CRANE, Ind. – Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) participated in the Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX) – 2018 Urban 5th Generation Marine (U5G) Exploration and Experimentation Exercise from March 22-25 at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California.
The goal of events like the U5G ANTX is to demonstrate emerging technologies and engineering innovations in operationally relevant environments and scenarios. What makes these events unique is the ability to put the technology in the hands of the warfighters to obtain real-time feedback.
Collaborating with other warfare centers, NSWC Crane was instrumental in successfully getting the U5G technologies on the range and tested. NSWC Crane provided technical and programmatic expertise and support with subject matter experts, technical assessors, unmanned aerial systems’ pilots, certification support, public affairs and media support, data analytics, and ensured the proper safeguards were in place to protect intellectual property.
"This type of effort is exactly what our engineers and scientists love to be part of,” said Andy Brough, NSWC Crane’s Expeditionary Warfare lead. “Working alongside Marines and other warfighters to understand their needs and issues, and learning what technologies are best suited to help them, is what Navy labs like NSWC Crane are all about.”
U5G demonstrations and exercises will accelerate operational and technical feasibility assessment and inform future investments for future technologies. The five areas of focus were: situational awareness, counter-reconnaissance, fires and effects, command and control (C2), and maneuver.
“Cooperation and collaboration are essential to U5G ANTX success,” said Dr. Brett Seidle, NSWC Crane’s Technical Director. “The insight gained into technologies that may improve or accelerate fielding of operational capabilities for the Navy and Marine Corps is invaluable.”
Additionally, Crane Tech Transition and Legal Offices rapidly executed more than 60 Cooperative Research and Development Agreements with various vendors across a wide variety of topics in support of the event.
The U5G ANTX is an innovative approach to concept of operations and capability development that integrates engineers, technologies and operators into a dynamic development team. It is a model for combat development that yields immediate prototype capabilities to solve vexing problems.
ANTX exercises are led by the Naval Research and Development Establishment where industry, academia, and government research and development organizations are invited to demonstrate emerging technologies and engineering innovations in operationally relevant environments and scenarios.
With more than 1 million square feet of offices and laboratories, the Expeditionary Warfare Center provides a distinct advantage in sensors and communications, mobility and maneuverability, and special munitions and weapons. NSWC Crane's Expeditionary Warfare Center is the go-to source for solutions that are expertly delivered to ensure safe and effective missions
NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with focus areas in Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions and Electronic Warfare. NSWC Crane is responsible for multi-domain, multi- spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today’s warfighter.