NAWCAD’s Science & Tech Innovators
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) Eddie Bacharach watches a catapult launch off the flight deck of forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. (US Navy photo)
The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division recognized its leading scientific and technical innovators on April 7.
During a virtual ceremony, the 2020 Naval Innovative Science and Engineering Section 219 program awards were given out. Also honored were NAWCAD employees granted patents by the US Patent and Trademark Office for their inventions in 2019.
Disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the command from honoring those personnel last year, as had been originally planned.
This year’s ceremony was presided over by NAWCAD’s commander, RADM John Lemmon; Executive Director Leslie Taylor, and vice commander, CAPT Joseph Hornbuckle.
“In a time when our global mission is clearer than ever, it is incumbent upon us to fully understand our individual responsibilities within the bigger networks of the Navy and the Department of Defense,” said RADM Lemmon. “That recognition is what we acknowledge today — those teammates that have taken their responsibility to heart and delivered.”
NAWCAD’s NISE Section 219 Awards recognize employees for outstanding achievement of programs funded through Section 219 of the 2009 National Defense Authorization Act which authorizes funding for US naval labs and warfare centers for investment in advanced warfighter technologies and workforce capabilities.
The winners of the 2020 NAWCAD NISE Outstanding Project Award are:
Basic and Applied Research Category: “Application of Data Fusion and Machine Learning Techniques to Underwater Laser Imaging Systems”
An investigation of the utility applying machine learning techniques to process and extract information from sensors, while focusing on data collected with state-of-the-art underwater laser imaging systems under development by engineers at NAWCAD.
Technology Transition Category: “Real Time Health Monitor for Steam Catapult Low Loss Launch Valve”
A high fidelity instrumentation package that aids in real-time monitoring and prognostics of the Low Loss Launch Valve for steam catapults, leveraging a previous NISE funded effort to develop, test, and field a LLLV Health Monitoring prototype within 6 months of the project’s start.
Rapid Prototyping Collaborations Category: “Counter-UAS Rapid Prototyping”
A project consisting of an open counter-UAS architecture for rapid integration, tailoring, and transition of new counter-UAS technologies, a remote cyber countermeasure capability hosted on open architecture that detects and defeats commercial UAS, and a framework for a predictive counter-UAS modeling and simulation capability.
Revitalization & Recapitalization Category: “Ballistics Z Diagram Capability”
An innovative application to automate the execution of an aircraft flight path model to accurately characterize standard weapon employment entry, delivery, and recovery maneuvers that enables fleet and flight test easy-to-read weapons pattern and weaponeering information.
Workforce Development Strategic Growth Category: “High Resolution Video Processing”
A prototype software application that stitches multiple HD/4K cameras together in near real time enhancing speed and picture quality.
NAWCAD patents granted by the USPTO during 2019 are:
“High Performance Lubricating Compositions (NAVOIL)” (10,208,265)
An oleaginous composition rich in oil that protects small arms, weapons, and aircraft parts from rust and corrosion. The composition creates a rust resistant coating on various metals.
“Assembly for Terminating an EMF Shielded Cable Harness at an Electrical Component Port” (10,224,668)
An electrically conductive cable harness that communicates with electrical equipment. It also secures and anchors electromagnetic flux shielding cable sheaths on casings, housing and junction boxes associated with the electrical equipment.
“Impedance Tube and Sample Holder” (10,345,140)
An impedance tube that can hold and test acoustic metamaterial accurately. This allows a tester to determine the best metamaterial for use in noise specific hearing protection devices.
“Programmable SCR Firing System” (10,348,289)
A testing system that uses silicon controlled rectifiers to allow a user to apply an actual known voltage load to an electrical or electromechanical aircraft system and accurately emulate different power signatures, allowing the user to effectively test how a system behaves without testing it in flight.
“Synergistic Metal Polycarboxylate Corrosion Inhibitors” (10,351,715)
A corrosion inhibitor that has superior performance than present corrosion inhibitors. This invention also improves a metal’s corrosion resistance on various aircraft components.
This article was provided by NAVAIR News.
