Matthew Klunder News

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus named the 'R/V Sally Ride' to honor the memory of Sally Ride, a scientist, innovator and educator. Ride was the first American woman and the youngest person in space. She later served as director of NASA’s Office of Exploration as well as the California Space Institute at University of California San Diego. “The christening of this ship is not only a celebration of the hard work and dedication of the men and women who have brought this vessel from an idea to a reality, but also of the spirit of exploration and discovery shared by Sally Ride and the United States Navy,” said Mabus. The Neil Armstrong-class…

As sea ice continues to recede at a record pace in the Arctic, officials at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) on April 14 announced new efforts to determine the pace of change in what some are calling Earth's final frontier. Scientists sponsored by ONR have traveled to the Beaufort Sea in the Arctic Ocean, placing new sensors in the ice and in the frigid waters below, to better understand the processes contributing to a dramatic decline in sea ice thickness and extent-and provide new tools to help the U.S. Navy predict conditions and operate in once-inaccessible waters.

The U.S. Navy is planning sea trials for a weapon that can fire a low-cost, 23-pound (10-kg) projectile at seven times the speed of sound using electromagnetic energy, a "Star Wars" technology that will make enemies think twice, the Navy's research chief said. Rear Admiral Matthew Klunder, the chief of Naval Research, told a round table group recently the futuristic electromagnetic rail gun had already undergone extensive testing on land and would be mounted on the USNS Millinocket, a high-speed vessel, for sea trials beginning in 2016. "It's now reality and it's not science fiction.

The U.S. Navy is planning sea trials for a weapon that can fire a low-cost, 23-pound (10-kg) projectile at seven times the speed of sound using electromagnetic energy, a "Star Wars" technology that will make enemies think twice, the Navy's research chief said. Rear Admiral Matthew Klunder, the chief of Naval Research, told a round table group recently the futuristic electromagnetic rail gun had already undergone extensive testing on land and would be mounted on the USNS Millinocket, a high-speed vessel, for sea trials beginning in 2016. "It's now reality and it's not science fiction.

Focus Area Forums, are an initiative of Rear Adm. Matthew Klunder, the chief of naval research. The goal: bring together experts and find new and low-cost ways to support Navy and Marine Corps priorities, and advance disruptive technologies for our Sailors and Marines. The first Forum was on unmanned systems. "The lifeblood of scientific research is generating new ideas and sharing information," said Klunder. Nearly 200 participants came to the recent forum from across government…

U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said the nation’s newest research vessel will be named R/V Sally Ride, in honor of the former UC San Diego faculty member who was the first American female astronaut and the youngest American to fly in space. The ship is owned by the U.S. Navy, will be operated by Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, and will have its home port at the Scripps Nimitz Marine Facility in Point Loma on San Diego Bay. “Scripps has a century-long history of seagoing excellence that is vital to the well-being of our planet and its pressing environmental challenges…

U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the nation's newest research vessel will be named R/V Sally Ride, in honor of the former UC San Diego faculty member who was the first American female astronaut and the youngest American to fly in space. The ship is owned by the U.S. Navy, will be operated by Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, and will have its home port at the Scripps Nimitz Marine Facility in Point Loma on San Diego Bay. "Sally Ride's career was one of firsts and will inspire generations to come," said Mabus. Dr.

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is committed to development of alternative energy sources, moves ahead with new research effort. The Energy Systems Technology and Evaluation Program (ESTEP) that has started in FY13 is bringing together key players during a five-year period to conduct real-world tests on advanced energy technologies at Navy and Marine Corps installations. Addressing the recent Naval Energy Forum in Washington, DC, Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Matthew Klunder said: "The lifeblood of innovation is new ideas…

Construction for two new research ships funded by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) officially got underway with a keel-laying and dedication ceremony Aug. 17 in Anacortes, Wash. Contracts for both state-of-the-art Ocean-class Auxiliary General Purpose Oceanographic Research (AGOR) vessels were awarded in late 2011 and earlier this year. During the traditional ceremony, the first pieces of steel comprising the keels for AGOR 27 and 28 were etched with the keel certifiers’ initials. “Gaining exact knowledge and understanding of the oceans is critical to fulfilling today’s and tomorrow’s Navy and Marine Corp missions,” said Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Matthew Klunder, who spoke at the ceremony.

Navy Researchers Seek to Improve Weather Prediction for Global Operations. With the Atlantic hurricane season officially beginning this month, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) is pursuing a number of projects to help Navy forecasters and meteorologists around the world predict storms better. ONR's efforts in funding ocean research are yielding enhanced weather and ocean prediction models-highlighted in a new video-that help Navy leaders understand how to route ships around the globe to avoid storms, reduce fuel consumption, avoid Arctic ice flows and promote safety at sea. "Weather is one of the most significant factors affecting naval operations at sea," said Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Matthew Klunder.