NUWC Newport to Dedicate new Sensor Facility

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport will dedicate a new $24.3 million Electromagnetic Sensor Facility with a ribbon cutting this morning. 

U.S. Senator Jack Reed and U.S. Congressman David Cicilline are expected to attend. 

The 54,000 square foot facility, under construction since groundbreaking in October, 2011, includes six laboratories and a five-story periscope tower designed to repair and certify periscopes, submarine communications systems, electronic warfare equipment, and imaging/optical systems. The new building provides space for both personnel and equipment for prototyping, acquisition and production support, as well as in-service engineering and test functions. 

The building replaces a facility on Naval Station Newport’s Pier Two, which is scheduled for removal. The new building is NUWC Newport’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified building designed to achieve LEED-New Construction Gold Certification.

The general contractor for the project is the Suffolk Construction Company of Boston, Mass..

NUWC Newport is one of two divisions of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center. NUWC Newport’s mission is to provide research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support for submarines, autonomous underwater systems, undersea offensive and defensive weapons systems, and countermeasures.