ASNE Holds Luncheon to Discuss Technology Transition

The American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE), Southern Indiana Section, hosted a luncheon at NSWC Crane Division Club Lakeview on April 22.  The purpose of the luncheon was for members to learn about and discuss Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) funding opportunities to transition new technology to the fleet.

Mr. Ian Mutnick from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Technology Transition Division gave an overview of the program and talked about lessons learned from past technology transition projects independent of funding sources. 

He talked about three main areas within the ONR Office of Transition – Rapid Technology Transition (RTT); Technology Insertion Program Savings (TIPS); and Rapid Development and Deployment (RDD)

“The mission of the RTT program is to rapidly transition technology to meet emergent Naval needs,” said Mutnick.  RTT is designed to increase the rate that new, innovative, and potentially disruptive technologies are inserted into Department of the Navy (DoN) acquisition programs and into the hands of the Warfighter.

The TIPS program works to increase the rate that new cutting edge technologies are inserted into DoN acquisition programs in order to significantly reduce operations and maintenance support costs.

“This program is structured to rapidly transition commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) technology into DoN programs of record,” said Mutnick.  “TIPS provides funding for a rapid start, bridging the gap until the program of record can fund the completion of the technology insertion.”

Finally, Mutnick explained that the Rapid Development and Deployment (RDD) Program provides an environment and process for rapid development and fielding of prototype solutions to meet urgent needs in the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT).

At the end of the luncheon, Brad Secrest, Southern Indiana Section Chair, presented Mutnick and Mr. Smolinski with a token of appreciation from the Section.