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NSWC Crane Receives Joint Value Engineering Award

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090501-08
Release Date: 5/1/2009 6:03:00 AM

From Naval Surface Wafare Center Crane Corporate Communications

CRANE, Ind (NNS) -- Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) received a coveted Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Joint Value Engineering Special Achievement Award for its collaborative work on the Mobile Jettison Unit (MJU) Decoy Flare Rebuild project with the Crane Army Ammunition Activity (CAAA).

Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics John J. Young, Jr. announced the winners of the fiscal 2008 Department of Defense Value Engineering Achievement awards March 20.

NSWC Crane received the award for its work in detecting that the shelf life of the MJU-32/B and MJU-38/B Infrared Decoy Flare could be extended once a new igniter composition was developed and installed. The new igniter composition is no longer as susceptible to accelerated aging due to moisture.

"By replacing the igniter assembly, we're able to save the whole decoy flare assembly," said Steve Norris, Countermeasures Design Branch Manager for NSWC Crane.

MJU-32/B and MJU-38/B Infrared Decoy Flares provide aircraft survivability and protection to the Warfighter against infrared guided-missile threats.

NSWC Crane's Electronic Warfare/ Information Operations Center and CAAA worked together in 2007 and 2008 to successfully upgrade the decoy. While experts at the Warfare Center developed the new igniter composition, CAAA was responsible for remanufacturing the decoy, including the recovery of the major components of the MJU-32/B and MJU-38/B and installation of the new assembly.

"By working together, NSWC Crane and CAAA were able to quickly and effectively improve the decoy and place valuable resources back in inventory," Norris said. "This partnership was innovative and responsive and provided the Warfighter with a timely and effective solution. The results were great."

Upgrade to the MJU-32/B and MJU-38/B by NSWC Crane and CAAA produced 50-percent cost savings above what a new device would cost. By remanufacturing 100,000 units, the project avoided this cost of new devices, saving more than $2 million.

The Navy Advanced Tactical Aircraft Protection Systems Program Office (PMA-272) manages all Navy/ Marine Corps Aircraft Survivability Equipment. PMA-272 has assigned NSWC Crane as the Integrated Product Team (IPT) Lead for airborne expendable infrared countermeasures (AEIRCM). It has primary responsibility to design and build successful countermeasures to combat evolving threats, identify and solve issues related to AEIRCM systems and make recommendations related to AEIRCM use. This NSWC Crane IPT supports PMA-272 for all expendable infrared countermeasures, including those for which this award was given.

"Our work on infrared countermeasures initiatives has spanned nearly 40 years," Norris said. "The Navy uses our depth and knowledge to develop innovative solutions that no other organization can."

OSD Joint Value Engineering Special Achievement Award will be presented to NSWC Crane and CAAA at the 2008 Department of Defense Value Engineering Special Achievement Awards ceremony located at the Pentagon on June 17.

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