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The Leading Edge - Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Defense |
Welcome to our Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Defense
(CBRD) issue of the Leading Edge magazine.
Because of our unique CBRD expertise at Dahlgren, our work
is not limited to ships. In addition to the fleet, we apply our CBRD
experience to help the Department of Defense, the joint services,
and other government agencies in support of national needs. Our
work covers the full range of research and development, science
and technology, and testing and evaluation. From basic research
to full operational capability, you will find our scientists in the lab,
on a ship, and every place in between. Much of this work is showcased
in the following articles.
The CBR threat is real. Chemical and biological weapons have
been used in the past. Accordingly, we must guard against current
and future use. That’s our mission—to keep our Navy prepared and
safe and to provide warfighters with the tools, systems, and equipment
needed to fight and win in a CBR threatened or contaminated
environment. It’s an important mission necessary for keeping
America’s Navy number one in the world, and for helping to keep
warfighters safe from the threat of chemical and biological attacks.
The Leading Edge Volume 8 Issue 1, April 2012 (Digital Format)
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The Leading Edge - Directed Energy |
Welcome to our Directed Energy issue of the Leading Edge
magazine. This issue represents the third in a trilogy of issues
covering the truly fascinating and incredibly challenging area
of naval warfare in the operational electromagnetic environment.
In our first issue, we covered the full range of operational
and readiness implications when operating in the electromagnetic
environment. Then, in our second issue, we highlighted
the complexities and dynamics of providing relevant and effective
sensors and radars to our warfighters. Now, we focus on
directed energy and relate how the Naval Sea Systems Command
(NAVSEA) Warfare Centers, and the Naval Surface Warfare
Center, Dahlgren Division’s (NSWCDD’s), in particular,
are working on state-of-the-art directed-energy weapons capabilities
for the warfighter.
In this issue, we first look back to the early years, decades
ago, when directed-energy weapons research began. We examine
the history of directed energy, and we cover significant discoveries
and achievements made by NAVSEA Warfare Center
scientists and engineers, and others in the scientific community.
We then relate information about several of our current directed-
energy initiatives, and about how we’re working hard to
solve some of the most complex technical challenges associated
with directed-energy weapons. We highlight how others in
the Navy, such as the Naval Medical Research Unit in San Antonio,
Texas, are also conducting research into directed energy
and how our forces can better protect themselves from the
effects of directed energy. We show how directed energy can
be employed in a variety of offensive and defensive, lethal and
nonlethal situations. We explain how directed-energy weapons
work and how they can be employed in various environments
against a wide range of situations. Lastly, we look forward as we
provide technical and strategic leadership for the efficient and
effective development, acquisition, and fielding of directed-energy
systems for the warfighter.
The Leading Edge Volume 7 Issue 4 (Digital Format)
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The Leading Edge - Systems Safety |
In an era of increasingly irregular warfare and sophisticated enemy tactics, it is more important than ever that we maintain a technological edge in the engagement systems we provide to the warfighters who defend our nation’s freedom. Integral to that premise is the precept that those engagement systems be designed to fulfill their mission as reliably and efficiently as possible. Concurrent with that premise is that our engagement systems are designed and fielded such that they maintain the highest degree of safety possible for the people who use them in the conduct of their duties. Meshing these two objectives sometimes presents a set of complex obstacles. It is often the paradox of modern weapon systems that safety and reliability are at odds. The highest degree of one may preclude the highest degree of the other. Therein lies the challenge of systems safety engineering, and we at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) are meeting that challenge. System Safety engineering is devoted to meeting the needs of our men and women in uniform by providing them with weapon systems that are safe to manufacture, store, transport, field, operate and maintain while simultaneously ensuring that they maintain high reliability in their functionality. From Marine Corps infantry weapons to major naval combat systems, system safety engineering strives to ensure that those who volunteer to risk their lives in the face of enemy fire on behalf of this nation need not fear any consequence in the use of their own systems.
The Leading Edge Volume 7 Issue 3 (full version)
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The Leading Edge - Sensors |
Welcome to our Sensors issue of The Leading Edge. To engage an enemy, you first must be able to detect it. Consequently, all the firepower in the world won’t do our naval warfighters any good if they don’t know who or what to engage or where to fire. That’s what makes radars and other sensors so critically important.
Moreover, these highly technical systems are needed for much more than detecting and engaging an adversary. They are also required for things such as controlling aircraft and missiles, maritime navigation, sensing abnormalities, and tracking the weather. Without these critically important systems, a captain’s eyes and ears
would be lost at sea.
Sensor systems have come a long way since early radar that centered on basic detection of ships and aircraft for self-protection. Application
of sensor technology today spans all areas of theater. Well beyond detecting and tracking ships and submarines, sensors allow us to search for and locate mines, discern lethal environments, and track ballistic missiles. Thanks to expert analysis and engineering, sensor systems are providing accurate tracking at expanded ranges
and are being utilized for a broad spectrum of applications. The result is better protection for our men and women in uniform.
The Leading Edge Volume 7 Issue 2 (full version)
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The Leading Edge - Electromagnetic Environmental Effects |
Welcome to our E3 issue of The Leading Edge. If you are new to the world of electromagnetic environmental effects, prepare to be surprised by the spectrum of products and services that we provide to our Navy and nation.
Electromagnetic environmental effects, or E3, as it is also known, represents the impact of the electromagnetic environment upon the operational capability of military forces, equipment, systems, and platforms. It encompasses all electromagnetic disciplines, including electromagnetic compatibility and interference; electromagnetic vulnerability; electromagnetic pulse; electronic protection; hazards of electromagnetic radiation to personnel, ordnance, and volatile materials; and natural phenomena effects, such as lightning and precipitation static. Understanding and controlling E3 is essential for the protection of people, ordnance, and missions when operating electronic systems (e.g., communications, radars, weapons, sensors, etc.) in the electromagnetic environment.
The Leading Edge Volume 7 Issue 1 (full version)
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