Navy Lab News

SeeByte, creator of smart software for unmanned maritime systems, said it will demonstrate software solutions for unmanned systems as part of the Royal Navy’s Unmanned Warrior exercise. The exercise will feature more than 50 vehicles, sensors and systems and aims to demonstrate never-seen-before capabilities in the field of autonomy and unmanned systems. SeeByte’s software forms the core components of the Hell Bay 4 and MCM Challenge elements of Unmanned Warrior. The aim of these exercises is to develop and push the capabilities of autonomous systems…

Researchers at Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD) are being honored for achievements that will protect the environment. Mary L. Wenzel has won the prestigious 2002 White House Closing the Circle Award for her work in developing an innovative ISO 14001 Certified Environmental Management System (EMS) for the Lewis and Clark Class (T-AKE) Acquisition Program. (The T-AKE Class provides a two-product shuttle ship replacing the aging Combat Store (AFS) and Ammunition (AE) shuttle fleet ships.) Wenzel is detailed to the T-AKE Program Office as the Environmental, Safety and Health Program Manager. Under her leadership in carrying out Executive Order 13148 "Greening the Government Through Leadership in Environmental Management"…

The Delaware River Pilots Association recently contracted with Carey's Diesel to repower a vessel with a pair of Isotta Fraschini marine diesel engines, rated at 550 hp @ 2,400 rpm. This is the third vessel the Pilots Association has chosen to repower using Isotta Fraschini engines. The first Isotta Fraschini repowers were two 56,000-lb. vessels named Wilmington and Delaware. Wilmington's two 8V-72T Detroit Diesel two-cycle, eight cylinder engines were replaced with two V1308T2 MLH Isotta Fraschini four-stroke, V-8 cylinder marine diesel engines. Delaware's two 8V-92 Detroit Diesel two-cycle, eight cylinder engines were replaced with a pair of V1312T2 MLH Isotta Fraschini four-stroke, V-12 cylinder marine diesel engines.

years of advancing environmental enhancement for ships and submarines. Navy. comply with existing laws, regulations and policies. was established. The objectives then are almost identical to those now. without impairing the military readiness of its operational units. place in Annapolis, Md., in February 1972. this period is still in use today. ways water was used aboard ships. three thousand "Navy Showers" were installed on 50 ships. water was secured for showers. facilities in West Bethesda. To stay ahead of today's complex and demanding environmental regulations and policies, the EQD employs 117 experts in the field. In addition to the Navy, the EQD supports industry, cruise ships, shipyards, the U.S. agencies and foreign militaries.

Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) commander Vice Admiral Phillip M. Balisle USN was the honorary speaker at this year's patent award ceremony at NAVSEA’s Carderock Division in Bethesda. The event recognizes outstanding creativity in science and engineering accomplished by Navy civilian employees of the division. The vice admiral recognized the 1,640 patents awarded to the division since 1940 compared to other government agencies. "I am stunned at the number of patent recipients. This is not just an award but more a recognition of a culture, of a profession, on the leading edge of what we do for the nation.” He said he was overwhelmed by the relevance of the latest patents. He underscored the need to rapidly transition these technologies to the Navy.

The Navy’s Acoustic Research Detachment (ARD) conducts a ribbon cutting at 1:00 p.m., August 13, 2002 for the 26 thousand square-foot Acoustic Test and Analysis Center (ATAC). Captain Steven W. Petri USN, Commander, Carderock Division, parent organization of ARD, welcomes Senator Larry Craig as the invited guest speaker. ATAC is the centerpiece of a major construction project, consolidating ARD offices, computer laboratories and industrial facilities into a single, modern facility. The project represents the culmination of the ARD's Facility Master Plan, which is transforming ARD from a collection of converted World War II-vintage boat repair shops and 1970-vintage buildings into a state-of-the-art test facility.

Senior U.S. Navy and government officials will open the Navy's new Magnetic Silencing Complex at 10:00 a.m. on October 7th, 2002 at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD) in Bethesda. NSWCCD commander Captain Steven Petri USN and executive director Mr. James Fein welcome U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes and U.S. Representative Connie Morella as speakers. The $7.6 million complex totals 39,000 square feet and houses unique facilities for measuring magnetic fields of scaled surface ship and submarine ferromagnetic models, as well as full-scale shipboard equipment. The Navy uses such facilities reducing the susceptibility of ships and submarines to magnetic sea mines and magnetic detection systems.

Dr. Stuart D. Jessup has been named Senior Research Scientist in Hydromechanics for the United States Navy. Dr. Jessup, a mechanical engineer, works at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD) Hydromechanics Directorate in Bethesda. Jessup's contributions to the science and naval engineering of marine propellers has earned Navy and international recognition. Most recently, he received the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award. He has lead the development of new propeller blade design methods that replace the use of standardized blade sections with custom designed section shapes tailored to each specific application. Recently, he developed technology for suppressing tip vortex cavitation inception by unique shaping of the propeller blade tip geometry.

Dr. Vernon Simmons, former Senior Scientist, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division (NSWCCD) and Dr. Yuan-Ning Liu, Chief Research Scientist, NSWCCD, received the annual Dr. Arthur E. Bission Prize for Naval Technology Achievement for leading-edge scientific research in structural acoustics. Dr. Simmons was unable to attend the August 23rd ceremony at the Office of Naval Research (ONR), which marked the second year in a row NSWCCD researchers have won the award. Last year the project singled out for accolades was the advanced enclosed composite mast. Their accomplishments resulted in a greater understanding of the interactions of acoustics and structures for submarines, leading to major advances in stealth and sonar performance.

The U.S. Navy's David Taylor Model Basin provided the setting for the sixth running of the International Human-Powered Submarine Races (ISR), a biennial engineering design competition, held June 11-15 at the Naval Surface Warfare Center's Carderock Division in Bethesda, Md. This was the third time the event was staged in the 3,000-ft. test tank. The races are a challenge that began in 1989 and have grown to an event that has seen the participation of universities, high schools, corporations, and privately sponsored teams from the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Typical teams consist of student athlete-engineers in scuba gear, propelling and steering as the sub races the clock along a measured underwater course.

David T. Wilson, a structural engineer at Carderock Division headquarters, is the Naval Sea Systems Command Engineer of the Year. This honor provides visible recognition of his many accomplishments over the years in understanding and control of weapons effects for the Navy, thereby improving ship designs to withstand damage. Wilson is the Navy's leading expert in this area. His international reputation in survivability stems from his years of success developing solutions for the U.S. and foreign naval vessels. His expertise enables development of ship design methods, validation of advanced modeling and simulation, plus improvements in survivability of ship and ship systems under combat threat conditions.

The U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Research (ONR) announced that two inventors at the Naval Surface Warfare Center's Carderock Division will receive the Vice Admiral Harold G. Bowen Award for Patented Inventions in a ceremony at ONR at 1:00 p.m. on May 21, 2003. Gabor Karafiath and Dominic Cusanelli won for leading-edge scientific research set forth in U.S. Patent #6,038,995. It's a combined wedge and flap geometry, relatively small extensions of the hull, reducing a ship's use of propulsive power turning the drive shaft, thereby reducing fuel consumption. Fuel savings as high as $17.8 million per year would also reduce fossil fuel emissions into the environment and save 420 thousand barrels of oil per year. The Navy plans to modify fleet ships and those constructed in the future.

Executive Director James A. Fein will retire from Naval Surface Warfare Center's Carderock Division in Bethesda, Md., completing 34 years of service. The naval architect started in 1969 at what was then the David Taylor Research Center. His previous position was that of Director, Hydrodynamics Group, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) where he served as the senior technical advisor to the Navy for hydrodynamics issues related to ships, submarines and undersea weapons. Over the years, he worked for the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research and Advanced Technology, the Office of Naval Research (ONR), and the Carderock Division's parent command, NAVSEA. He was also a visiting professor at the Defense Systems Management College.

Dr. William K. Blake, a U.S. Navy expert in hydroacoustics, recently received the Gold Medal Award from the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) at the ASNE Day 2003 conference. The medal honors a significant contribution in a particular area during the past five years. He works in the Signatures Directorate of the Naval Surface Warfare Center's Carderock Division and directs the Office of Naval Research and Naval Sea Systems Command hydroacoustic programs here. The American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) recently presented its annual “Jimmie” Hamilton Award to structural naval architect Dr. David P. Kihl at the ASNE Day 2003 conference. The award honors the best original technical paper in ASNE's Naval Engineers Journal during the year. Dr.