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Home : Home : Warfare Centers : NSWC Dahlgren : Dam-Neck : History
NSWC Dahlgren Division Dam Neck Activity - History



            NSWC Dahlgren Division Dam Neck Activity 

Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division Dam Neck Activity (NSWCDD DNA) has provided vital technical support to an ever-increasing variety of ships, aircraft and submarines for 60 years. The Command was commissioned on March 31, 1963 as the Fleet Computer Programming Center, Atlantic. On July 31, 1971, FCDSSA was upgraded to command status and changed to Fleet Combat Directions Systems Activity, Dam Neck. Management responsibility formerly assumed by Commander, Training Command, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (1963-1969) and then by Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet (1969-1972), now known as U.S. Fleet Forces Command, was taken over by Chief of Naval Operations (OP-34), then later by Naval Sea Systems Command. On January 2, 1992, FCDSSA became a part of the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) headquartered in Washington, D.C.

The center's mission then, as it does now, involves designing, developing, testing, installing and upgrading computer programs for shipboard combat systems, or as they were once called, the Navy Tactical Data Systems (NTDS).

In December 2000, the NSWC Port Hueneme Division, Dam Neck Detachment was disestablished and Naval Sea Systems Command, Combat Direction Systems Activity, Dam Neck was commissioned. The command’s name was changed in March 2018 because Advanced Combat Direction Systems (ACDS) were being phased out of the Navy. The new name helps us to better align with our echelon four command, NSWC Dahlgren Division, as well as other NSWCs.

Today, NSWCDD DNA serves the world’s largest Navy fleet concentration area as a tenant command onboard Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex in Virginia Beach, Virginia, housed in historic Hopper Hall, named after one of the Navy’s first and most respected and innovative computer engineers, Rear Adm. Grace Hopper. This geographic location, unique facilities, talented workforce and strong customer focus has made NSWCDD Dam Neck Activity a recognized leader in developing innovative, affordable and effective integrated training systems, cyber warfare, fleet readiness and sustainment solutions for the Naval Warfighter.