At Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC), the environmental security department offers a variety services, including scientific and technology support in environmental compliance, environmental restoration, sustainability and climate change for the Department of Defense.
One of the department’s most niche programs is the Living Marine Resources Program—also known as the LMR program. Sponsored by the Chief of Naval Operations, the LMR program funds research to improve the Navy’s understanding of how Navy activities may affect marine life, mainly, research focusing on potential effects from Navy activities that use sonar or explosives.
In order to defend the nation against threats and prepare Sailors for mission readiness, the Navy must conduct training and testing activities at sea. In doing so, the Navy must comply with environmental laws and be a responsible steward of the seas.
To meet these multiple goals, the Navy conducts research to learn more about potential effects to marine life, and to determine the best approaches to ensure environmental compliance. A current topic of research involves studying the acoustic shock wave propagation resulting from a full ship shock trial.
On June 18, the Navy began a full ship shock trial of the new Navy aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). For several decades the U.S. Navy has conducted shock trials (a series of underwater detonations at various distances from the ship, each that sends a shock wave through the ship’s hull to simulate near misses during combat), most recently for the Littoral Combat Ships USS Jackson (LCS-6) and USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) in 2016; as well as for the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19) in 2008, the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) in 1990, and the guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG-53) in 1987. The last aircraft carrier to execute the test was USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) in 1987.
During the shock trial, the Navy collects data on the acoustic shock wave effects on the ship and the equipment. However, data is also needed on acoustic shock wave propagation from the detonations through the surrounding marine environment. In order to collect this data, the LMR program funded a team of scientists to deploy acoustic recording equipment prior to the full ship shock trial and to retrieve the equipment a few weeks after the final detonation. This data will be used by the Navy to validate the data used within the Navy Acoustic Effects Model, with the end goal of ensuring the Navy’s estimate of acoustic impacts from explosive sources are as accurate as possible.
Following the CVN 78 shock trial, the research team will review the data and document observations of acoustical behavior changes by surrounding marine mammals.
The CVN 78 shock trials are just one of several facets of research funded by the LMR program. Depending on identifiable Navy priorities, research commonly conducted by the LMR program falls within five investment areas, which include data to support risk threshold criteria, data processing and analysis tools, monitoring technology demonstrations, standard and metrics, and emergent topics. Projects funded under these five categories are all related to supporting the Navy’s ability to obtain environmental compliance and conduct uninterrupted training and testing—which preserve core Navy readiness capabilities.
LMR-funded projects are conducted by experts around the world, namely at universities, non-profit organizations, private companies and government research labs. Annually, the LMR Program issues a request for proposals to address specific research needs. Following a careful review and selection process, qualified researchers receive funding to begin their work, with results made available in final technical reports and peer-review publications.
About Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC):
NAVFAC EXWC is a command of more than 1,300 dedicated federal employees, contractors, and military personnel who provide science, research, development, testing, evaluation, specialized engineering, and mobile logistics capabilities to deliver sustainable facility and pragmatic expeditionary solutions to the warfighter.
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For more news from NAVFAC EXWC, please visit https://www.navfac.navy.mil/ or visit us on Facebook @NAVFACEXWC
| Date Taken: | 06.30.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 06.30.2021 12:27 |
| Story ID: | 400083 |
| Location: | PORT HUENEME, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 255 |
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