Photo By David Stoehr | Retired Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport employee Mark Snyder recently...... read more read more
NEWPORT, R.I. – Six Division Newport employees on the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport’s Mark 48 Mod 7 Advanced Processor Build Five Plus (APB5+) Software Systems Engineering and Development Team recently won the Lt. Gen. Thomas R. Ferguson Jr. Systems Engineering Excellence Award and retired employee Mark Snyder won the Bronze Medal from the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA).
The Undersea Warfare (USW) Weapons, Vehicles and Defensive Systems Department’s Mark 48 Mod 7 APB5+ Team — comprised of Rhode Island residents, Jeong Bae of Middletown, Mark Campbell of North Kingstown, Jonathan Ogren of Saunderstown, Jay Patel of Portsmouth; and Massachusetts residents, Kevin Chaves of Dartmouth and Daniel Wilson of Westport — was a driving force in developing solutions derived from fleet requirements for the Mark 48 torpedo. The award recognizes achievements in the practical application and promotion of systems engineering principles and significant cost savings.
The APB5+ torpedo operational software upgrade was based off of the previous APB5 program, and represents a revolutionary change to the interface between the combat control system (CCS) and the heavyweight torpedo (HWT) — the first major change since the inception of advanced capability over 40 years ago. The upgrades required significant hardware and software modifications to both systems and affect pre-launch, presetting and post-launch communication between the CCS and HWT system.
“Requirements included concepts to improve torpedo control and safe operation, a new digital interface, new search types and improved weapon ballistics and navigation,” the award states. “Additionally, concepts developed through tactical ideation development events involving the torpedo/combat system technical community and weapons system fleet users, which the government uses to define requirements, will fundamentally change the tactical use of the Mark 48 torpedo.”
The APB5+ engineering process utilized two virtual test events, in which loop simulator hardware in one facility was linked to the USW Combat Systems Department Laboratory. Combat systems were manned by Division Newport Military Detachment personnel, and the tests replaced in-water events, saving $1 million to $2 million per event.
John Hinves, head of the Fleet Support and Systems Assessment Division, accepted the award on the team’s behalf during a briefing hosted by Commanding Officer Capt. Chad Hennings and Technical Director Ron Vien on Dec. 2.
Snyder, a resident of Saunderstown, Rhode Island, who retired on July 3 from the Sensors and Sonar Systems Department, was honored for outstanding individual achievements in science or engineering in the field of undersea warfare. He earned the utmost respect at Division Newport and in the larger Navy community for his steady and skillful leadership, the award states.
For the last two of his 38 years at Division Newport, he successfully managed two key roles, director of programs and technical department acquisition advocate, overseeing a portfolio of 30 contracts totaling more than $1 billion. In March 2020, Snyder postponed his retirement to help the department adjust to a maxi-flex and maximum telework environment because of the coronavirus pandemic. Snyder postponed his retirement once again to take on a third role as acting department head, ensuring the department maintained 100% of its operations in major service cost centers and successfully supported all in-service engineering agent roles.
Snyder was presented with the NDIA Bronze Medal at the 2021 Joint USW Technology Fall Conference in October. He was also awarded a Division Newport Commanding Officer/Technical Director Award and a Department of the Navy Superior Civilian Service Award during the Annual Awards ceremony held in July.
NUWC Division Newport is a shore command of the U.S. Navy within the Naval Sea Systems Command, which engineers, builds and supports America’s fleet of ships and combat systems. NUWC Newport provides research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, undersea offensive and defensive weapons systems, and countermeasures associated with undersea warfare.
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.
| Date Taken: | 12.20.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.20.2021 16:33 |
| Story ID: | 411616 |
| Location: | NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, US |
| Hometown: | MIDDLETOWN, RHODE ISLAND, US |
| Hometown: | NORTH DARTMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS, US |
| Hometown: | NORTH KINGSTOWN, RHODE ISLAND, US |
| Hometown: | PORTSMOUTH, RHODE ISLAND, US |
| Hometown: | SAUNDERSTOWN, RHODE ISLAND, US |
| Hometown: | WESTPORT, MASSACHUSETTS, US |
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