NSWC Carderock

Testing at Carderock

A ship hull model attached to a high-speed sled moves through waves at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Carderock's David Taylor Model Basin, in West Bethesda, Md., during Office of Naval Research (ONR)-sponsored research. The purpose of the research is to study the fundamental physics of the water-impact of high-speed planing hulls and to measure the slamming loads and resulting motions of the craft upon re-entry into the water which can cause structural damage and injury to passengers.

Bird's Eye View of Carderock

Aerial image of Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division and the David Taylor Model Basin in West Bethesda, Maryland.

Maneuvering and Seakeeping Basin (MASK)

Birds eye view of the wave maker in action at the ribbon cutting ceremony marking the re-opening of Carderock's upgraded Maneuvering & Seakeeping (MASK) basin at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division.

The command provides cradle-to-grave support for its technical products over a variety of scientific areas related to surface and undersea platforms.

West Bethesda Headquarters

A wide shot of Bldg. 1 at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division in West Bethesda, Md., on Oct. 19, 2023.

International Human-Powered Submarine Race (ISR)

Navy divers from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technical Division at Indian Head, Md., assist student teams with their human-powered submarines during the 13th International Human-Powered Submarine Race (ISR) being held in the David Taylor Model Basin at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division. ISR is a unique international engineering design competition that inspires high school and college-age students of the various engineering disciplines to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

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NSWC Carderock Division News

Rita Schuh, an environmental engineer at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, stands in the command's Ballast Water Research Laboratory in West Bethesda, Md. Schuh, who has served in the government for 37 years, supports the Uniform National Discharge Standards and Ballast Water programs to standardize environmental regulations for the fleet.

Meet Rita Schuh, an Environmental Engineer whose mission protects the Warfighter and the Environment

By Brittny Odoms, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division Public Affairs | Feb. 25, 2026

Rita Schuh, an environmental engineer in the Environmental and Energy Division of the NSWC Carderock Division, has spent 37 years promoting environmental compliance and protection of marine ecosystems across the Armed Forces...

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Safeguarding Innovation: The Strategic Role of Patents at Carderock

By Alisha Tyer, NSWC Carderock Division Public Affairs | Feb. 19, 2026

At Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, innovation is more than a breakthrough in the lab. It is a lineage that stretches back more than a century and continues to shape how the Navy protects and advances its...

Vice Admiral Emory S. Land, USN, seated at his desk. (U.S. Navy photo, Naval History and Heritage Command)

Photo can be found in the Naval History and Heritage Command archive: https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/numerical-list-of-images/nhhc-series/nh-series/NH-85000/NH-85532.html

Vice Adm. Emory S. Land and the Power of Collaboration

By By Alisha Tyer, NSWC Carderock Division Public Affairs | Jan. 30, 2026

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division plays a central role in advancing the Navy’s ability to design, test and deliver ships and systems that meet evolving maritime challenges. As the Navy’s powerhouse for...

KITTERY, Maine (Dec. 6, 2024) — Sailors from the Virginia-class attack submarine USS Texas (SSN 775) pull in line from a tugboat as the submarine prepares to depart Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, to conduct sea trials after receiving critical repairs and system upgrades vital to extending the submarine’s service life and ensuring the Navy’s long-term fleet readiness, Dec. 6, 2024. As America’s leader for attack submarine maintenance, repair, and modernization, PNSY is enhancing critical warfighting capabilities by safely delivering first time quality service, on-budget, on time to the fleet and helping enable warfighters to be battle-ready when called upon. (US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Charlotte C. Oliver)

Navy Expands 3D Printing to Frontline Fleet Operations in 2025

By Alisha Tyer, NSWC Carderock Division Public Affairs | Jan. 21, 2026

The Navy accelerated the transition of additive manufacturing (AM) (AKA 3D printing) from a promising capability to a warfighting capability in 2025, slashing lead times by 70 percent and solidifying strategic partnerships...

Dr. Shane Wines (far left) alongside staff and students from Calvert High School, his former school where he taught for 10 years, on a field trip to Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division in West Bethesda, Md., in December 2025. Dr. Wines is Naval Surface Warfare Center's 2025-2026 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow, a program that provides a unique opportunity for accomplished K-12 STEM educators to apply their extensive classroom knowledge and experiences to their host offices to inform federal STEM education efforts.

From Computer Scientist to Educator: Leveraging AI to Expand STEM Education and Support the Warfighter

By Brittny Odoms, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division Public Affairs | Jan. 16, 2026

BETHESDA, Md. — Dr. Shane Wines, an educator and computer scientist, is leveraging his academic background and passion for technology to expand computer science education and support future national security missions.Wines,...

NSWC Carderock Division
9500 MacArthur Blvd.
West Bethesda, MD 20817-5700