Deputy Defense Secretary talks defense innovation during New England swing

Cheryl Pellerin, DoD News/OfficialWire.com,
12 May 2015

WASHINGTON – During a two-day domestic trip to Maine, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work spoke with military, academic and industry officials, troops and students about defense innovation and regional security.
The trip began yesterday at the U.S. Naval War College and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, Rhode Island.
The college, on Coaster Harbor Island in Narragansett Bay, has several missions. These include developing strategic and operational leaders, helping the chief of naval operations define the future Navy, strengthening maritime security cooperation and supporting combat readiness.
While he was there, Work visited the Halsey Alpha Research Group and China Maritime Studies Institute and met with students.

China Maritime Studies Institute

Halsey Alpha is a student-faculty research effort that uses military operations analysis and free-play war gaming to examine high-intensity conventional warfare.
The China Maritime Studies Institute increases knowledge and understanding of the maritime dimensions of China’s rise.
Discussions there focused on the Defense Innovation Initiative, a departmentwide effort to sustain and advance regional security and the nation’s military dominance for the 21st century.

Navy Research

At the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Work visited the Navy’s full-spectrum research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support center.
The center supports submarines, autonomous underwater systems and offensive and defensive weapon systems associated with undersea warfare and related areas of homeland security and national defense.
At the center he also received briefings about capabilities and innovation, including unmanned systems, torpedoes and electronic warfare.

Applying Technology to National Security Activities

The next day Work visited Boston, Massachusetts, and Bath, Maine.
In Lexington, near Boston, Work visited the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory, a federally funded research and development center, to see firsthand ongoing efforts to apply advanced technology to national security activities.
R&D there focuses on long-term technology development and rapid system prototyping and demonstration. The lab works with industry to transition new concepts and technology for system development and deployment.
At Lincoln Lab, Work received updates on R&D focused on long-term technology development and rapid system prototyping and demonstration.

Speaking to Sailors

Afterward, Work traveled to Bath, Maine, to speak with sailors aboard the USS Zumwalt, a guided-missile destroyer with stealth capabilities built at Bath Iron Works. During his visit, the deputy secretary received briefings on technology, capabilities and design.
At each location, Work met with service members and civilians to express his appreciation and that of Defense Secretary Ash Carter for their commitment and service.