Southern Indiana Business Report
ODON – The Crane Regional Defense Group (CRDG) hosted a Connect to Mission event Aug. 1 at WestGate Academy. The session featured Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC Crane), Crane Division’s Special Warfare & Expeditionary Systems Department.
The half-day, collaborative forum brought together nearly 175 current and prospective defense contractors representing more than 100 businesses (small, large, and
non-traditional) from 18 states. In an exercise during opening comments, attendees determined that Roger Gibson, Senior System Engineer with Flywheel Data and his colleague traveled the furthest to attend the event, coming from Washington state.
“We are excited to gain more familiarity with NAVSEA and its partners to learn what needs exist, and how we can help our technology partners leverage their solutions to fill those gaps,” said Gibson. “It was an informative event with many opportunities to network and meet some of the other industry peers from around the U.S.”
The event program guided attendees through a deep dive into the Expeditionary Department and its needs/challenges as it provides intelligent systems solutions for all domains that enhance detection, decision-making, maneuver, and kinetic and non-kinetic engagement capabilities for the Expeditionary Warfighter. ExW performs work for more than 150 funding sponsors primarily from USMC, USSOCOM, Naval Special Warfare, NAVSEA, etc.
“Connect to Mission (C2M) events provide opportunity to engage with external partners who contribute to NSWC Crane’s mission,” said Dr. Kyle Werner, deputy technical director at NSWC Crane. “Our ecosystem partners play a critical role in Crane’s ability to rapidly deliver innovative sensor and weapon system solutions to our Warfighters. Today we highlighted our Expeditionary Warfare Mission and cultivated ecosystem partnerships necessary to accelerate the development and transition of technology to our Nation’s most elite warfighters.”
The program included three interactive panel discussions, two in-depth special topics presentations on unmanned/counter-unmanned systems and rapid prototyping, multiple networking opportunities and remarks from NSWC leadership. Division managers, chief strategists and engineers, contracting officers and more covered topics from contracts that are currently being awarded, to how the divisions within the department are assisting the warfighter today, and how attendees could best position themselves to join their mission.
“NSWC Crane’s Expeditionary Warfare Department focus is the DoD’s Center for Excellence for Integration and Interoperability of Expeditionary Warfare Sensor, Weapon, Power and Energy, C2, Mobility and Effector Systems providing a full range of life cycle engineering, experimentation, assessment and testing support for the Special Operations and Expeditionary Forces,” said Dane Speer, the Expeditionary Warfare Department director. “Connect to Mission was a great event to directly connect with some of the most prominent commercial, academia and community organizations who help us fulfill this mission.”
Connect to Mission will be an ongoing series hosted by CRDG to continuously highlight an NSWC Crane department and provide insight and understanding into the needs of their mission areas, challenges and opportunities for collaboration.
“The overwhelming response to Connect to Mission events has further proven the idea that companies have a strong desire to do business in southern Indiana,” said Kent Parisien, CRDG chairman. “This enhanced collaboration channel will allow the region to aggressively expand the defense innovation ecosystem, increase our competitive advantage and accelerate delivery of solutions to the DoD warfighters.”
Next Connect to Mission
The next Connect to Mission will be held Tuesday, Nov. 7. More information and registration for this event will be available soon. To be added to future event invitations, learn more about CRDG or join as a member for exclusive benefits, visit craneregionaldefensegroup.org.