As you know, we are in an unprecedented time with the COVID-19 pandemic. First and foremost, it is important that you and your families stay healthy and safe!
Our current world is a place that is atypical, challenging, tragic, and changing on a daily basis. Who would ever have imagined a spring without opening day at the baseball stadiums around the country, seniors missing their proms and graduation ceremonies, parents becoming adept at homeschooling, pop-up medical facilities at local convention centers or in New York's Central Park, quarantines, stay at home orders, an economy that has grinded to a halt, or millions of Americans out of work?
NUWC Division Newport, together with our government, industry and academic partners are all experiencing the impacts of COVID-19. The uncertainty of when operations will return to normal, coupled with the fact that many significant large events, including Southeastern New England's Defense Industrial Association's (SENEDIA) Defense Innovation Days, have been postponed or canceled, have led me to make the hard decision of canceling the NUWC Division Newport portion of the Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX) 2020 scheduled for September. Our partners at the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (CNMOC) are still planning to hold their portion of the event later this fall.
Who could have imagined a summer at NUWC Division Newport without ANTX? I want to emphasize that although we will not be executing the in-water test events and culminating event in conjunction with Defense Innovation Days, the partnerships and relationships we have founded and continue to nurture remain a high priority. CNMOC, other NAVSEA Warfare Centers, industry collaborators and university colleagues are instrumental in our collective ability to rapidly get technology into the hands of our warfighters, especially in an environment of great power competition.
ANTX started at NUWC Division Newport and all who have led to its tremendous success should be proud! Some say the biggest form of flattery is when people copy your idea and adapt it for their own use. We know many, many organizations conduct annual ANTX events, which is leading me to look into the crystal ball and ask, “What can we do differently? How can we build on this successful foundation to reshape our summertime in-water showcase of technology?"
Going forward, we will be working with the Transition Advisory Board (TAB) consisting of ONR, PEOSUB, SUBFOR and N97 to identify specific capabilities the U.S. Navy needs. This summer I will be looking at the NUWC Division Newport investment portfolio and making decisions that will continue to advance our unique warfare center capabilities, including the use of our new 401 Tech Bridge to further engage with our industry partners. The mechanics of executing future activities may change, but one thing that will remain constant is our commitment to the fleet we serve. Our facilities, technical subject matter expertise, systems engineering rigor, and use of our waterfront and local range for testing new technology coupled together with new and innovative strategies will be what keeps us relevant, our workforce motivated and proud, and the U.S. Navy the best in the world!
Visit our What We Do page to read about prior ANTX events.