Photo By Anna Taylor | Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport celebrated the opening of its new...... read more read more
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Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport celebrated the opening of its new unmanned undersea vehicle maintenance facility during a ribbon-cutting ceremony, May 9.
Constructed by Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, the facility will provide state-of-the-art UUV sustainment and maintenance capabilities for the United States Navy.
The ceremony featured remarks from Capt. Clint Hoskins, commanding officer of NUWC Division, Keyport, and Darren Barnes, the command’s acting technical director, and included distinguished guest Stephanie Hahn, district representative for the office of Washington Congressman Derek Kilmer.
Hoskins hailed the new building as “an impressive endeavor” and traced its evolution from its inception in 2003 to the long-awaited ground-breaking ceremony in 2020. He applauded the team’s perseverance that eventually brought the facility to fruition.
“The facility represents the Navy’s pivot to a new age of warfare where unmanned systems augment the force, enabling commanders to take on greater operational risk while maintaining a tactical and strategic advantage,” said Hoskins during his keynote address.
Barnes, who spoke next, underscored the significance of the new facility in sustaining the Navy’s advantage in the undersea domain.
“Within the UUV enterprise, NUWC Division, Keyport has a significant and essential role to play as the Navy develops, transitions, fields and sustains UUV systems,” said Barnes.
Barnes went on to highlight key features of the new building, including its spacious, column-free shop floor designed for efficient disassembly, maintenance and assembly of UUVs. He explained how the space will enable thorough testing and integration efforts in an open, secure and controlled environment, and he noted the installation of two new 30-ton cranes for handling large displacement UUVs and extra-large UUVs.
He emphasized that the new facility's capabilities extend beyond maintenance, as it will also serve as a hub for collaborators and partners spanning research and development, training exercises, range events and operational missions. This was evidenced by the presence of large UUVs from both Penn State University Applied Research Lab and Leidos at the event.
Jason Durst, acting department head for Unmanned and Theater Undersea Warfare Systems at the command, also praised the flexibility and freedom inherent in the building’s design and location.
“As the Navy continues to design and acquire unmanned systems of varying types, sizes and complexity, this building will ensure Keyport can meet the Navy’s broader sustainment and maintenance needs,” said Durst.
After the ribbon cutting, attendees were invited to an open house at the newly inaugurated building and a neighboring sister facility. They were encouraged to explore an array of electronic poster board sessions showcasing ongoing projects and insights into the new building’s functionalities.
A reception table, courtesy of NUWC Division, Keyport’s Recreation Association, offered bundt cakes and water for guests to enjoy after the ceremony.
-KPT-
NUWC Division, Keyport provides advanced technical capabilities for test and evaluation, in-service engineering, maintenance and industrial base support, fleet material readiness, and obsolescence management for undersea warfare to expand America’s undersea dominance.
| Date Taken: | 06.11.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.12.2024 12:07 |
| Story ID: | 473656 |
| Location: | KEYPORT, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 169 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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