With time slipping by swiftly, the Southwest Institute of Technical Physics(SITP) is years old now. Founded in 1958,SITP is a specialized institute taking the lead in the development of laser techonlogies for military applications.

Over the past forty years,persisting in taking "the technical development as the center, a realistic spirit, high efficiency, unity and innovation as the aim," SITP served the constructions of the national economy and defense wholeheartedly.

Now, SITP has become a comprehensive unit integrating the scientific research, production and management for both the military and civil use, enjoying great prestige in the same trade both at home and abroad, and having extensive academic exchange with the related scientific institutions, universities, and academic organizations in the United States of America, England, Japan, France, Germany, Russia, Canada, and Sweden. Though forty years unremitting efforts, SITP has great scientific and technical strength, including the scientific and technical personnel of 629 people in various specialties. There are 30 research fellows, 197 senior engineers, 6middle-aged and young scientists who have made outstanding contributions, 23 specialists who enjou State's special subsidies, and 107 Masters and doctors, including specialists and scholars who returned from the United States of America, England, and Canada in SITP.

Over the past forty years, the laser technology has become a field developed steady in SITP, SITP developed the first Nd: YAG laser crystal, the first Nd: YAG laser, the first silicon photodiode laser detector, the first Nd: YAG laser, rangefinder, and the first simple and easy fire-control system using the laser rangefinding technology in China. since 1978,SITP has won 20 prizes for scientific and technical results at the State's level,46 prizes for scientific and technical results and the ministry level, 3 China patents, 5 prizes for new products at the State's level, and 4 prizes for new products at the provincial level, and obtained over 200 results appraised by the ministry, and transferred more than 30 results to manufacturers to form laser industrial groups, which have gained remarkable social and economical benefits, and made great contributions to the constructions of the national defense and economy. Furthermore, as a result of the progress in laser technology. we have developed the new field of photoelectric integrated guidance technology.

Depending on its own strength in "new and high technologies, and advantaged guality", SITP has gained good prestige for completing missions of developing State's engineering models, basic and practical projects, technical developments for foreign and domestic clients and cooperation, and technically consultative services. YAG laser materials, mid-frequency surface acoustic wave filters, medical laser systems, laser detectors and their packages, applied TV monitoring systems, and cable TV antenna series designned and developed by SITP have wide markets.

Through forty years hard creation, growing out of nothing, from small to large, developing in the reform, and advancing in competition, SITP has become a comprehensive base integrating the basic research, development for applications, system project development, and military and civil production in the laser and opto-electronic technology research and development. In the spring tide of the reform, growing in strength due to pursuit and hard working, SITP has emerged in a maturs posture to greet a new era for brilliant developments.