as email. Concurrently, SDC created the JOVIAL programming language (Jules' Own Version of the International Algorithmic Language) and the Time-Shared Data Management System (TDMS), an inverted file-based database system. Both tools found extensive application in real-time defense systems.