Photo By Matt Denny | Frank Kendall, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics,...... read more read more
NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER WEAPONS DIVISION CHINA LAKE, Calif. - Frank Kendall, under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, toured Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) labs and facilities at the China Lake campus as part of his acquisition warfighter outreach initiative during a visit May 12-13.
“I am impressed to see the dedication the workforce has to supporting the warfighter,” said Kendall. “I can’t believe more people haven’t seen this place. I will try to get the secretary of defense to come out to China Lake, and I think he would enjoy it as much as I have.”
Rear Adm. Mike Moran, NAWCWD commander, Scott O’Neil, NAWCWD executive director, Vice Adm. David Dunaway, commander of Naval Air Systems Command, and NAWCWD leadership explained the capabilities of both the China Lake and Point Mugu campuses during briefs and walking tours.
The tours covered a variety of locations and capabilities to include: Weapon Systems Center for Integration; Michelson Lab; Integrated Battlespace Arena; Digital Precision Strike Suite; the Advanced Weapons Laboratory; Joint Strike Fighter capabilities; Electronic Warfare capabilities; Marine Air Ground Task Force Intrepid Tiger II; the China Lake Propulsions Lab and the Carl Schaniel Energetic Materials Lab.
“It is a unique opportunity for NAWCWD to have one of our most senior leaders in the Department of Defense pay a visit and see what we do here at Weapons Division,” Moran said. “He is responsible to the secretary of defense and the president for everything that is our business; he is our boss. There is no one better positioned, no one more experienced and no person more dedicated to what we do at WD than Mr. Kendall.”
Greg Wheelock, NAWCWD’s deputy associate for energetics, briefed Kendall on the overall Weapons Miniaturization Strategic Thrust and specifically the Spike missile project. Kendall and NAWCWD leadership then observed a live-fire test, demonstrating Spike’s capability to acquire, lock on and engage a threat target - which for this exercise was a remotely controlled vehicle.
“We want to raise Mr. Kendall’s awareness of government lab capabilities by demonstrating a unique, tactically viable weapon system that is solely designed, developed and built by the government,” Wheelock said.
During the visit, Kendall recognized the Spike team’s work with an award for supporting the under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics' priorities of achieving affordable programs, improving the professionalism of acquisition workforce and protecting the future.
“The technical expertise, teamwork and flexibility displayed by each member of the Spike team to accomplish a live-fire demonstration, exemplifies the best qualities of the professional and dedicated workforce at NAWCWD,” Kendall said.
Capt. Andrew McFarland, commanding officer of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 31, took Kendall for an observation flight of China Lake’s ranges and airspace in an F/A-18F Super Hornet.
“It has been about 15 years since I have flown in that type of aircraft, and it was pretty impressive to see the tools that allow our pilots to cooperate with each other and work together,” Kendall said. “We are moving in a direction that integrates our systems much more effectively.”
Kendall spoke off base at a local technology symposium about his current standings on budgets, and what he is looking at for the future.
“Coming here has been a great opportunity to see what this community offers the Navy and the DOD,” Kendall said.
Lynne Clark, director and chief engineer of Joint Electronic Attack Compatibility, and Marine Lt. Col. Scott Vogt, military deputy for EW readiness, capabilities and programs, showed Kendall the Intrepid Tiger II, a communications jammer that provides organic capability to the Marine Corps. Clark and Vogt work in NAWCWD’s Avionics Department.
“The Marine Corps is moving away from manned aircraft to electronic warfare and unmanned aircraft,” said Vogt, who recently came to NAWCWD from the fleet. “Having Marines at Weapons Division is mission critical and adds significant value to the quality of equipment before it hits the fleet. Intrepid Tiger is an example of a system that is designed, developed and fabricated at NAWCWD Point Mugu.”
The second generation of Intrepid Tiger is based on an open architecture design that enables software/hardware reuse. It was developed under a series of rapid deployment capabilities with the government serving as the lead systems integrator; this enables the use of "best of breed" from industry partners, improving capabilities provided to the warfighter. It is based on the ability to take one system and integrate throughout multiple platforms.
“It is so important for the government to continue to have great engineers and scientists,” Kendall said. “I have seen firsthand what our engineers are doing at China Lake and NAVAIR and I want to commend you for the great work you are doing out here.”
Kendall spoke to more than 450 employees and service members in the grassy area in front of China Lake’s headquarters building about his new “Better Buying Power 3.0” plan.
“Better Buying Power 3.0 is about innovation,” Kendall said. “It’s about the products we deliver our warfighter and the efficiency at which we get technology into the hands of our warfighter. In the time I have spent here already, I am seeing a lot of good ideas that you may see reflected in some of the things we’re implementing.”
Kendall saw NAWCWD’s history during his visit to the China Lake Museum of Armament and Technology. During his tours of the labs and facilities, he saw where NAWCWD’s future is headed.
In his closing remarks, Kendall thanked NAWCWD for everything that it does.
“It was a delight to get out here and talk to some of the great workforce you have here,” Kendall said. “I really appreciate the chance to spend time with this community.”
| Date Taken: | 05.13.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 05.15.2014 12:21 |
| Story ID: | 129902 |
| Location: | CHINA LAKE NAVAL WEAPONS CENTER, CA, US |
| Hometown: | RIDGECREST, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 274 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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