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The Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), the Hon. Carlos Del Toro, recently convened with representatives from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global's office in Santiago, Chile.

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global has promoted Dr. Marcus Tepaske to the role of Technical Director, where he will lead experts in finding cutting-edge technologies and solutions and getting them into the hands of Sailors and Marines.

The Office of Naval Research Global TechSolutions program recently demonstrated the latest advancement in surf observation (SUROB) technology at the Technical Concept Experiment 24.2 held at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.

Seeking out new technology or exciting ideas at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global is something of a treasure hunt. Dr. Scott Walper, science director, ONR Global, says the search for innovative projects can take him and his team of program officers all over the world, relying on a bit of luck — or serendipity — to strike gold. But recently, Walper said he and his predecessor for Synthetic Biology at ONR Global, Dr. Patrick Rose, who is now with SPRIND (Germany’s Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation) had an idea to try something a little different. Walper said, “The thought was we would put out a call for a ‘Serendipity Collective,’ where we would sponsor a workshop and ask people to tell us their craziest ideas”. To attract innovators, the team worked with the company IdeatePlus. Walper said Kevin D'Silva, IdeatePlus CEO, and his team were instrumental in helping develop and manage the event, setting up a web-based platform to crowdsource and push out a social media campaign. The website generated 73 concepts from more than 225 active participants. The information was collected and shared it with a team of experts, including an artist, engineer, scientist and someone from the humanities. The experts scored proposals based on originality and feasibility. Eight teams were then invited to the “Serendipity Collective” held in Berlin in May. From those core concepts, another panel of experts composed of representatives from ONR Global, DEVCOM, the VW (Volkswagen) Foundation and SPRIND picked the ones they wanted to sponsor with an award of $50,000 to kick-start their efforts.

A TechSolutions sponsored project has been honored with an award from the National Training and Simulation Association (NTSA) for its TS-872 Breathing Dynamics Trainer, created in a collaboration with the Naval Aviation Training Systems and Ranges Program Office at Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR PMA-205) and the Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC). TechSolutions is a department within the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global, which quickly responds to viable requests for new or improved technologies or systems from Sailors and Marines. In the case of the Breathing Dynamics Trainer, Jason Payne, director, TechSolutions, said there was already training for pilots to experience hypoxia (low oxygen) using the Mask on Breathing Device (MOBD). However, TechSolutions received a request to expand its capabilities so that pilots could experience the effects of other breathing issues in a safe training environment, such as hyperoxia (too much oxygen) and excessive inhalation/exhalation pressures.

As the lead of curriculum for the Naval Aviation Maintenance Center for Excellence Training (NAMCE-T) unit at Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC), Point Mugu, California, Master Chief Avionics Technician Andrew Karsten wanted to give his students more than just PowerPoint instruction. He wanted them to get a feel for the parts of the plane they were going to be tasked with repairing – the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. However, obtaining parts for that hands-on experience was going to be a challenge. Karsten reached out to TechSolutions and asked, if there was a way to potentially obtain a 3D printer or connect him to somebody who could provide 3D printing services. TechSolutions is the Department of the Navy’s (DoN) rapid response program that addresses warfighter needs by quickly developing science and technology-driven solutions. Although the request was out of scope for the program, which does not facilitate getting commercially available products, TechSolutions took immediate action to help. Dr. Scott Steward, then-deputy director of TechSolutions, connected with colleagues in their network to find someone who may be able to support the warfighter’s request. Sailors and Marines interested in learning more about TechSolutions may email the team at ONR_TechSolutions@navy.mil.

At the Technical Concept Experiment 23.2, held at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, ONR showcased multiple systems designed to enhance the Marine Corps’ capability in carrying out amphibious operations — including explosive hazard defeat/mine countermeasures as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

In February 2022, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global and Royal Air Force (RAF) Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) conducted the first-ever drone flight using synthetic kerosene.

Can the U.S. Navy’s current force structure model, which has been immensely successful since World War II, remain strong in the face of new threats—or does it require an overhaul? How can the Department of the Navy (DoN) meet future challenges and strengthen its ability to develop and adopt new capabilities?

The ONR 33 NEPTUNE Program is a two-year pilot program providing funding to five universities, the U.S. Naval Academy and the Naval Postgraduate School. Its goals are to help the Navy and Marine Corps discover ways to improve energy conservation, generate renewable energy and implement energy-efficient technologies—while giving active-duty military, military students and veterans the chance to immerse themselves in university-level research.