NAVAL COASTAL SYSTEMS LABORATORY' A UNIQUE IN—SITU TEST AND EVALUATION SITE

Abstract

ABSTRACTTest and Evaluation have become paramount in today's Department of Defense acquisition process. Therefore, the U. S. Navy requires both private and public facilities to accomplish the final goals of the “Fly before Buy” concept. Such a facility exists at the Naval Coastal Systems Laboratory (NCSL); an integral part of the Chief of Naval Material's, Director of Navy Laboratories organization. This paper briefly addresses the Laboratory, its mission, and its history. This is followed by an in—depth facilities overview in order to create an understanding of the slow but steady evolution of NCSL's unique fixed facilities. These facilities, when coupled to the local natural environment, provide a unique in situ test and evaluation capability which is unequalled in the United States for assessing seagoing coastal systems. Of prime consideration is the Range Date Acquisition Center (RADAC) and Its ancillary subsystems for tracking, environmental monitoring, communications, and post run analysis. The paper is concluded with a discussion of both past and present use of the aforementioned facilities with an emphasis on user acceptance and future potential growth.