Photo By J.W. Marcum | PORT HUENEME, Calif.—Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division, Air...... read more read more
Subscribe
PORT HUENEME, Calif.—Engineers at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD), have recently conducted a series of tests on the MK-41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) to improve safety measures for the fleet.
The tests, conducted at NSWC PHD’s Surface Warfare Engineering Facility (SWEF), allowed the engineers to experiment with identification of sill adapter assemblies for the VLS in efforts to reduce hazards onboard ships equipped with the system. “Improper loading procedures can create a hazardous environment for sailors and could also damage the ship’s equipment,” said Torrence Pineau-Brown, Air Dominance (A) Department weapons systems integration engineer and team lead. The engineers had been working on a solution for the problem during the past six months and found a way to mitigate that risk—by modifying the paint and lighting conditions used for identifying the proper sill assembly. The team set forth with a series of experiments using reflective and fluorescent paint and different lights. The best results came from utilizing the fluorescent paint with ultraviolet light, creating a ‘glow-in-the-dark’ effect.
“Now that we’ve proved the concept is feasible we will ensure all of the safety aspects,” said Pineau-Brown. “Nothing can interfere with the electronics inside the launcher, so we will have to take all of those considerations in effect and make sure whatever equipment we use is safe in that environment,” said Eric Csorba, A Department weapons systems integration technician.
The team’s next steps will be a program office review of the engineering concept and design. If approved, the fleet may soon be implementing the new procedures to enhance the safety and loading procedures of the VLS.
###
| Date Taken: | 04.13.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 04.13.2017 18:52 |
| Story ID: | 230319 |
| Location: | PORT HUENEME, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 293 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Warfare Center keeps safety a top priority in weapons system improvements, by J.W. Marcum, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
