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New Surface Sensors and Combat Systems Facility Opens

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100520-14
5/20/2010

From Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Corporate Communications

DAHLGREN, Va. (NNS) -- The Navy's newest research and development facility officially opened for business May 17 at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren, Va.

The Surface Sensors and Combat Systems Facility features is designed to be an exceptional resource for Navy scientists and engineers and features a state-of-the-art system test-bed to support combat system certifications.

"The Surface Sensors and Combat Systems Facility is a testimony of the Navy's commitment to delivering tested and dependable systems to our men and women in uniform," said Capt. Sheila Patterson, Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren commander. "Within this facility is an advanced anechoic chamber to test maritime antennas. Dahlgren engineers are already testing the Link 16 antennas. This is a key tactical data link that ensures secure communications between the U.S. Navy, our joint services, and our allies."

The building is designed to be an exceptional resource for Navy scientists and engineers and features a state-of-the-art system test-bed to support combat system certifications.

"It will reinvigorate the Dahlgren community and solidify (NSWC) Dahlgren as a leader in integration, test, and certification for our fleet customers," said Trish Hamburger, Naval Sea Systems Command director for Warfare Systems Engineering and Human Systems Integration. "The Navy's people – who have the skills and expertise to make excellent use of the superb facility that we dedicate today – will build on the solid foundation of the San Diego Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS) and Link 16 Antenna Production and Test Facility to sustain a hotbed of innovation, engineering, integration, test and certification excellence that will be the Surface Sensors and Combat Systems Facility."

One hundred thirty employees will support two primary missions – the JTIDS and the Integrated Combat Systems Test Facility (ICSTF) – in the 56,000 square foot multi-story research, development, acquisition, testing and evaluation consolidation facility.

The programs' laboratories are connected to all key test facilities throughout the nation to allow robust, land-based battle group interoperability testing. The flexible facility design fosters rapid development of emerging systems to directly support the warfighter afloat and ashore as well as systems to enhance maritime domain awareness.

The JTIDS function will be supported by an antenna assembly facility that will fabricate, test, certify, and ship antenna arrays. The facility houses a specialized antenna anechoic test chamber that will be utilized by other antenna development projects at the center on a "not-to-interfere" basis.

The ICSTF team operates, maintains and tests combat systems for aircraft carriers and large-deck amphibious assault ships to certify their performance for deployment. Testing includes interoperability with other systems and combat systems.

"The collocation of this surface combat system facility with similar capabilities already resident here for cruisers and destroyers allows NSWC Dahlgren Division – and the greater enterprise test and evaluation community – to achieve efficiencies in our testing processes while improving the quality and affordability of testing we conduct for all ship classes," said Patterson.