NUWC Division Newport engineer presented Meritorious Civilian Service Award

Photo By Richard Allen | Lena Dagher, an engineer in the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport’s Sensors and Sonar Systems Department, was recently awarded the Department of the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award for meritorious contributions that are of high value or benefit to the Navy.  

NEWPORT, RI, UNITED STATES

09.27.2019

Story by Public Affairs Office 

Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport

NEWPORT, R.I. — Lena Dagher, an engineer in the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport’s Sensors and Sonar Systems Department, has been awarded the Department of the Navy (DON) Meritorious Civilian Service Award for meritorious contributions that are of high value or benefit to the Navy.

Rear Adm. Douglas W. Small, Program Executive Officer, Undersea Systems Program Office (Integrated Warfare Systems (IWS 5.0)), Naval Sea Systems Command, presented the award, which is the third highest honor bestowed on civilians by the DON.

Dagher is a Newport, Rhode Island, resident. Her citation reads:

“For meritorious service as the Advanced Capability Build chief engineer, Undersea Systems Program Office, IWS 5.0. Providing exceptional leadership and technical expertise for the AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 Surface Air Ship Anti-Submarine Warfare Combat System and Next-Generation Surface Search Radar coordination efforts from July 2018 through May 2019.”

Dagher served as assistant program manager, Advanced Capability Build chief engineer, from July 2018 to May 2019 in the Undersea Systems Program Office (IWS 5.0). During this time, she displayed “superior leadership, technical expertise and tenacity in the execution of her duties, directly leading to improvement of the fleet’s foremost anti-submarine warfare system.

“Her unique professional history enabled greater communication and increased understanding between her development team and the installation and test communities,” the award states. “Because of her efforts, the entire software development process behind AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 is prepared to make the transition to a modern structure, which will allow for faster capability delivery to Sailors in the fleet. She eagerly sought the hardest problems facing IWS 5.0 and met them head-on, including providing a Plan of Action and Milestones for the Compile-to-Combat in 24 Hours directive, and delivery direction and guidance to developers to raise the level of classification handling to ensure greater protection and assured superiority at sea.”

NUWC Newport is a shore command of the U.S. Navy within the Naval Sea Systems Command, which engineers, builds and supports America’s fleet of ships and combat systems. NUWC Newport provides research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, undersea offensive and defensive weapons systems, and countermeasures associated with undersea warfare. Currently celebrating its 150th anniversary, NUWC Newport is the oldest warfare center in the country, tracing its heritage to the Naval Torpedo Station established on Goat Island in Newport Harbor in 1869. Commanded by Captain Michael Coughlin, NUWC Newport maintains major detachments in West Palm Beach, Fla., and Andros Island in the Bahamas, as well as test facilities at Seneca Lake and Fisher's Island, N.Y., Leesburg, Fla., and Dodge Pond, Conn.

• Date Taken: 09.27.2019
• Date Posted: 09.27.2019 13:14
• Story ID: 344168
• Location: NEWPORT, RI, US