The Stiletto Maritime Demonstration Program partnered with the United
Kingdom's Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) for an unmanned
aerial systems capability demonstration, June 10-20, off the Maryland
coast near Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Patuxent River, Md. |
The
Stiletto is a unique, maritime demonstration craft developed by the
Defense Department to test littoral warfare concepts. Engineers and
technicians with specialized expertise in maritime technology from Naval
Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Carderock's Norfolk detachment maintain
and operate the 88-foot-long, composite-bodied, m-shaped vessel.
"Stiletto [capability demonstrations] are conducted in partnership
with a host warfighting command or government organization," said
Rob Tutton, NSWC Carderock engineer and Stiletto Maritime Demonstration
program manager. "For this event, DSTL wanted to observe the operation
of UAV's from a small boat platform for maritime missions."
DSTL supplies science and technology services to the United Kingdom
Ministry of Defence within the defense and military counter terrorism
arenas. Three different UAVs, specifically selected for this demonstration,
were launched from Stiletto's flight deck, and DSTL personnel observed
launch, payload operation and recovery.
"The Stiletto capability demonstration offered a unique opportunity
to take a potent government/industry brew of good ideas, practical options
and hard work, turning the mix into a genuine capability demonstration
for the allied warfighter, which in turn shows how to solve existing
and future operational problems. The UK has no equivalent facility,
and we are grateful for the support of our U.S. colleagues on the Stiletto
team in making this recent capability demonstration a reality,"
said Paul Mather, DTSL surveillance capability leader.
The Stiletto Maritime Demonstration Program is sponsored by ASD Rapid
Reaction Technology Office and managed by Naval Surface Warfare Center
Carderock Division's Norfolk Detachment, Special Projects Branch.
"This program was established to accelerate the delivery of innovative
maritime technologies across all of the armed services," said Glenn
Fogg, Rapid Reaction Technology Office director for the deputy assistant
secretary of Defense for Rapid Fielding. "It's open to any DoD
commands, government agencies, industry, or academic institutions that
have a need to observe or demonstrate their technologies underway in
as relevant an environment as possible."
Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division's Norfolk Detachment,
a field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command, is located in Virginia
Beach, Va., and provides full-spectrum, full-lifecycle engineering for
combatant craft, boats, watercraft and associated hull, mechanical,
electrical and electronic systems.
from : Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division Public Affairs
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