DAHLGREN, Va. (Sept. 4, 2014) - Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert displays half of an Electromagnetic Railgun projectile customized with a command coin commemorating Greenert's visit to Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division where he was briefed and shown demonstrations of the railgun, Real-Time Spectrum Operations and the Laser Weapons System (LaWS). During his visit, Greenert also held an all-hands call with Naval Support Facility South Potomac Sailors, civilians and family members to discuss the current and future status of the Navy. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Peter D. Lawlor/Released)
DAHLGREN, Va.—Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) leaders briefed Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert on technologies ranging from the electromagnetic railgun to the laser weapon system during his visit here Thursday, Sept. 4.
The CNO spoke to Sailors and civilian technologists about the great impact of emerging capabilities on the current and future fleet during an All Hands call held after his tour.
"You are the test and evaluation national treasure that makes the surface fleet more lethal and more survivable," Greenert told more than 400 military, government, and contractor personnel from Naval Support Facility Dahlgren, NSWCDD, Aegis Training and Readiness Center, Center for Surface Combat Systems, Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense, Joint Warfare and Analysis Center, and the 614th Air and Space Operations Center.
DAHLGREN, Va. (Sept. 4, 2014) - Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert observes a live-fire demonstration of the Laser Weapons System (LaWS) at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division where he was also briefed and shown demonstrations of the Electromagnetic Railgun and Real-Time Spectrum Operations. During his visit, Greenert also held an all-hands call with Naval Support Facility South Potomac Sailors, civilians and family members to discuss the current and future status of the Navy. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Peter D. Lawlor/Released)
The national treasure he observed included NSWCDD facilities where real-time spectrum operations and directed energy technologies such as the laser weapon system and electromagnetic railgun are under a continual state of research, development, test and evaluation.
"I am really excited - you are taking concepts and putting it in the fleet for what is, up until now, record time," said Greenert, pointing out that NSWCDD scientists and engineers are integrating the laser weapon system into the USS Ponce (AFSB-I), an Austin-class amphibious transport dock.
"We have to continue to turn this cycle faster and faster," said Greenert, standing on a stage facing a 16-inch naval gun displayed at the end of the parade field. "Technology gets proliferated and other people have systems that we really don't want them to have. We have to figure out how to defeat and stay ahead of that - and be where it matters, when it matters."
SAN DIEGO (July 30, 2012) - The Laser Weapon System (LaWS) temporarily installed aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105) in San Diego, Calif., is a technology demonstrator built by the Naval Sea Systems Command from commercial fiber solid state lasers, utilizing combination methods developed at the Naval Research Laboratory. "I am really excited - you are taking concepts and putting it in the fleet for what is, up until now, record time," said Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert at an All Hands call concluding his Sept. 4, 2014 visit to Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD). The CNO added that NSWCDD scientists and engineers are currently integrating LaWS into the USS Ponce (AFSB-I), an Austin-class amphibious transport dock. The installation of the laser weapon system on Ponce for at-sea testing in the Persian Gulf fulfills plans the CNO announced at the 2013 Sea-Air-Space Expo. The deployment on Ponce will prove crucial as the Navy continues its push to provide laser weapons to the fleet at large. (U.S. Navy photo by John F. Williams/Released)
The installation of the laser weapon system on Ponce for at-sea testing in the Persian Gulf fulfills plans the CNO announced at the 2013 Sea-Air-Space Expo. The deployment on Ponce will prove crucial as the Navy continues its push to provide laser weapons to the fleet at large.
The CNO - who observed an electromagnetic railgun firing - described the technology as "our future surface weapon" during the All Hands event to be available video on-demand via the NSWCDD internal website to the command's 6,000 plus personnel comprised of government civilians, contractors, and military members.
DAHLGREN, Va. - An artist rendering shows the Office of Naval Research-funded electromagnetic railgun installed aboard the joint high-speed vessel USNS Millinocket (JHSV 3). Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert - who observed an electromagnetic railgun firing on Sept. 4, 2014 during his visit to Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) - described the technology as "our future surface weapon" during an All Hands call. The railgun is a long-range weapon that launches projectiles using electricity instead of chemical propellants and is currently undergoing testing at Naval Sea Systems Command, Dahlgren Division. (U.S. Navy photo illustration/Released)
The electromagnetic railgun launcher is a long-range weapon that fires projectiles using electricity instead of chemical propellants. Magnetic fields created by high electrical currents accelerate a sliding metal conductor, or armature, between two rails to launch projectiles at 4,500 mph to 5,600 miles per hour.
Moreover, Greenert considers the system a revolutionary technology that gives the Navy an extremely affordable, multi-mission weapon with a deep magazine and unmatched precision, targeting and control functions. Since lasers run on electricity, they can be fired as long as there is power and provide a measure of safety as they don't require carrying propellants and explosives aboard ships. The advancing technology gives Sailors a variety of options they never had before, including the ability to control a laser weapon's output and perform actions ranging from non-lethal disabling and deterrence all the way up to destruction.
The CNO congratulated three NSWCDD employees as Capt. Mary Feinberg, Naval Support Activity South Potomac commanding officer, read award citations commending their role in turning ships into warships. Greenert later recounted for all hands in attendance that NSWCDD Commander Capt. Brian Durant presented him with a coin inscribed with the command's slogan, "we don't build ships, we turn them into warships".
The three employees receiving awards were Dr. James Moreland, Michael Purello and Kevin Stottlar.
The CNO presented Moreland with the Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Award for his leadership on an extensive range of naval, joint and coalition efforts to develop and implement innovative strategic concepts to shape future requirements, organizational strategy, and operational doctrine under strict constraints and timelines. "Dr. Moreland demonstrated this expertise by implementing a structured mission engineering approach for the Vice Chief of Naval Operations Integration and Interoperability Activity to emphasize capability-based requirements," according to the citation.
Greenert presented the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award to Purello in recognition of significant leadership as NSWCDD Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defense (CBRD) Division Head. "Purello led the unprecedented technical advancements of the CBRD Division and propelled NSWC Dahlgren Division to the forefront of the Joint Service and international CBRD community," according to the citation. "In addition, Mr. Purello's coordination efforts in the aftermath of the radiological contamination event at Fukushima, Japan, led to NAVSEA (Naval Sea Systems Command)establishing the Dahlgren Radiological Control Data Center. Finally, he led NSWCDD's highly successful 2013 Individuals with Targeted Disabilities campaign, thereby demonstrating his commitment to the human aspect of technology development."
The CNO presented the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award to Stottlar for his outstanding service, technical expertise, and superior leadership in support of advancing weapon and combat system safety engineering. "Throughout his Navy career, his dedication to advancing weapon and combat system safety engineering has led to enhanced safety engineering processes and methodologies, and has resulted in safer, more effective AEGIS and AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense capabilities being deployed in the Fleet," according to the citation. "Mr. Stottlar has influenced U.S. Navy systems safety policy and has expanded the scope of system safety engineering for foreign military sales."
The CNO is the senior military officer of the Department of the Navy. The CNO is a four star admiral and is responsible to the secretary of the Navy for the command, utilization of resources, and operating efficiency of the operating forces of the Navy and of the Navy shore activities assigned by the Secretary.
NSWCDD, a NAVSEA warfare center division, is a premier research and development center that serves as a specialty site for weapon system integration. The command's unique ability to rapidly introduce new technology into complex warfighting systems is based on its longstanding competencies in science and technology, research and development, and test and evaluation.