Month: August 2023

Source: United States Navy

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) sponsored a project at Virginia Tech University nearly 20 years ago that is now growing in influence across the world for measuring aerospace and aeronautical acoustics. Since noise reverberates against solid surfaces, such as the walls of a wind tunnel where acoustical testing takes place, collecting accurate sound data had been nearly impossible at the time. Researchers were also struggling to discern the sound of the wind tunnel’s air flow from the noise of the object traveling through it.

After learning about some experiments on Kevlar as a wind screen, William Devenport, an engineering professor and director of Virginia Tech’s Stability Wind Tunnel, said he and a colleague wrote a proposal to then-ONR program officer Ron Joslin to try adding Kevlar to their wind tunnel walls.

“The idea was that we would have the flow going on in the tunnel, the Kevlar would contain the flow and it would improve the aerodynamics. At the same time, the sound produced in the flow would be able to make its way out through the Kevlar, and we could hear it in the anechoic chamber,” said Devenport.

Devenport submitted the original grant proposal (N00014–04–1–04933) through the FY 2004 Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) for alterations to Virginia Tech’s existing Stability Wind Tunnel that would allow it to measure flow-induced noise of relevance to Navy applications.

At the time, using Kevlar in a wind tunnel was such a novel idea that Joslin was warned by other Navy acoustic experts it would be a waste of resources. Now, as many as 20 major facilities around the world are using the technology to build a hybrid anechoic tunnel (HAWT) or upgrade their existing wind tunnels with Kevlar.

Dr. Julie Young, an ONR Sea Warfare and Weapons Department program officer for Power and Energy Research, National Naval Responsibility for Naval Engineering, gives credit to her predecessor, Joslin, for seeing the potential of this kind of research.

“It’s really nice to see a breakthrough idea that significantly advances the state of the art, the science in that area, and that’s why everybody else followed,” said Young.

Young oversees ONR’s propulsor hydrodynamics, hydroacoustics and structure dynamics portfolio, which includes the Kevlar wind tunnel program. In addition, Young said both she and Devenport are working with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) advanced vehicle technology (AVT) program, which brings together experts related to air and water.

“I’m on three of the NATO AVT panels and one of them is led by William Devenport,” said Young. “In addition to lift, drag, thrust, stability – acoustics is also an important consideration.”

“This is relevant for aircraft and undersea craft, and by the way, it’s also relevant for a lot of energy harvesting devices like wind turbines because they also produce noise,” she continued. “We need to understand where the noise originates from and why and how it propagates.”

Devenport said acoustics are important for two reasons. “If we’re talking about aerospace or aeronautical applications – one is to control how loud things are inside the cabin. We’re working with Julie Young exactly on that subject – trying to measure the pressure fluctuations that cause vibrations in the aircraft that are heard inside.”

Devenport said the other reason to study acoustics is to learn how they affect the outside environment – the sound created by a hydroplane, for example, or the blades of a turbine.

In order to resolve an issue, Young said you have to understand the science behind it: “At ONR, the mission is foundational research that’s relevant to the Navy. We have to understand the science and by understanding, we develop technology.”

Although Devenport and his team at Virginia Tech have been working with Kevlar at their Stability Wind Tunnel for nearly two decades, he said they are still learning how well it works. But they are no longer flying solo. Wind tunnels adopting this technology include the Department of the Navy’s Anechoic Flow Facility at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division, the JAXA 2M tunnel in Tokyo, the new Danish National Wind Tunnel, and the DSTG Low Speed Tunnel in Australia, as well as a number of universities in the U.S. and around the world.

Projects utilizing the technology have also spread to include the National Science Foundation, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and more than 70 commercially sponsored programs within large multinational companies.

Source: United States Navy

Smith’s son, James, accepted the awards on his father’s behalf during a ceremony aboard the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York.

“My father, like many thousands of his generation during the war, did his job – day in and day out. In less than four years, his dedication led to defeating the Nazis and the empire of Japan concurrently,” said James Smith.

SECNAV Del Toro thanked James Smith for “his tireless work to ensure his father received the recognition he deserved, and for preserving his father’s story of service during World War II.”

Aviation Radioman Third Class Petty Officer Peter Smith, a Troy, New York native, enlisted in the Navy on Feb. 2, 1942, two months after the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor. First rated as a Storekeeper, Smith volunteered for flying duty, completing training as both an aviation radioman and an air gunner.

In June 1943, Smith was assigned to VC-28, a composite squadron based at Henderson Airfield on Guadalcanal. During his time there, Smith flew as a member of a three-man crew in a TBF Avenger torpedo bomber and conducted 15 combat missions in support of troops on the ground at New Georgia. After returning to the U.S., Smith later re-deployed to the Pacific in 1944 with the newly-designated Torpedo Squadron 28 (VT 28), operating as a carrier-based squadron off USS Monterey (CVL 26). During his time with VT-28, Smith flew in operations to retake Marianas, Saipan, Tinian, and Southern Palau from Japanese forces. He also supported the assaults on the Philippines and strikes against Okinawa. All told, Smith flew more than 150 combat and support missions during his 11 months with VT-28, before being honorably discharged in February 1946, after the conclusion of the war.

“I am humbled by the opportunity to honor Peter L. Smith – one of our Navy’s hundreds of thousands of World War II Veterans – for his service to our nation during a defining period in world history,” said SECNAV Del Toro. “After the war, Smith, like so many members of this greatest generation, returned to their civilian careers, but forever remained proud of their service.”

James Smith thanked SECNAV Del Toro on behalf of his father, calling the award presentation “a great honor for which our family is thankful.”

Congress established the Distinguished Flying Cross, July 2, 1926. It may be awarded to any Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard personnel, while serving in the capacity of the Armed Forces, who distinguish themselves for heroism or outstanding achievement while participating in aerial flight.

The Air Medal is awarded for sustained performance while participating in aerial flight under combat conditions.

In receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross, Petty Officer Smith joins the ranks of Charles Lindbergh and the Wright Brothers, as well as fellow Navy recipients President George H.W. Bush and United States Senator John S. McCain.

“To Petty Officer Smith’s family, I am confident there is no doubt in your minds that his actions met the criteria above for these two awards. His devotion to duty in support of his fellow Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Soldiers was indeed unwavering throughout his time in service, and I have no doubt you take pride in his accomplishments to keep our Nation free,” said Del Toro.

Source: United States Navy

As a part of U.S. Sixth Fleet and U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) command, the ship regularly conducts exercises and operations with its Turkish partners to showcase teamwork and strengthen NATO interoperability.

U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Jeffry Flake and U.S. Consul General Julie Eadeh visited the Mount Whitney on August 18.  “Türkiye is a longstanding and valued NATO Ally,” said Ambassador Flake.  “The Mount Whitney’s visit is an opportunity to further strengthen our deep military partnership with Türkiye, which helps ensure a secure and prosperous region.”

While in Istanbul, U.S. Sixth Fleet and its commander, Vice Admiral Thomas Ishee, will host a reception of Turkish dignitaries and military delegates, reinforcing the Turkish and U.S. Navies’ enduring relationship.  Mount Whitney’s crew and embarked staff will also have the opportunity to participate in Morale, Welfare and Recreation events.

“The Sailors and Civilian Mariners of Team 20 are looking forward to experiencing the rich culture that Türkiye and the people of Istanbul have to offer,” said Capt. Matthew Kiser, commanding officer of the Mount Whitney. “More than that, this port visit provides a great opportunity for continued cooperation with our important Turkish allies, deepens the trust we have in one another and strengthens our relationships.”

Forward deployed to Gaeta, Italy, Mount Whitney’s visit upholds the U.S. Navy and NATO’s collective commitment of defense of the European region and upholds the solidity of the NATO alliance. Mount Whitney is the U.S. Sixth Fleet flagship and operates with a combined crew of U.S. Sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners.

U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.

For over 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.

Source: United States Navy

The principal address will be delivered by the Honorable Sean O’Keefe, 69th Secretary of the Navy and 10th Administrator of NASA.  Remarks will also be provided by the Honorable Russell Rumbaugh, Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller); Vice Admiral Jeffrey Hughes, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Warfighting Development; and Kari Wilkinson, executive vice president of Huntington Ingalls Industries and president of Ingalls Shipbuilding. The ship’s sponsors are Catherine Ann Stevens, Susan Stevens Covich, and Lily Irene Becker, the wife and daughters of the ship’s namesake. In a time-honored Navy tradition, the sponsors will christen the ship by breaking a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow.

The ship’s namesake, Ted Stevens, was a U.S. Senator from Alaska who served the Senate and the Solicitor of the Interior Department for over 40 years. He was a strong supporter of the Navy and Marine Corps. 

This is the first U.S. Navy ship to honor Stevens and will be the third Flight III upgrade ship. 

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are the backbone of the U.S. Navy’s surface fleet, providing protection to America around the globe. These highly capable, multi-mission ships conduct various operations, from peacetime presence to national security, providing a wide range of warfighting capabilities in multi-threat air, surface, and subsurface domains. These elements of seapower enable the Navy to defend American prosperity and prevent future conflict abroad.

Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342. More information on guided-missile destroyer programs can be found at:  https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2169871/destroyers-ddg/

Source: United States Navy

A dynamic era in naval oceanography recently ended as the iconic Floating Instrument Platform — popularly known as FLIP — was officially retired from service.

Built in 1962 with funding from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), FLIP helped generations of scientists and oceanographers better understand the mysteries of the sea, including internal waves, air-sea interaction and long-range sound propagation. Sadly, age and exorbitant life-extension costs resulted in the platform being disestablished.

On Aug. 3, a solemn gathering of well-wishers watched as FLIP was towed, at sunset, to a dismantling and recycling facility. Last month, a formal good-bye ceremony was hosted by the Marine Physical Laboratory at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).

Still, FLIP — which was owned by the U.S. Navy and managed by Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UCSD — boasts a proud legacy and represents a golden age of oceanography that saw a renewed focus on ocean exploration, the creation of new fields of study, and greater public appreciation of the scientific and strategic importance of the ocean.

“Over its career, FLIP was a key mission enabler for ONR’s basic and applied programs in meteorology, oceanography and ocean acoustics,” said Dr. Thomas Drake, head of ONR’s Ocean Battlespace Sensing Department.

“Whether investigating air-sea interaction, ocean mixing, boundary layer dynamics or acoustic thermometry, FLIP’s unique properties and capabilities enabled the collection of exquisite datasets that served as the gold standard for numerous process studies and extensive model development, ultimately increasing our understanding of the maritime environment.”

Shaped like a spar buoy, the 355-foot FLIP resembled a giant baseball bat. When horizontal, FLIP was towed out to sea where on-board hydraulics and ballast tanks “flipped” the platform (in about 30 minutes) to the vertical — producing a stable, mobile at-sea experimental laboratory, capable of riding out swells while providing sensor data 300 feet into the water column.

FLIP could carry a research team of 11 people and a crew of five, and sustain research operations for up to 30 days without resupply. Also, everything mounted on the platform turned 90 degrees when it “flipped” at sea. All fixtures — from generators to toilets — turned at right angles, and there were separate passageways, doors and platforms for every major space inside and outside.

Because FLIP had no propulsion system of its own, it had to be towed by ship to a location. This quiet design made FLIP perfect for recording ocean acoustics and sounds as well as observing tidal forces, internal waves and small-scale turbulence. Such data gathering fostered greater knowledge of ocean currents and acoustics, air-sea interactions and marine mammal sounds.

In addition, FLIP was crucial to groundbreaking naval basic and applied research, much of which was sponsored by ONR. This includes oceanography, meteorology, ocean acoustics and the development of hydrophones (underwater microphones) — as well as how the upper part of the ocean interacts with the lower part of the atmosphere and how that interface affects things like sonar.

Another aspect of FLIP’s design that enabled it to be relevant for six decades was its lack of built-in sensors that could become obsolete. This allowed generations of researchers and scientists to install cutting-edge equipment and technology for testing.

Retired Scripps physical oceanographer Dr. Rob Pinkel logged many hours on FLIP cruises, starting in 1969 as a graduate student.

“In total, I spent about three years at sea aboard FLIP over the course of my career,” he said. “I enjoyed working with the crew and my research group to achieve something special. When all of the instruments were performing properly and the data were coming in, it was like operating a very rich gold mine.”

Naval Postgraduate School Professor Dr. Qing Wang led an ONR-sponsored research cruise aboard FLIP in 2017 to study air-sea interaction: “FLIP was such an impressive research platform that enabled us to do very detailed, thorough work. It truly was a game-changer in terms of naval scientific research and will be missed.”

Rob Sparrock, a program officer in ONR’s Oceanographic Research Facilities division, said, “Losing FLIP is unfortunate, but the loss will be mitigated by new unmanned assets and networks of smaller buoys being developed. FLIP’s legacy also lives on in current research platforms such as the French Polar POD, whose design is inspired by FLIP.”

Though retired, FLIP will live on at Scripps. One of its booms (crane-like arms for suspending instruments) will be installed on the Scripps research pier in La Jolla and used to deploy instruments. Also, artifacts from the platform will be displayed in a permanent exhibit at Scripps’ Birch Aquarium.

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