NUWC Division Newport announces plans for National Center of Excellence for Tactical Oceanography at Defense Innovation Days

NUWC Division Newport announces plans for National Center of Excellence for Tactical Oceanography at Defense Innovation Days

By NUWC Division Newport Public Affairs

NEWPORT, R.I. -

Plans are in motion to establish a National Center of Excellence for Tactical Oceanography at Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport.

NUWC Division Newport Technical Director Marie Bussiere made the announcement at the Southeastern New England Defense Industrial Alliance (SENEDIA) Defense Innovation Days at the Marriott Hotel in Newport, which was held Aug. 26-28.

Bussiere and Naval Meteorology and Oceanographic Command (CNMOC) Technical Director Dr. Joseph Calantoni presented a talk titled "Undersea Technology Innovation" while serving as two of the seven keynote speakers on Day 2 of the annual event.

"This will be the linchpin, the center of gravity for activity and accountability for the Navy in tactical oceanography," Bussiere said. "As part of this, Joe and I are going to establish a CNMOC Detachment at Division Newport so that we can build and train a world-class workforce together."

Tactical oceanography is the study and application of oceanographic data and tools to support military operations, particularly in naval warfare, Bussiere explained. It involves the collection and analysis of oceanic and atmospheric data to inform decision-making and enhance situational awareness for naval forces.

"Our vision is to inspire and enable a military and civilian team capable of providing knowledge and tools that safeguard the dominance of the United States Navy in the undersea domain," Bussiere said. "Our mission is to empower undersea warfare forces to create desired operational outcomes through deliberate use of and insight into the ocean environment.

"Ideally, NUWC Newport, CNMOC, and our partners in this region and across the country will apply our collective imagination and expertise to advance the state of tactical oceanography to further improve the Navy's tactical advantage now and well into the future."

In addition to Bussiere's presentation, NUWC Division Newport had a strong presence at Defense Innovation Days. The warfare center had a display set up among the exhibitors in the event space, where scientist and engineers interacted with attendees.

"One of the things we're talking about with people is the Underwater Sound Reference Division, and explaining how Division Newport is an official designated institute for sound in water," said Michael St. Pierre, an engineer in the Sensors and Sonar Systems Department. "This has been a pretty cool opportunity. It's been interesting to see these small and large businesses interact here where everyone supports the defense of our country."

Scattered on the table in front of St. Pierre were hydrophones and transducers. A small-class unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) was perched behind, while other innovations like bio-inspired propulsors made with additive manufacturing and simulator relay boards and displays were scattered about the exhibit.

Those representing NUWC Division Newport also spoke about the warfare center's efforts in four critical areas - communication, collaboration, innovation and demonstration.

"It's been nice to talk about Division Newport's role in national defense, and how it partners with industry as a part of the greater defense enterprise," said Caitlin Kean, also an engineer in the Sensors and Sonar Systems Department.

The three-day event featured a number of distinguished guests and speakers. Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy, opened the morning as the keynote speakers on Aug. 27. The day also included addresses from Nickolas Guertin, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition (ASNRDA); Lt. Gen. Eric E. Austin, United States Marine Corps (USMC) Deputy Commandant for Development and Integration; U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-RI; and Vice Adm. Nancy Hann, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Deputy Undersecretary of Operations.

In his speech, Del Toro discussed the various challenges facing the Navy and Marine Corps. He touched on specific global maritime hotspots, such as the Black Sea with the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the South China Sea with China and the Red Sea with Iran.

"We face tremendous challenges in every corner of the world," Del Toro said. "Each of you serve such an important role, and it takes all of us together for this to be successful."

Del Toro highlighted all aspects of the defense ecosystem to emphasize the importance of working together. This included Sailors and Marines, international allies, industrial and academic partners and political leaders.

"We cannot do it alone," Del Toro said. "To be the most effective force, we have to invest in enhancing our partnerships with industry and academia."

These points were echoed by Guertin, who specifically focused on meeting critical shipbuilding needs, particularly deadlines for Virginia- and Columbia-class submarines.

"We have to hire 10,000 people a year for a decade to meet the demand for building submarines," Guertin said. "It's daunting and it's going to take all of us, but I'm confident we can get it done."

While a critical need, Guertin said, meeting submarine production deadlines goes beyond the physical workforce and entails examining each area of the process. This includes not just innovating systems, but revolutionizing the structures and processes used to design these systems. He cited as an example the submarine warfare federated tactical system (SWFTS), which helped revolutionize combat systems.

Guertin also addressed another aspect of NUWC Division Newport's portfolio - torpedoes. He noted that heavyweight and lightweight torpedoes, as well as acoustic countermeasures and other torpedo defense products will be critical moving forward.

"As we press into the foreseeable future, especially related to the warfighting environments we may find ourselves in, we will need to get your creativity in order to do this work better," Guertin said. "These efforts are foundational."

Magaziner pointed to the future in his speech, but also spent a considerable amount of time highlighting Rhode Island's rich maritime history. This includes NUWC Division Newport's role as the birthplace of torpedoes in this nation. The warfare center traces its heritage to the Naval Torpedo Station established on Goat Island in Newport Harbor in 1869.

"We are proud to host NUWC and remain on the cutting edge of undersea technology," Magaziner said. "Rhode Island is at the heart of the New England defense cluster."

The three-day event opened Aug. 26 with a welcome from U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. Guest speakers on Aug. 28 included U.S. Rep. Gabe Amo, D-R.I.; U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.; Dr. Andrew Erickson, Naval War College, China Maritime Studies Institute; and Maj. Gen. Luke Cropsey, Air Force Integrating Program Executive Officer for Command Control, Communications and Battle Managements.

There also was a panel discussion on the urgent need for disruptive technology from an operational perspective.

NUWC Newport is the oldest warfare center in the country, tracing its heritage to the Naval Torpedo Station established on Goat Island in Newport Harbor in 1869. Commanded by Capt. Chad Hennings, NUWC Newport maintains major detachments in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Andros Island in the Bahamas, as well as test facilities at Seneca Lake and Fisher's Island, New York, Leesburg, Florida, and Dodge Pond, Connecticut.

Join our team! NUWC Division Newport, one of the 20 largest employers in Rhode Island, employs a diverse, highly trained, educated, and skilled workforce. We are continuously looking for engineers, scientists, and other STEM professionals, as well as talented business, finance, logistics and other support experts who wish to be at the forefront of undersea research and development. Please connect with NUWC Division Newport Recruiting at this site- https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NUWC-Newport/Career-Opportunities/ and follow us on LinkedIn @NUWC-Newport and on Facebook @NUWCNewport.