Month: August 2023

Source: United States Navy

The prizes took the form of Chief of Naval Research (CNR) Scholarship Awards — which recognize students in grades nine through 12 for producing and presenting quality science and engineering projects, and are given by the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

The honors were distributed at ISEF — one of the world’s largest science and engineering competitions for high schoolers — as part of the Naval Science Awards Program (NSAP), a Navy and Marine Corps program encouraging American students to develop and retain an interest in science and engineering. NSAP celebrates the accomplishments of eligible students at regional and state science and engineering fairs, as well as large ones such as ISEF.

Anthony C. Smith Sr., director of the DoN HBCU/MI Program, which is located at ONR, presented the CNR Scholarship Awards to their respective winners at ISEF. Smith, a captain in the Navy Reserve, also presided over a team of other reservists who were serving as volunteer judges — evaluating student presentations on scientific rigor and potential application to future naval challenges.

“It was an honor and a joy to present the CNR Scholarship Awards to these deserving students,” said Smith. “The sophistication of their research presentations, as well as their passion, attention to detail and inquisitive natures, exemplify what the awards seek to spotlight. Events like ISEF are valuable for discovering the brightest young minds that could potentially strengthen the naval workforce.”

The winners of this year’s CNR Scholarship Awards are:

• Roy Gross (Palo Alto, California) — “Tactical Drone Detection and Tracking Using Machine-Learned Radio Interferometry: Lessons From Ukraine”
• Hanna Matusik (Lexington, Massachusetts) — “A Novel Pneumatically-Actuated Soft Robotic Hand With 3D Vision-Based Teleoperation”
• Jordan Prawira (Mountain House, California) — “Pura Aer 2: Dual-Stage, Energy-Efficient, Modular Air Purifier System, Inspired by Porifera To Improve Air Quality”
• Ethan Zentner (Glendale, Wisconsin) — “Design, Construction, and Testing of a Passenger-Capable eVTOL Hexacopter”
• Rodrigo Valdes (El Paso, Texas) — “Optimizing Aero-Stability in Model Rockets Using Advanced Flight Algorithm and Servo-Actuated Thrust Vector Control”

Through a global network of local, regional and national science fairs, ISEF enables millions of students to explore their passion for scientific inquiry. Each year, a group of these students is selected as finalists and offered the opportunity to compete in the global ISEF science fair for approximately $9 million in awards and scholarships.

Warren Duffie Jr. is a contractor for ONR Corporate Strategic Communications.

Source: United States Navy

More than 300 Jordanian and U.S. Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, Soldiers and Airmen participated. Task Force 56 led the exercise working alongside Task Force 52, Task Force 59, U.S. Patrol Forces Southwest Asia and Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team Central Command.

“It’s inspiring to see all the joint forces working together in this vital region,” said Capt. Oliver Herion, commander of Task Force 56. “Together, we continue to grow and build on our tactics, readiness and commitment to regional maritime security and stability.”

During the exercise, U.S. and Jordanian forces practiced a variety of skills including humanitarian assistance and disaster response, small boat maintenance, maritime interdiction, maritime security, explosive ordnance disposal, live fire exercises and maritime clearing mines.

Infinite Defender is an annual bilateral exercise between the JAF and U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard forces from NAVCENT focused on maritime infrastructure protection, explosive ordnance disposal, and anti-terrorism force protection.

The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses nearly 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal and Bab al-Mandeb.

Source: United States Navy

 The first rescue mission, which occurred Monday morning, was for a 25-year-old woman who fell ill while hiking along Waptus Lake at an elevation of approximately 3,200 ft. mean sea level.
During the flight to her reported location, the crew determined that their visibility was compromised due to smoke from forest fires in the northern Cascade Mountains. After diverting south then flying east along state Highway 90 toward Cle Elum Lake, the crew reached the ailing hiker and her companions about an hour after departing the air station.
 
The SAR crew inserted two medical technicians about 100 yards from the hiking party’s location then landed to conserve fuel. Upon reaching the patient, the rescue personnel assessed and prepared the ailing victim to receive fluids. Just after 11:50 the SAR crew began the extraction of the patient and the rescue team via hoist.  The SAR team then flew her to Harborview Medical Center and turned her over to hospital personnel at 12:30 p.m.
 
Later that evening, the SAR crew received a report for a 65-year-old man who suffered a head injury in the Alpine Lakes area. Prior to leaving the air station around 7:30 p.m. the SAR crew contacted the Kittitas County Sheriff’s Deputy who was managing the rescue efforts. During their preliminary conversations the crew learned that smoke that was prevalent during the earlier mission had dissipated.
 
After finding a suitable location to minimize any rotor downwash during the rescue, the SAR team inserted two rescue personnel about 200 yards away from the injured hiker. The injured man and rescue team were hoisted aboard the SAR aircraft around 8:40 that evening and flew directly to Harborview where they landed about a half hour later.
 
Naval Air Station Whidbey Island SAR has conducted 28 missions this calendar year, which includes 1 MEDEVAC, 4 searches and 23 rescues.
The Navy SAR unit operates three MH-60S helicopters from NAS Whidbey Island as search and rescue/medical evacuation (SAR/MEDEVAC) platforms for the EA-18G aircraft as well as other squadrons and personnel assigned to the installation. Pursuant to the National SAR Plan of the United States, the unit may also be used for civil SAR/MEDEVAC needs to the fullest extent practicable on a non-interference basis with primary military duties according to applicable national directives, plans, guidelines and agreements; specifically, the unit may launch in response to tasking by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (based on a Washington State Memorandum of Understanding) for inland missions, and/or tasking by the United States Coast Guard for all other aeronautical and maritime regions, when other assets are unavailable.
 

Source: United States Navy

The annual conference brings together military electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) managers and experts to share information about new and emerging EMS issues and initiatives that impact Navy and Marine Corps operations.

Nashold began by emphasizing the importance of the EMS to Navy IW and naval operations as a whole.

“The Navy’s Information Boss, Vice Adm. Aeschbach, has said in many forums that Information Warfare is critical to every operation our Navy executes – that IW is the center of the Navy’s Venn diagram. It affects and enables every mission, everywhere, every day.”

“Spectrum management is the lifeline of naval operational prowess, enabling the IW community to execute the missions quickly and precisely,” continued Nashold. “This intangible thread connects the military forces for seamless coordination, command, and control – shaping our operations, maintaining our military advantage, and securing our nation’s interests.”

Nashold’s words conveyed urgency as she addressed the evolving threat landscape.

“Earlier this month, Secretary Del Toro published his two-year review, reinforcing progress made in his three enduring priorities: Strengthening Maritime Dominance, Building a Culture of Warfighting Excellence, and Enhancing Strategic Partnerships. Make no mistake: spectrum plays a critical role in our Navy’s ability to achieve these priorities,” said Nashold. “Every day, however, we face adversaries who are increasingly adept at exploiting the electromagnetic spectrum with the intention of disrupting our operations for tactical advantage. EW is that non-kinetic warfare deterrent that must be incorporated into our overall spectrum planning evolutions to help shape the electromagnetic environment.”

Nashold also highlighted the importance of partnerships to EMS management.

“What I believe is most fundamental to our success in spectrum management is collaboration and partnership. To advance our capabilities, we must work closely with industry, academia, and other government agencies to leverage the combined expertise of everyone involved.”

As the need for spectrum management has increased, NAVIFOR has started looking toward the future.

“As we move forward, we must recognize that the future of naval and land warfare relies heavily on effective spectrum management. Emerging technologies such as unmanned systems, autonomous platforms, and artificial intelligence, all of which rely on spectrum-dependent communications and control, are transforming our operations,” said Nashold.

Nashold concluded with a call to action, urging the audience to excel in their endeavors.

“In conclusion, the electromagnetic spectrum is indeed the lifeblood of our Navy and Marine Corps operations. You, as members of the spectrum management community, are at the forefront of this critical endeavor.”

NAVIFOR’s mission is to generate, directly and through our leadership of the IW Enterprise, agile and technically superior manned, trained, equipped, and certified combat-ready IW forces to ensure our Navy will decisively DETER, COMPETE, and WIN.

For more information on NAVIFOR, visit the command Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NavalInformationForces/ or the public web page at https://www.navifor.usff.navy.mil.