ARLINGTON, Va.—The Department of the Navy’s new chief of naval research is a decorated pilot with thousands of flight hours in more than 45 types of aircraft.
Rear Adm. Matthew L. Klunder became the 24th chief of naval research in a change of command ceremony Nov. 17 at the Washington Navy Yard. He relieved Rear Adm. Nevin Carr, who previously led the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and retired from the Navy after 34 years of service.
“The reality is that when it comes to assigning stewardship of the Navy’s research establishment, and with it, the stewardship of our future Navy, we are careful to select only the very best,” said Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition Sean Stackley.
As head of ONR, Klunder has oversight of the Department of the Navy’s $1.9 billion investment in science, technology, research and development efforts. He will manage ONR’s broad range of portfolios, including basic and applied research, military technology advancement, youth and university education programs and international scientific partnerships.
“Rear Adm. Klunder has a great background for this job,” Carr said. “He has a deep understanding of how we interface with larger programs. I’m very excited about turning over this wonderful organization to such a knowledgeable leader.”
Klunder joins ONR after serving as director of the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities division in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Dominance in the Pentagon, where he has been responsible for overseeing naval autonomous vehicles and a number of other critical Navy programs. Prior to that post, he was the 83rd commandant of midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Klunder has served at sea as air wing commander of Carrier Air Wing 2, and commanding officer and department head of Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 115. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1982 and has qualified in the E-2C Hawkeye and the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet.