NUWC Division Newport hosts Australian ambassador, US Sen. Jack Reed for tours, discussions on Oct. 16

NUWC Division Newport hosts Australian ambassador, US Sen. Jack Reed for tours, discussions on Oct. 16

By NUWC Division Newport Public Affairs

NEWPORT, R.I. -

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport welcomed the Hon. Dr. Kevin Rudd, Australia's ambassador to the United States, and U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), for tours and briefings on Oct. 16 as part of the warfare center's continuing support of AUKUS, a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the U.S.

"Thank you for the work you do here. It's part of my revolving education as the ambassador to see all these different elements. It's an impressive ecosystem you've developed over the many years, particularly in undersea warfare," Rudd said. "Thank you for your professionalism and engagement with us. In Australia, we're proud of our submarine history as a country and government, going back to the diesel subs we ran in the First World War.

"This is a century-long tradition for us, and it is becoming increasingly serious that the undersea warfare capabilities our allies provide help maintain an overwhelming advantage."

The visit opened with an overview of Division Newport's efforts, as well as discussions with warfare center leadership and department heads. This included Dr. Martin Irvine Jr., NUWC/Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Executive Director, Division Newport Technical Director Marie Bussiere, and Commanding Officer Capt. Chad Hennings.

"The AUKUS partnership between the U.S., United Kingdom and Australia offers a unique opportunity for our nations to enhance military capabilities, deepen interoperability and strengthen deterrence in the Indo-Pacific," Hennings said. "Division Newport is committed to supporting AUKUS, as well as the U.S. Navy mission of promoting prosperity and security, deterring aggression and protecting the American way of life."

After brief introductions, Irvine opened the discussions by describing the NSWC/NUWC structure. With eight surface warfare and two undersea warfare sites across the U.S., the warfare centers supply the technical operations, people, technology, engineering services and products needed to meet the warfighters' needs. The warfare centers are the Navy's principal research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) assessment activities for surface ship and submarine systems and subsystems.

"Our real role is making our Navy programs successful. Bringing science to the warfighter is our personal mission," Irvine said. "It's about safety and effectiveness. We want our warfighters to be lethal, but we also want them to be safe."

Hennings and Bussiere followed with a description of Division Newport's organizational structure and capability thrusts. This included briefings on partnerships with industry and academia, educational outreach, heavyweight torpedo improvements and combat system modernization.

"The underwater domain is a key frontier in modern military strategy," Reed said. "Our adversaries recognize this and are rapidly expanding their capabilities, developing sophisticated submarines, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and advanced weapons systems. Success in undersea warfare also translates to securing trade in the maritime commons, where 90% of global commerce transits. As a result, maintaining our edge in undersea warfare is essential to safeguarding global stability, securing lines of commerce and points of critical infrastructure, and protecting U.S. interests at home and abroad."

Rudd and Reed also toured Division Newport's Platform and Payload Integration Facility, a world-class national asset that maintains a system test capability not found anywhere else in the Navy's land-based facilities.

Here, to-scale submarine land-based testing equipment allow Division Newport engineers and scientists to evaluate the performance of existing and developmental weapons systems on-site.

"The payloads that a submarine carries are a critical part of its mission," Bussiere said. "We are applying our system expertise, facilities and everything we've learned to ensure we're bringing those capabilities and new technologies to meet the demands of our warfighters and strategic partners."

The AUKUS trilateral partnership is a strategic endeavor aimed at strengthening the security and defense capabilities of each partner nation. More information on AUKUS is available here.

"Australia and the United States are steadfast allies, and through AUKUS, we are not only enhancing our national defense, but also creating economic opportunities for our citizens," Reed said.

"Investing in undersea warfare is not just about preparing for conflict - it's about deterring it. By ensuring that our submarines, unmanned systems and other undersea technologies remain the best in the world, we send a clear message: the United States will defend its interests at sea, above and below the waterline."

The AUKUS partnership has two pillars. The first is to enable Australia's acquisition of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability as rapidly as possible, most likely in the early 2030s.

Areas of focus within the Pillar II Advanced Capabilities line of effort include artificial intelligence and autonomy, quantum, cyber, hypersonics/counter-hypersonics and electronic warfare.

Also, as part of Pillar II, the U.S., Australia and U.K. have committed to reducing export control restrictions to facilitate secure trade among AUKUS partners, including the sale of U.S. Virginia-class submarines to Australia.

"From submarines to autonomous systems, AUKUS is helping deliver the advanced capabilities needed to maintain regional security," Rudd said. "AUKUS is securing a free and open Indo-Pacific for future generations. This historic partnership with the U.K. and U.S. is driving innovation, creating jobs and enhancing regional security."

Rudd began his post in Washington in 2023. He previously served as Australia's 26th prime minister from 2007-10, then as minister for Foreign Affairs, before a second term as prime minister in 2013. He served as a member of the House of Representatives for Griffith, Queensland, in the Australian parliament from 1998 to 2013.

Since leaving elected office, Rudd has resided in the U.S., where he is recognized as a leading analyst of China. More information on Rudd is available here.

Reed, who was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996, serves as chair of the Armed Services Committee. He also is a member of the committees on Appropriations; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; and Intelligence. More information on Reed is available here.

NUWC Newport is the oldest warfare center in the country, tracing its heritage to the Naval Torpedo Station established on Goat Island in Newport Harbor in 1869. Commanded by Capt. Chad Hennings, NUWC Newport maintains major detachments in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Andros Island in the Bahamas, as well as test facilities at Seneca Lake and Fisher's Island, New York, Leesburg, Florida, and Dodge Pond, Connecticut.

Join our team! NUWC Division Newport, one of the 20 largest employers in Rhode Island, employs a diverse, highly trained, educated, and skilled workforce. We are continuously looking for engineers, scientists, and other STEM professionals, as well as talented business, finance, logistics and other support experts who wish to be at the forefront of undersea research and development. Please connect with NUWC Division Newport Recruiting at this site- https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NUWC-Newport/Career-Opportunities/ and follow us on LinkedIn @NUWC-Newport and on Facebook @NUWCNewport.