Photo By Nicholas Froment | Dennis Boyer (from left), deputy commander, Undersea Warfighting Development Center...... read more read more
NEWPORT, R.I. – A constant co-evolution of technology and operational concepts is critical to providing the best warfighting capabilities possible to the U.S. Navy’s submarine fleet.
In support of that mission, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport and the Undersea Warfighting Development Center (UWDC) continue to have a strong working relationship.
“The importance of keeping that relationship with UWDC is critical, especially because of the time we’re in with the key role the submarine will play in any potential conflict,” Division Newport Commanding Officer Capt. Chad Hennings said. “UWDC is figuring out how best for the submarine to operate in conditions, and we’re rapidly developing capabilities and making improvements to make sure our Sailors have the best tools possible to execute their mission.”
On March 31, the warfare center welcomed UWDC Commander Rear Adm. Michael R. Van Poots and some of the organization’s senior leaders for a full day of tours and discussions. Van Poots was joined by Dennis Boyer, SES, deputy commander; Capt. Todd Moore, chief of staff; Ellen Greenberg, director, Commander’s Action Group Director; and Capt. Matt Boland, director, Tactical Analysis Group (TAG).
“I am inspired by the work NUWC is doing to deliver capabilities to our warfighters,” Van Poots said. “The expertise that NUWC offers is integral to our processes at UWDC aimed at maintaining lethality and dominance in the undersea today and for years to come.”
Division Newport consistently delivers new technologies and capabilities within its technical design and in-service engineering roles. It is strategically important to show the status of the latest and greatest items to develop and modify the tactics, procedures and technology before they are on deployment, Division Newport Technical Director Marie Bussiere said.
“If we as a technical organization go off and develop technology in a vacuum, it’s ill-informed from how we think the Navy is going to use it and vice versa,” Bussiere said. “If UWDC is off pulling new tactics and it’s not informed by how the technology can alter those tactics, we don’t get that synergy. If we co-evolve, we get the best of both worlds.”
After some early discussions with Division Newport leadership, Van Poots toured Division Newport’s Classified Rapid Innovation Center, where subject matter experts provided updates on the warfare center’s efforts in strike tactical operations, fleet experimentations, capability deliveries and new payloads integrated within the combat system.
Van Poots then toured the Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) Lab for a briefing on how it is helping the Submarine Forces Pacific (SUBPAC) Warfighting Evaluation Center (WEC) by addressing problems and evaluating capabilities in the undersea battle space. This work is performed in collaboration with UWDC’s Submarine Aggressor Squadron (AGGRON).
“The undersea battle space is using gaps in capabilities to inform technology development and delivery,” said Matt O’Connell, director of program in the Undersea Warfare Combat Systems Department. “The aggressor squadron helps the warfighters in their practicing tactics and operations using threat scenarios.”
A tour of the Weapons Analysis Facility (WAF) Lab followed. The facility is used for critical tasking in torpedo software development, software integration into torpedo weapon systems, simulation and analysis of both in-water and simulated weapon runs.
“We have a strong partnership with UWDC on the technical side, as well as with the analytic work we’re doing,” Bussiere said. “They’re relying on us to look at different platforms or sensors to gauge anti-submarine or surface warfare (ASUW/ASW) performance. To tell them here’s what worked, and here’s what didn’t work.”
The group also met with members of the USW Electromagnetic Systems Department, for the latest developments in communications and electronic warfare, as the U.S. Navy’s principal research, development, test and evaluation agent for USW electromagnetic systems, including antennas, periscopes, electronic warfare, radar and communication system.
At the Naval Array Technical Support Center, Sensors and Sonar Systems Department employees gave an in-depth explanation of how the facility operates, including a detailed description of the different components and functions of towed arrays. This includes the platforms on which they operate, as well as what the future holds for these systems.
This facility is used to support the full spectrum of science and technology, advanced development, and in-service engineering of submarines and surface ships, including towed sensor arrays — used for submarine and surface ship range and detection — and advanced development and handling systems.
The tour concluded with a briefing on the latest updates from the Yellow Moray Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (AUV) Program, a submarine system that enables the launch and recovery of specially configured REMUS 600-based AUVs from Virginia-class torpedo tubes.
UWDC, under the direction of Vice Adm. Robert Gaucher, Commander, Submarine Forces (COMSUBFOR), enhances undersea warfighting capabilities and readiness across the theater, operational and tactical levels of war. The center, based at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton, Connecticut, with detachments in Norfolk, Virginia, and San Diego, California, develops doctrine for how multi-domain undersea warfare platforms integrate with each other, including the incorporation of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
UWDC oversees several groups working together to enhance submarine operations, including the Arctic Submarine Lab, TAG and AGGRON.
The missions and geographic locations of Division Newport and the UWDC have contributed to a close working relationship. Leadership of both organizations meet periodically for technical exchanges and deep dives into critical gap areas and capability enhancements. The warfare center’s technical departments and UWDC’s working groups also interact regularly.
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.
| Date Taken: | 04.10.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.10.2025 12:34 |
| Story ID: | 495018 |
| Location: | NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 49 |
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