AbstractThis article attempts to place in focus the role of the Army Operational Research Establishment as interpreted against the broad and changing background of Army operational research.AORE is the oldest formally established operational research agency and, in this context, the pattern of evolution reflected by its programme of work is traced from World War II when problems were, in the main, concerned with getting the best out of existing weapons, equipment and the associated subsystems. Later the trend has moved towards systems analysis related to broad functional requirements and to the development of overall policies. The increasing complexity and cost of weapons and equipment and the growth of new but untried technologies add stimulus to studies of this nature and to the development of appropriate operational research techniques.