WASHINGTON — James “Hondo” Geurts, assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition, announced the stand up of two additional Tech Bridges, one in Panama City, Florida, and one in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Dec. 9, his public affairs office said in a release. 

“Today’s Tech Bridge additions are a symbol of the Department of Navy’s momentum to rapidly deliver capabilities into the hands of our Sailors and Marines,” said Geurts. “There is nothing more exciting than seeing the speed and transition of technology that dramatically accelerates capability, and improved development processes – this allows our Navy and Marine Corps to provide the U.S. with the ability to adopt and scale its asymmetric advantage. I look forward to seeing these Tech Bridges serving as a ‘front door’ for emerging tech to work more seamlessly with the Navy.” 

The newest Tech Bridges offer direct access for companies and the fleet to test and evaluate emerging technologies purposed for undersea and space-going missions. The focus areas for the Gulf Coast Tech Bridge, located in Panama City, Florida, includes coastal sciences and technology, assured maritime access and operational meteorology and oceanography. The focus areas for the Hawaii Tech Bridge, in Honolulu, entail efforts to adopt technology advances for command and control, communications, cybersecurity, intelligence, space systems and resilient infrastructure. 

“The Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division, the U.S. Naval Research Lab in Stennis, Mississippi, and the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command partnered together to establish the Gulf Coast Tech Bridge, which spans a unique, vibrant region across four states,” said Holly Gardner, Director of the Gulf Coast Tech Bridge. “Our region is focused on the future, growing coastal science and unmanned vehicle development, hosting industry events and expanding strategic partnerships.” 

The Hawaii Tech Bridge represents a collaboration with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport Detachment Pacific, the Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, and the University of Hawaii’s Office of Innovation and Commercialization. Future teaming is anticipated with the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command; Commander, United States Pacific Fleet; and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. 

“In our logo, you will see the Hawaiian canoe (wa’a),” said Neal Miyake, dual-hatted as the Business Deputy at Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific and the Director of the Hawaii Tech Bridge. “This symbolizes that everyone has to work together in unity (lokahi) to achieve success. Like our Tech Bridge collaborators, each paddler may have a different role but they are all united by a common goal.” 

Tech Bridges are part of an initiative birthed from the Navy Agility cell, called NavalX, with support from the Office of Naval Research and the Navy’s System Commands and Warfare Centers. Since September 2019, Tech Bridges stood up across the country to shorten innovation timelines, improve the U.S. Navy’s relationships with emerging tech companies, and advance the U.S. Navy’s ability to bring technology solutions to the fleet. As of today, the Tech Bridges network exists in 15 locations — stretching from London (U.K.) to Honolulu — and works with the U.S. Navy’s Warfare Centers to align requirements and bring value to Sailors and Marines. 

More specifically, Tech Bridges collaborate and partner with startups, academia, corporations, small businesses, nonprofits, and private capital to match capability problems with technology solutions. Additionally, Tech Bridges serve within the growing ecosystem of the U.S. Department of Defense’s innovation groups — Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), National Security Innovation Network (NSIN), U.S. Army Futures Command, AFWERX, SOFWERX — that bolsters NavalX’s overarching ability to connect people, companies, and technology solutions. 

“The new Tech Bridge locations bring in a deeper connection to the fleet, rapid prototyping mechanisms, test ranges, and access to talented students and entrepreneurs in Hawaii and the Gulf Coast Region,” said Whitney Tallarico, NavalX Tech Bridge Director. “We have seen this network mobilize during times of national crisis and are excited to watch them strengthen and serve our country during times of peace and otherwise, in the future.” 

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Collins Aerospace Systems, a unit of Raytheon Technologies Corp., has successfully completed modernizing the E-6B Mercury Block I aircraft fleet, part of the Navy’s Airborne Command Post and Take Charge and Move Out (ABNCP/TACAMO) Weapon System missions, the company said in a Dec. 7 release.  

The upgraded aircraft features a new command and control battlestaff, communications central control, multi-enclave voice/data/video distribution system, and an Internet Protocol Bandwidth Expansion (IPBE) digital backbone. Collins Aerospace acted as the Mission System Integrator (MSI), designing, developing, producing, installing, and qualifying the recapitalization of the mission system. 
 
“The Block I contract is an example and testament to Collins Aerospace’s ability to deliver comprehensive, integrated and durable solutions to the Navy and E-6B community,” said Heather Robertson, vice president and general manager, Integrated Solutions, Mission Systems, Collins Aerospace. “As a result of this upgrade, crews have a modern, multi-enclave mission system that provides a full picture of their operating environment.” 
 
As part of the ABNCP mission, the E-6B is an airborne command post and communications relay for U.S. nuclear forces. For the TACAMO mission, the E-6B provides the survivable communications link to our submarine forces using Collins Aerospace’s Very Low Frequency (VLF) terminal. 
 
The work was completed at Will Rogers Airport where the company’s co-located modification facility completed the 8-year full-rate Production (FRP) effort. With over 50 years of working within the TACAMO community, Collins Aerospace continues to deliver integrated solutions that ensure the utmost performance for the Navy’s critical, no-fail, missions. 

ST. LOUIS — Boeing and the U.S. Navy have for the first time flown the MQ-25 T1 test asset with an aerial refueling store (ARS), a significant milestone informing development of the unmanned aerial refueler, the company said in a Dec. 9 release. 

The successful 2.5-hour flight with the Cobham ARS – the same ARS currently used by F/A-18s for air-to-air refueling – was designed to test the aircraft’s aerodynamics with the ARS mounted under the wing. The flight was conducted by Boeing test pilots operating from a ground control station at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah, Illinois. 

“Having a test asset flying with an ARS gets us one big step closer in our evaluation of how MQ-25 will fulfill its primary mission in the fleet – aerial refueling,” said Capt. Chad Reed, the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Carrier Aviation program manager. “T1 will continue to yield valuable early insights as we begin flying with F/A-18s and conduct deck handling testing aboard a carrier.” 

Future flights will continue to test the aerodynamics of the aircraft and the ARS at various points of the flight envelope, eventually progressing to extension and retraction of the hose and drogue used for refueling. 

“To see T1 fly with the hardware and software that makes MQ-25 an aerial refueler this early in the program is a visible reminder of the capability we’re bringing to the carrier deck,” said Dave Bujold, Boeing’s MQ-25 program director. “We’re ensuring the ARS and the software operating it will be ready to help MQ-25 extend the range of the carrier air wing.” 

The Boeing-owned T1 test asset is a predecessor to the engineering development model aircraft being produced under a 2018 contract award. T1 is being used for early learning and discovery, laying the foundation for moving rapidly into development and test of the MQ-25. Following its first flight last year, T1 accumulated approximately 30 hours in the air before the planned modification to install the ARS.  

Earlier this year the Navy exercised an option for three additional MQ-25 air vehicles, bringing the total aircraft Boeing is initially producing to seven. The Navy intends to procure more than 70 aircraft, which will assume the tanking role currently performed by F/A-18s, allowing for better use of the combat strike fighters. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy announced on Dec. 9 a new warrant officer specialty designator whose job will be to operate carrier-based MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial vehicles, which are expected to start appearing in fleet carrier air wings sometime in 2024. 

The establishment of the Aerial Vehicle Operator (AVO) warrant officer specialty became a reality in October with Secretary of the Navy Kenneth J. Braithwaite’s approval of the new designator, which was announced in NAVADMIN 315/20. 

Over the next six to 10 years, the Navy will recruit, train and send to the fleet, a community of roughly 450 warrants in grades W-1 through W-5. 

Those selected for the program will first complete Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. Upon graduation, they will be designated as Warrant Officer One and must complete basic flight training as well as advanced training on the MQ-25 aerial vehicle. Once complete with basic flight training, these officers will earn their own distinctive Navy “wings of gold” warfare device and be assigned the 737X designator. 

“AVO’s will start out operating the MQ-25 Stingray, the Navy’s first carrier based unmanned aerial vehicle, which is expected to join the fleet with an initial operating capability in 2024,” said Capt. Christopher Wood, aviation officer community manager at the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Millington, Tennessee.   

The use of warrant officers as the primary operators of unmanned aerial vehicles came about because the expected career path they’ll have as they move up the ranks will be as technical specialists who complete repetitive tours, which fits the Navy’s model on how warrant grades are utilized. 

“Unlike traditional Navy Chief Warrant Officers, the majority of these officers will be accessed much younger and trained along the lines of current Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers in the unrestricted designators,” Wood said. 

“However, Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers require assignments that progress in tactical and leadership scope to be competitive for promotion, while warrant officer AVO’s will be technical specialists and spend their careers as operators.” 

Navy Recruiting Command will begin accepting applications for initial AVO accessions in fiscal year 2022. In addition to street-to-fleet warrants, enlisted Sailors will also be able to apply for the program, and potentially earn the 737X warrant officer designator. 

“Currently, the plan is to grow the community from the ground up with Warrant Officer AVOs,” Wood said. “However, Naval Aviation will continue to evaluate the requirements of the program as it matures.” 

Commanding and executive officers, as well as department heads of MQ-25 squadrons, will be filled by aviators and flight officers administratively screened for those commands. 

“During the first four to five years of the program, some MQ-25 AVOs will come from other Type/Model/Series as we build up the knowledge base, with the first 3-4 deployments having a mix of existing unrestricted line and new warrants making up the ready room.” 

And though right now the community will be focused on the MQ-25, in the future, warrant officer AVOs may also operate the MQ-4C Triton while on shore duty following their initial MQ-25 sea tour. As the Navy’s footprint in unmanned aerial vehicles increases, so could the scope of the AVO community.   

BETHESDA, Md. — Sailors will soon spend more time focused on the mission and less on aircraft and ship repairs with a new information system driven by artificial intelligence and predictive analytics, Lockheed Martin said in a Dec. 9 release. 

Digitally re-engineering more than 20 standalone applications into one integrated system, this new tool enables Sailors and Marine Corps maintainers, to anticipate and resolve potential maintenance issues or part failures on aircraft, ships and other systems. 

The U.S. Navy is digitally transforming its legacy maintenance systems with a fully modernized, responsive logistics information systems solution developed by Lockheed Martin. 

Lockheed Martin partnered with the Navy to rapidly develop and test the integrated logistics information systems solution, emphasizing simplified user interfaces, streamlined workflows, and time-saving features such as auto-population and smart searching. 

“Lockheed Martin’s solution is both intuitive and streamlined to maximize end user efficiency,” said Capt. Allan Walters, former program manager of the Navy’s Command and Control Systems Program Office. “The ability to execute rapid and flexible changes to the software is impressive and designed to improve Navy readiness both ashore and afloat through reduced failure rates and improved repair times.” 

The solution’s advanced software capabilities use the latest Department of Defense-approved DevSecOps tools, so software updates can happen in days or weeks instead of months and years, enabling the Navy’s vision of “Compile to Combat in 24 Hours.” 

Navy maintainers can create, view and complete maintenance work orders from a mobile device. Instead of referencing a paper or digital manual, sailors can view 3-D models of objects and see where they’re located in the context of an entire ship or aircraft. 

“Our logistics solution provides a digital twin capability, integrating 3-D model visualization with material data, maintenance history and the entire operational environment,” said Reeves Valentine, vice president of Lockheed Martin Enterprise Sustainment Solutions. “Sailors can simulate a maintenance action and see its results before doing it on the real thing. Having this capability will result in a greater ability to predict part failure, resulting in optimized maintenance actions to improve asset readiness.” 

Smart searching and auto-population functionality help identify proper parts and common issues when creating work orders, which eliminates work and reducing errors. 

Lockheed Martin partnered with non-traditional vendors IFS – an enterprise software developer – and Beast Code, a Florida software start-up, to create the logistics information systems solution, which will be initially fielded at 10 Navy sites with about 10,000 users. The delivered solution is part of the U.S. Navy Naval Operational Business Logistics Enterprise (NOBLE) family of systems providing enhanced situational awareness, planning, execution, and management of maintenance and supply logistics and business functions for more than 200,000 sailors. 

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard lit a first-of-its-kind, LED-based rotating beacon at Oak Island Lighthouse on Caswell Beach, N.C., Dec. 7, the Coast Guard 5th District said in a Dec. 8 release. 

This upgrade is the Coast Guard’s first LED-based rotating beacon for an active aid to navigation and will provide a permanent, cost-effective, and energy-efficient solution for the lighthouse. Necessary renovations of the lighthouse to prepare for the new beacon began in October. 

“Lighthouses have navigational and historic significance here in North Carolina,” said Lt. Brittany Akers, chief of waterways management at Coast Guard Sector North Carolina. “The Oak Island Lighthouse is especially notable as it marks the entrance to the Cape Fear River. The modernization of the light will ensure its continued reliable service to the mariner in a cost-effective way that respects the historical significance of the lighthouse.” 

The Oak Island Lighthouse was completed in 1958 on property that has been in use as a Coast Guard station since the 1930s. In 2004, the lighthouse was deeded to the Town of Caswell Beach, which maintains the property. However, the Coast Guard continues upkeep of lighthouse since serves as an active aid to navigation for the Frying Pan Shoal area. 

The lighthouse is currently not open for public tours due to COVID-19 mitigation measures. 

NASHUA, N.H. — BAE Systems has received a $60 million contract from Lockheed Martin to manufacture and deliver additional advanced missile seekers for the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), BAE Systems announced in a Dec. 8 release. The seeker comprises long-range sensors and targeting technology that help the stealthy missile find and engage protected maritime targets in challenging electromagnetic environments. 

“Our warfighters need resilient, long-range precision strike capabilities to compete with modern adversaries,” said Bruce Konigsberg, Radio Frequency Sensors product area director at BAE Systems. “We’re proud to partner with Lockheed Martin in delivering this distinct competitive advantage to U.S. warfighters.” 

LRASM combines extended range with increased survivability and lethality to deliver long-range precision strike capabilities. LRASM is designed to detect and destroy specific targets within groups of ships by employing advanced technologies that reduce dependence on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms, network links, and GPS navigation in contested environments. 

This LRASM seeker contract continues the transition of the program from Accelerated Acquisition to Low-Rate Production. BAE Systems has delivered more than 50 systems to date that have demonstrated excellent technical performance over multiple test events. The company also is working to make the seeker system smaller, more capable, and more efficient to produce. 

The LRASM is being Deployed on Air Force B-1B bombers and Navy F/A-18E/F strike fighters. 

BAE Systems’ LRASM seeker technology builds on the company’s decades of experience designing and producing state-of-the-art electronic warfare technology, and its expertise in small form factor design, signal processing, target detection, and identification. 

Work on the LRASM sensor will be conducted at BAE Systems’ facilities in Wayne, New Jersey; Greenlawn, New York; and Nashua, New Hampshire. 

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Napier repatriated 12 migrants from an interdicted illegal voyage and transferred two men, who were rescued in a separate case, to a Dominican Republic navy vessel Monday near Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, the Coast Guard 7th District said in a Dec. 7 release. 

The migrant interdiction is the result of ongoing multiagency efforts in support of Operation Caribbean Guard and the Caribbean Border Interagency Group (CBIG). 

“I commend the performance of the Joseph Napier crew in both of these cases,” said Lt. Matthew Miller, cutter Joseph Napier commanding officer.  “Their swift and assertive actions ensured the safe transfer of two rescued boaters and 12 migrants to Dominican Republic navy authorities.” 

The migrant interdiction occurred Dec. 6, when the crew of a Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid Action marine unit stopped a 35-foot makeshift boat, approximately three and half nautical miles west of Aguadilla. Coast Guard watchstanders diverted the cutter Joseph Napier to assist. 

Once on scene, the crew of the cutter Joseph Napier safely embarked 10 men and two women from the grossly overloaded boat.  The crew of the Joseph Napier provided the migrants with lifejackets before embarking the Coast Guard cutter, and once they were safely aboard, they received food, water, shelter and basic medical attention. 

Later Sunday afternoon, Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan received a communication from a Good Samaritan aboard the motor vessel Statia Glory, who reported being on scene with a disabled vessel with two people aboard, approximately eight nautical miles south of Mona Island, Puerto Rico. The cutter Joseph Napier diverted and once on scene embarked the two men from the disabled vessel that was taking on water from incoming swells.  The men, who claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals, had no life jackets, marine radio or cell phone communications onboard. 

Cutter Joseph Napier is a 154-foot fast response cutter homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico. 

SAN DIEGO — General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. recently completed full-scale static (FSS) testing on the MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) wing after three months of extensive testing, the company said in a Dec. 7 release.

MQ-9B variants include SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian RPA produced by GA-ASI.  

The testing included multiple load cases to 150 percent of expected maximum flight loads. The wing was loaded using specially designed fixtures to apply a distributed load across the wingspan – simulating gust and maneuver flight conditions – with no failures.   

“Successful completion of FSS testing on the MQ-9B wing was a critical step in proving that our design meets stringent certification standards for structural strength and integrity,” said Dee Wilson, vice president, Engineering Research Development & Design Hardware. “The wing performed as expected, matching analytical predictions closely. Our engineering design, stress and test teams are commended for an exceptional effort in meeting this critical milestone.” 

This particular wing design is the culmination of a large development effort from multiple areas within GA-ASI and represents a major milestone in qualifying the MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian RPA to fly in non-segregated airspace. The wing test success also establishes the baseline wing design for the entire MQ-9B product line. This is critical as GA-ASI starts deliveries to the multiple customers pursuing the MQ-9B including the United Kingdom, Belgium and Australia.   

NORTH ARABIAN SEA — The guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), deployed to U.S. Fifth Fleet and operating in support of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), interdicted a shipment of more than 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms) of suspected narcotics from a stateless dhow in the international waters of the Arabian Sea, Dec. 4, CMF Public Affairs said in a Dec. 7 release.  

This seizure, conducted in direct support of CMF’s Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, marks the fourth CMF drugs seizure since October. The narcotics are currently in U.S. custody awaiting analysis. To mitigate the risk of contracting and spreading COVID-19, the boarding team undertook carefully executed precautionary measures during and after the boarding, to include decontamination of all seized contraband. 

Ralph Johnson initially identified a dhow loitering without power in international waters. When the ship approached to determine if the dhow required assistance, they failed to produce flag registration documentation.  A subsequent search discovered the narcotics. 

CMF is a multinational maritime partnership to counter illicit non-state actors in international waters, promoting security, stability and prosperity in the Arabian Gulf, the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean and Gulf of Oman. CTF 150 conducts maritime security operations outside the Arabian Gulf to disrupt criminal and terrorist organizations, ensuring legitimate commercial shipping can transit the region, free from non-state threats. CTF 150 is currently led by the Royal Saudi Naval Force, the second time the country’s navy has led the task force.