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ONR SCOUT is an ongoing, multiagency campaign to identify new ways to bring novel capabilities to warfighter challenges, experiment with them in realistic operating conditions, and operationalize them in partnership with the fleet and force. As part of its continued evolution, SCOUT is now partnering with U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT) to address problem areas identified by both warfighters and senior leadership. The SCOUT team is inviting industry partners to discuss cutting-edge concepts and solutions during an Industry Innovation Exchange on Tuesday, April 4, during the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition, held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.

In the coming years, the U.S Navy and Marine Corps will encounter new challenges to their operational capabilities. From climate change to adversaries with enhanced technological capabilities, these challenges will require forces that are innovative, agile, and ready to adapt to new realities. How naval forces will confront these challenges will be the topic of a conversation with Chief of Naval Research Rear Admiral Lorin C. Selby, hosted during the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition, April 3-5, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.

A unique maritime competition, sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), recently took place in Sarasota, Florida. The 16th annual RoboBoat competition brought together teams of students from across the globe to assemble and navigate autonomous unmanned surface vehicles (USV) through a series of real-world challenges, including coastal surveillance, port security and oceanographic exploration, at Sarasota’s Nathan Benderson Park.

Sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) — in partnership with Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) and Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Panama City — the Deep Sea Expeditionary with No Decompression (DSEND) system recently underwent demonstrations at NSWC Carderock Division in Maryland and at the Navy Experimental Diving Unit in Florida.

TechSolutions, part of the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global, takes a problem identified by a Sailor or Marine and tries to come up with solutions through a rapid-response technology development program. Jason Payne, director of TechSolutions, said his office is eager to hear about anything needed that may be solved through technology. A good idea does not necessarily need to come from an engineer or scientist. Sailors and Marines who wish to make a submission may register for an account with their CAC-enabled computer at the link provided on the TechSolutions webpage: https://www.onr.navy.mil/techsolutions/. Accounts are validated within a few minutes and ready for input.

The American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) has awarded its most prestigious accolade — the Harold E. Saunders Award for Lifetime Achievement — to Kelly Cooper, a program officer in the Office of Naval Research (ONR)’s Sea Warfare and Weapons Department, for outstanding contributions to the Navy and nation over her career.

For Dr. Brett Seidle — the deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, Test and Engineering — the breakneck speed of current scientific progress and technological proliferation can be challenging, especially when the impact of new technologies on civilian and military realities transcends national borders. While giving the keynote address at the recent Specialized Inter-American Naval Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation (SIANC-ST&I) in Orlando, Florida, Seidle identified several scientific disciplines that have developed into top naval priorities: unmanned and autonomous systems, cyber and information warfare, and maritime domain awareness, to name a few.

The International Cooperative Engagement Program for Polar Research (ICE-PPR) International Workshop for Sea Ice and Icebergs was held recently at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. The workshop attendees focused on three areas: science and technology researchers who study data and create new algorithms or sensors; the centers that produce ice analysis products for mariners; and the operators themselves, personnel from the U.S. and Canadian Navies and Coast Guards who have operated ships in polar regions.

School may be out for summer, but an opportunity to gain valuable, professional experience in their field of study has just begun for students enrolled in Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Minority Institutions’ (HBCU/MIs’). Anthony Smith, director, Department of Navy's (DoN) HBCU/MI Program, said there are eight different internships with the addition of a new one this year. “We are embarking on a new student internship program with the Navy Facilities Command (NAVFAC),” he said. “That’s a big deal because that’s focused on students in engineering but more along the lines of civil engineering and construction technology – and that’s a big one that we have not had before. So, that’s exciting for us.” Education and outreach from the DoN includes college internships, graduate fellowships, science fairs and competitions, and curriculum enrichment programs for students of all ages. The HBCU/MI program aims to increase participation from under-represented educational institutions for research, development, test and evaluation programs.

The Department of the Navy’s (DoN) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is seeking the talents of small business partners who can help provide advanced solutions as quickly as possible to the mission-critical challenges faced by Sailors and Marines. SBIR – located at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) – issued a $50 million Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for “Open” topics in areas where the DoN wants to adapt commercial products and solutions to close capability gaps, improve performance or provide technological advancements in existing capabilities. The ultimate goal is to accelerate the delivery of a prototype that has been tested and is ready for transition to the forces and fleets. The BAA, titled 23.4, is open to proposal submission from July 13 to Aug.15. Topics include mission critical needs in the areas of Operations and Logistics in a Contested Environment and Holistic Common Operational Picture (COP).