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Special Missions Center Hosts Electro-Optic Workshop at NSWC Crane

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090328-09
Release Date: 3/28/2009 8:48:00 AM

From Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Corporate Communications

CRANE, Indiana (NNS) -- Looking to better enable rapid technology transition to the warfighter, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) hosted The Electro-Optic (EO) Technology "Road-Mapping" Workshop February 9-13, 2009.

During the "Enabling Rapid EO Technology Transition for the Warfighter," themed workshop, NSWC Crane's Special Missions Center teamed with leading experts from private industry, government, and educational institutions to develop "road-maps" for infrared (IR) thermal imaging, EO imaging, active imaging, spectral imaging, advanced imaging, lasers, countermeasures, human systems integration, and key enabling technologies.

Technology capabilities and maturity levels were captured relative to time along with their benefits and relationships to warfighting applications. This planning process supports better-informed and more objective investment business decisions, with the ultimate goal of placing superior capabilities in the hands of today and tomorrow's warfighter.

Representatives from other Navy Research Lab and Systems Command organizations attended including Naval Research lab (NRL), Naval Surface Warfare Center, Naval Undersea Warfare Center and Naval Air Warfare Center activities. NSWC Crane along with NRL co-chaired the event, which provided a collaborative working group between government labs, academic researchers and industry developers.

Approximately 140 Academia, Industry, Department of Defense (DoD), and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) participants from 60 different organizations were present, including representatives from the Air Force and Army as well as 8 different universities and technology institutions from across the country. Industry participants included numerous EO/IR component and system manufacturers and DoD support contractor partners.

Ms. Cynthia E. Gonsalves, acting director of the Office of Technology Transition for the deputy under secretary of defense (advanced systems and concepts), spoke about technology transition and transfer. Other guest speakers included Dr. James Meng, Naval Sea Systems Command, and Dr. Ronald Driggers, superintendent of the NRL Optical Sciences Division, Mr. Dusty Wilson, Division Head of NSWC Crane, Electro-Optic Technology Division and Mr. Keith Lannan, NSWC Crane, Electro-Optic Technology Division Chief Technologist.

Follow-on workshops in FY09 will focus on requirements analysis and capability gap-driven roadmap development tailored for technology transition associated with particular application environments, customer programs, and systems.

As the first of its kind, this workshop will help pave the way for better transition of EO, IR and laser technology for the Navy as well as for other defense, academic and industry organizations.

For more news from Naval Surface Warfare Center, visit www.navy.mil/local/navsea.