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Small groups, big ideas: Dahlgren teams tackle radar challenge with creativity and grit
August 1, 2025 — They came with their own backgrounds and areas of expertise: early-career scientists, software developers, mechanical engineers.Inside the Innovation Lab (iLab) at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), in a sea of unfamiliar faces, they sorted themselves into six small groups. Their skillsets would need to complement each other,... MORE

DAHLGREN, Va. – Derek Diltz (center), chief engineer in the High Power Microwave Weapon Systems Division at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, tests a low-budget coffee can radar produced by a group of early career scientists and engineers during a Workforce Development Innovation Challenge. (Tierney Kunstmann/NSWCDD Photo)

AN/SPY-6(V)1 Radar: Eyes of the fleet
July 15, 2025 — Naval warfare evolves rapidly and staying ahead of adversaries requires relentless innovation and precision. Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) has established itself as a critical agent of military modernization, enhancing the capabilities of the Navy, ensuring its position as the dominant maritime force. In this fast-paced... MORE

TAMPA, Fla. – The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125) was commissioned in Tampa, Florida on October 7, 2023. This vessel is the first of its kind to be equipped with the Aegis Weapon System, Baseline 10. At the heart of this system is the AN/SPY-6(V)1, an advanced, automatic detect-and-track, multi-function phased-array radar. (DoD photo by EJ Hersom)

Engineers launch unmanned vessels and new ideas at NSWCDD Workforce Development Innovation Challenge
July 2, 2025 — The first team of scientists and engineers arrive at Upper Machodoc Creek on a still and steamy summer morning. They’ve brought with them a field-ready research station: a laptop computer, a controller, a base station and a BlueBoat — a small, unmanned vessel commonly used in robotics operations.A heron stands sentry at the water’s edge; farther... MORE

DAHLGREN, Va. – Cyber Engineer Alex Brown of Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) Dam Neck Activity and NSWCDD engineer Roel Choi calibrate their team’s BlueBoat prior to launching. The two were participating alongside their team in a Workforce Development Innovation Challenge to develop a small, unmanned vessel with commercially available software and hardware to conduct autonomous intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions on the water. (Dave Ellis/NSWCDD Photo)

Navy veteran leads the charge in troubleshooting electromagnetic compatibility challenges
June 30, 2025 — When Bob Nees first enlisted in the Navy in 1979, he didn’t realize he was kicking off a career that would span decades, cross industries and firmly establish him as a trusted expert in solving the seemingly unsolvable.From his early days as an aviation fire control technician to his current role as an engineering manager of Surface Warfare Systems... MORE

DAHLGREN, Va. – Bob Nees, the engineering manager for Surface Warfare Systems for Electromagnetic Environmental Effects Technical Warrant Holder at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), is known as the electromagnetic compatibility “troubleshooter” in Navy circles at one of NSWCDD’s anechoic chambers for MIL-STD-461 testing

The shield of the fleet: The Aegis Combat System and its vital role in U.S. Navy operations
June 23, 2025 — The evolution of naval defense systems reflects a timeline of innovation, each breakthrough addressing increasingly complex global threats. Among these monumental advancements, the Aegis Combat System stands as a seminal chapter in the U.S. Navy’s pursuit of unmatched lethality and operational effectiveness. However, its true power extends beyond... MORE

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — USS Little Rock (CLG 4) fires a Talos guided missile while off San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Nov. 16, 1961. (Seaman Lenhoff/Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command.)

Capturing the unseen: The role of high-speed cameras in weapon advancements
May 29, 2025 — The spin rate and velocity of a projectile shot from a five-inch gun are so fast only a camera capturing 75,000 frames per second can freeze it mid-flight. At this speed, unseen phenomena become visible, revealing critical data that underpins the precision and impact of modern weapon systems. At Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division... MORE

DAHLGREN, Va. — Since arriving at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division in 2006, engineer David Dukes has witnessed the evolution of high-speed cameras. From limited cameras that could only capture images for a few seconds at a few thousand frames per second (fps) to modern equipment capable of capturing 75,000 fps for a full minute at maximum resolution, Dukes has seen it all. (Dave Ellis/NSWCDD Photo)

NSWC Dahlgren Division builds next generation of STEM professionals at first Triad event
May 15, 2025 — Spike LEGO robots emulating unmanned systems navigating a logistics mission at sea. Students rushing to a monitor to answer the first question in a Capture-the-flag competition using Artificial Intelligence tools. Brightly colored 3D-printed ship hulls stretched across the table ready for the warfight.This was the scene in Exhibit Hall B at the... MORE

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Fifteen local middle and high schools participated in the first STEM Triad event hosted by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division. More than 100 students from the region engaged in real-world challenges inspired by the Navy, including autonomous robotics, cybersecurity capture-the-flag operations and additive manufacturing. (Dorina Watermolen/NSWCDD photo)

NSWC Dahlgren's True Soria utilizes creativity and simplicity in advancing Navy lethality and promoting STEM
May 2, 2025 — True Soria has always had a talent for solving complex problems. Now, as a computer scientist at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), he spends his days shaping the future of the U.S. Navy’s lethality by re-architecting critical systems. But his impact goes beyond technical expertise.Soria’s work on the Navy's... MORE

True Soria, a computer scientist at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), mentors students at King George Middle School during Robotics Week. This program is part of NSWCDD's K-12 STEM Outreach initiatives, highlighting the organization's commitment to supporting in-class robotics workshops and lessons facilitated by NSWCDD engineers at local schools. (Dorina Watermolen/NSWCDD photo)

NSWC Crane employees recognized Navy-wide for establishing the Microelectronics Commons
May 1, 2025 — Two Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) employees were recognized throughout the Navy for their outstanding contributions to establish the Microelectronics Commons. Dr. Alison Smith and Bryan Smith received the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award (MCSA), the third-highest honorary award in the Navy.“The Commons was... MORE

Dahlgren celebrates 100 years of UAV innovation: From biplanes to quadcopters
March 25, 2025 — One hundred years ago, on a stretch of the Potomac River, a small group of engineers and scientists made history with the flight of the United States' first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). This moment, now a cornerstone in the long legacy of Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), marked the beginning of a century of innovation in... MORE

The first radio-controlled plane was an open cockpit, amphibious biplane. Its first totally unmanned flight took place September 15, 1924 (NSWCDD photo by Morgan Tabor).

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