Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson (CNO) was upbeat and engaged as he paid an information-gathering visit to Space and Naval Warfare Systems Pacific (SSC Pacific) and toured its research facilities, Feb. 17.
Richardson, who described himself as “excited as a kid in candy store” to visit the Center, was welcomed by Rear Adm. David Lewis, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) commander, Pat Sullivan, SPAWAR’s executive director, and SSC Pacific’s leadership team Capt. Kurt Rothenhaus, commanding officer, and Carmela Keeney, executive director.
The admiral, accompanied by Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Michael Stevens, enthusiastically engaged with briefers, researchers and engineers, who discussed some of the Center’s more than 500 current science and technology projects, including cyber, space, cryogenic and afloat mobility efforts, as well as development efforts underway today with the goal of meeting the Center’s mission in 2030.
After a tour of facilities and technologies, some of which were on display at WEST16, the sea services convention being held at the San Diego Convention Center, Feb. 17-19, the CNO addressed an auditorium full of military and civilian scientists and researchers and thanked them for their efforts.
“I could really just spend months here,” Richardson said. “… months to just visit you and ask questions and never run out of curiosity or interesting things to talk about. And it really IS the real thing! When we talk about innovation, creativity …people just need to come here to understand what we’re thinking about.”
The CNO proceeded to stress the need for quicker, faster solutions to meeting the warfighter’s needs.
“We’ve got to fundamentally change the way we’re doing business, or we are just going to get left behind,” Richardson said. “I’ll be coming here to look for those ideas that are going to be mature and well developed enough … and just bypass some of the bureaucracy that characterizes a lot of our acquisition process today.
“I just wanted to say what a thrill it is to be here
it’s stimulating in every way — and my hat is off to each and every one of you for the terrific work you are doing.”
Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific provides the U.S. Navy and military with essential capabilities in the areas of command and control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR). SSC Pacific provides the full spectrum of C4ISR capabilities from basic research and prototype development, to extensive test and evaluation services, through systems engineering and integration, to installation and life-cycle support of fielded systems. SSC Pacific is a recognized leader in the cyber domain and autonomous unmanned systems, and is providing the technological and engineering support critical to ensuring the Navy’s information warfare superiority.