Sarah K. Miller, NSWC Crane Corporate Communications
CRANE, Ind. – Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) hosted the 7th Joint Service Night Vision Integrated Process Team (IPT) Meeting. More than 180 people from government and industry attended the biannual event that took place on June 28 and 29 at WestGate Academy in Southern Indiana.
The Joint Service Night Vision IPT Meeting is facilitated by different organizations within the three service branches: Air Force, Army, and Navy. The goal of the meeting is to discuss developments in night vision (NV) technology and seek new ways to collaborate and partner on the continuing improvements to night vision technology; NSWC Crane is an acknowledged leader in NV technology, with over fifty years of experience in the field. The Southern Indiana laboratory facility is responsible for multi-domain, multi- spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability for NV users.
Dr. Timothy Morgan, a Scientist at NSWC Crane, assisted in organizing the event. Dr. Morgan says many new connections were made between program offices and industry stakeholders that will benefit the warfighter.
”The highlight of the event by far was the nighttime demos,” says Dr. Morgan. “More than 20 vendors showcased a multitude of different devices that educated the art of possible to government stakeholders. Being able to count the number of antlers on a buck at the back of a field from a NV scope was just amazing. The number of folks, more than 100, coming out to engage with industry all the way up until midnight just showed the enthusiasm and importance of this technology in supporting our warfighters.”
“Warfighter and mission needs are diverse,” says Dr. Morgan. “From pilots to snipers to sailors, all need night vision to accomplish a mission. Accelerating the development of new NV technology is essential to deliver this diverse capability. Collaboration across military, government, and industry is essential to accelerate this progress, which is why Crane hosted this NV IPT.
The event features government presentations and industry’s latest technology. Government attendees participated from various organizations and commands: Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Robins Air Force Base (AFB), Army Special Operations Command (ASOC), Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), and Defense Technology Security Administration (DTSA).