The Critical Role of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Safeguarding the Nation

During his recent visit to the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport, Executive Director Mike McClatchey highlighted the crucial role that the submarine platform and warfare center play in safeguarding the country. As a member of the Senior Executive Service, Program Executive Office, Undersea Warfare Systems (PEO UWS), McClatchey emphasized the significance of submarines in strategic deterrence.

McClatchey stated, “The submarine is our nation’s vanguard, and it is the most important platform to strategic deterrence. The submarine force and the undersea domain are what makes our adversaries say, ‘not today.’ All those capabilities that make the submarine a warfighting platform are within the PEO UWS portfolio.”

As the Executive Director, McClatchey is responsible for over $25 billion in acquisition, research, development, transition, and sustainment of undersea weapons, countermeasures, combat systems, artificial intelligence, training, and sensor systems. He plays a critical role in developing opportunities for undersea enterprise capabilities and cross-domain effects by integrating efforts across PEO UWS, Team Submarine, and the undersea domain portfolio.

Division Newport’s Contribution

During his visit, McClatchey engaged with Division Newport scientists, engineers, and Team Submarine members, discussing the Submarine Combat Systems Course. Division Newport operates under the Navy Working Capital Fund (NWCF) model, receiving funds from multiple sources to execute its mission without direct appropriated funding.

McClatchey highlighted Division Newport’s contributions to meeting PEO UWS’s needs, focusing on building capacity to deliver torpedoes, countermeasures, payloads, and sensors to the fleet. The organization aims to increase operational availability, reduce timelines for modernization, testing, training, and deployment, and enhance undersea dominance through resilient architecture.

Advancements in Undersea Warfare

McClatchey discussed Project Overmatch, an initiative to connect and share information across the fleet as part of the broader Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) effort. He also emphasized the modernization of the submarine warfare federated tactical system (SWFTS) and ongoing efforts in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).

Regarding torpedo technology, McClatchey noted the exponential growth in lethality due to adversarial threats, leading to increased investments in torpedo technology. He encouraged attendees to challenge assumptions and ask tough questions to drive growth and innovation within the organization.

McClatchey’s visit underscored the critical role of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in advancing undersea warfare capabilities and safeguarding the nation’s security. Through collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to excellence, the center continues to play a vital role in protecting our country’s interests in the undersea domain.