Lincoln Chafee: “my amendment, which has been cleared by both sides, authorizes $8.9 million for an Undersea Weapons Systems Laboratory…”

“my amendment, which has been cleared by both sides, authorizes $8.9 million for an Undersea Weapons Systems Laboratory at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center [NUWC], headquartered in Newport, RI. For many years, NUWC has maintained a well-deserved reputation as a center of excellence in submarine technology. It was certainly no accident that during the 1991, 1993, and 1995 base closure rounds, the Navy consolidated significant personnel and functions into Newport, while establishing the site as headquarters for one of its four R&D superlabs. Unfortunately, though, NUWC's existing laboratory facilities dedicated to developing emerging technologies are badly outdated and cost-ineffective. They are housed in WWII vintage, thick walled concrete buildings not designed for controlled environments, specialized power and other modern necessities. In order to remedy this shortfall and maintain U.S. strategic advantage in emerging undersea technologies, NUWC has established a requirement for an Undersea Weapons Systems Laboratory. This facility will enable NUWC to develop and implement affordable state-of-the-art technologies, and to design and prototype futuristic small tactical undersea vehicles. It also boasts an extraordinary pay back period of 2.4 years, which will be realized through the use of multidimensional modeling and simulation laboratories to replace costly in-water testing of underwater weapons systems.”