Editing System Development Corporation (section)

== History ==
SDC began as the systems engineering group for the [[Semi-Automatic Ground Environment|SAGE]] air-defense system at the [[RAND Corporation]]. In April 1955, the government contracted with RAND to help write software for the SAGE project. Within a few months, RAND's System Development Division had 500 employees developing SAGE applications. Within a year, the division had up to 1,000 employees.<ref>See Buderi, 1998, p.396.</ref>  RAND spun off the group in 1956 as a non-profit organization that provided expertise for the United States military in the design, integration, and testing of large, complex, computer-controlled systems. SDC became a [[for-profit corporation]] in 1969, and began to offer its services to all organizations rather than only to the American military.

The first two systems that SDC produced were the SAGE system, written for the IBM AN/FSQ-7 [Q-7] computer, and the SAGE System Training Program [SSTP], written for the IBM 701 series of computers.  The Q-7 was notable in that it was based on vacuum tubes.  Intended as a duplex, with two computers for operational sites, there was a single Q-7 installed at the SDC complex in Santa Monica (2400 and 2500 Colorado; now occupied by the Water Garden).  It was said that at the time the Q-7 building, a separate structure, required half of the air conditioning then used in the entire city of Santa Monica - perhaps in jest, but close to the truth.

In late 1961 SDC became the Computer Program Integration Contractor [CPIC] for the Air Force Satellite Control Network, and maintained that role for many years.  As a part of that role, SDC wrote software for and delivered it to the AFSCN's then string of satellite tracking stations both in the US and abroad.

=== Ownership ===
In 1981, SDC was sold by its board of directors to the [[Burroughs Corporation]].

In 1986, Burroughs merged with the [[Sperry Corporation]] to form [[Unisys]], and SDC was folded into Unisys Defense Systems.

In 1991, Unisys Defense Systems was renamed Paramax, a wholly owned subsidiary of Unisys, so that it could be spun off to reduce Unisys debt.<ref>[http://articles.janes.com/articles/International-Defence-Review-93/PARAMAX-SYSTEMS-CORPORATION-DIVISION-OF-UNISYS-FREDERICK-F-JENNY.html Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis: IHS Jane's | IHS] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509204037/http://articles.janes.com/articles/International-Defence-Review-93/PARAMAX-SYSTEMS-CORPORATION-DIVISION-OF-UNISYS-FREDERICK-F-JENNY.html |date=2012-05-09 }}. Articles.janes.com. Retrieved on 2014-02-21.</ref>

In 1995, Unisys sold Paramax to the [[Loral Corporation]], although a small portion of it, containing some projects that had originated in SDC, remained with Unisys.

In 1996, Loral sold Paramax to [[Lockheed Martin]].

In 1997, the Paramax business unit was separated from Lockheed Martin under the control of Frank Lanza (who had been Loral's president and CEO); and became a subsidiary of [[L-3 Communications]].

In 2019, L-3 Communications merged with [[Harris Corporation]] to form [[L3Harris Technologies]].