PROVIDENCE, R.I. (July 26, 2010) Vice Commander of Naval Sea Systems Command Rear Adm. David H. Lewis delivers the keynote address during the National Conference of Standards Laboratories International 2010 Workshop and Symposium. Rear Adm. Lewis emphasized how innovative ideas in measurement science have helped the Navy manage and maintain its complex and sophisticated ships and weapons systems. U.S. Navy photo by Greg Vojtko

Navy showcases top-ranking patent portfolio
7/27/2010
by Troy Clarke
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Corona, Public Affairs
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (NNS) -- The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) vice commander delivered a keynote address to the National Conference of Standards Laboratories International July 26 to highlight how the U.S. Navy uses innovative technology to build, manage and maintain sophisticated ships and weapons systems.

The Navy ranked No. 1 in the world for newly patented discoveries and inventions in the 2010 Patent Power report published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) – the world's largest professional association dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence.
Keeping with the conference theme, 21st century innovations in metrology, NAVSEA Vice Commander Rear Adm. David H. Lewis emphasized how new, Navy-patented ideas in measurement science have helped save the Navy millions and significantly increased technical capability.

"The Navy is leading the world in patents for innovation and has the strongest government patent portfolio in the world," said Lewis. "And NAVSEA's warfare centers account for nearly half of the Navy's patents. If the warfare centers were evaluated separately, they alone would rank with the best in the world."

He told the audience of more than 600 government and industry professionals that the Navy's entire strategy relies on innovation to improve capability and reduce costs.

Lewis used NAVSEA's Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Corona, the Navy's metrology and calibration (METCAL) agent responsible for setting all measurement and calibration standards for the Navy and Marine Corps, as a key example of how the maritime service is improving measurement and calibration standards while saving millions in ownership costs for the Navy.

Using an example from his tour as assistant chief of staff, maintenance and engineering, Commander Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, in San Diego, the admiral said he contacted NSWC Corona for assistance in developing a system to address calibration problems with new ships. In less than a year, the warfare center delivered a prototype of a new system, called the METBENCH Calibration Management System (MCMS).

NSWC Corona later received patents in seven areas of innovation for the MCMS program, which will save the Navy more than $65 million by fiscal year 2017. Deploying in July 2007, MCMS is already installed on 141 surface ships and is nearing final operational capability at 146 warships. In addition, Lewis said the Navy will realize even more savings as additional METCAL processes get added to MCMS, such as weight standards.

METBENCH seamlessly integrates more than 120 automated calibration procedures for 400 items across 400 shipboard and shore-based calibration labs and facilities. This significantly increases calibration efficiency and improves equipment availability for the Navy's 1.85 million pieces of test equipment needed to conduct about 800,000 calibrations per year.

NSWC Corona's approach to shipboard calibration fully utilizes the Navy's distance support architecture to best support the fleet, and MCMS makes these tasks as easy and transparent to the Sailor as possible, another key point Lewis cited.

Lewis also highlighted other examples from the METCAL Research and Development Program where Corona has led in new and improved support, citing new corrosion photometric standards, night vision calibration, and counter-IED detection standards.

This level of innovation comes as no surprise to NAVSEA's Naval Surface Warfare Center commander, who said his team is just working hard to develop the best for the Navy.

"We have a very spirited and innovative workforce—the real intellectual capital of the Navy," said NSWC Commander Rear Adm. Jim Shannon. "They're out there doing their best every day, not just for the navy of today, but by building the Navy of tomorrow."

Lewis, who's been tapped to head the Navy's Program Executive Office Ships, agrees.

"MCMS is a great system," Lewis said. "It all comes back to [working] for the warfighter."

NAVSEA Warfare Centers are the Navy's principal research, development, test and evaluation, analysis and assessment activities for ship and submarine platform and machinery technology for surface combat systems, ordnance, mines, and strategic systems products and support. First established in 1992, eight NSWC divisions and two Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) divisions comprised of approximately 19,000 scientists, engineers, technician and support personnel provide full spectrum fleet support to the Navy and Marine Corps warfighters.

NSWC Corona is the Navy's newest federal lab and serves as the Navy's independent assessment agent. The command is responsible for gauging the warfighting capability of weapons and integrated combat systems, through assessment of systems' performance, readiness, quality, supportability, and the adequacy of training. The base is home to three premiere national laboratories and assessment centers: the Joint Warfare Assessment Lab; the Measurement Science and Technology Lab; and the new $12 million Daugherty Memorial Assessment Center, dedicated to fallen Sailor Petty Officer 1st Class Steven P. Daugherty.