Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division’s (NSWC Crane) NavalX Midwest Tech Bridge (MTB) supported the first-ever Hypersonics Innovation Conference with Strategic Systems Programs (SSP), which is developing the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missile. The purpose of the conference was to emphasize the pressing need to advance U.S. hypersonic technologies and leverage these technologies to achieve U.S. national security goals.-

 “This event came at a critical time for our country. The message throughout the conference was clear: The hypersonics community must come together and be innovative in our approach to developing advanced systems,” said Sarah Armstrong, Director of the Joint Hypersonics Transition Office Systems Engineering Field Activity. “Across the board, we must be open to new partnerships, new methods, and new ideas. It was truly inspiring to be in a room with such energy and focus on a single goal.”

The NavalX Midwest Tech Bridge works with partners to foster collaboration among universities, industry, small businesses and non-profits to accelerate technology to the warfighter in areas including trusted microelectronics, hypersonics, and electro-optics.  SSP is responsible for executing CPS program which is focused on hypersonic missile prototyping for sea-based launch platform integration by the mid-2020s.

“Working in partnership with SSP, the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Defense Strategies Institute (DSI), National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL), Indiana Innovation Institute (IN3) and other ecosystem partners to create this inaugural event was an honor,” said MTB Director Anne Fields. “Supporting an event of this magnitude that connected essential ecosystem players and continued the advancement of hypersonic capabilities to ensure global security is the heart and soul of what the NavalX Midwest Tech Bridge was made to do.” 

The three-day event was a town-hall style forum with attendees from government, military, industry, industry and academia. Panels explored emerging technological advancements, standards, and technical requirements needed to overcome to capitalize on the expanding role of hypersonic weapons within the global security environment.

“It was great to get everyone together to talk about some of the Navy’s toughest technical challenges when it comes to the fielding and deployment of hypersonic missile technology,” said NSWC Crane Technical Director Dr. Angie Lewis, SES. “It has been wonderful to have our employees back together in person having tough conversations with academia, industry and nontraditional partners. We are using this time to look for opportunities to accelerate development, and most importantly, the deployment of hypersonic technology into the hands of Warfighters.”

NSWC Crane is a hub for hypersonics innovation and collaboration. In 2021, The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) established JHTO SEFA at NSWC Crane in order to leverage the growing capabilities in hypersonics technologies of government, industry, and academic partners, including Indiana’s three Tier 1 research universities.

“The Hypersonics Innovation Conference represents some of the nation’s top talent convened to solve one of our Nation’s toughest challenges,” said Jarad King, NSWC Crane’s acting Director of Engagement.  “NSWC Crane is proud, along with a vibrant innovation ecosystem, to provide national leadership and technical stewardship of the Hypersonics mission.”

About NSWC Crane NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with mission areas in Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions and Electronic Warfare. The warfare center is responsible for multi-domain, multi- spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today’s Warfighter.

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