Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division, Virginia Beach Detachment

Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division, Virginia Beach Detachment (NSWC PHD VAB DET) is the East-Coast detachment of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD).

The Virginia Beach Detachment was established to support the Port Hueneme Division’s mission to provide test and evaluation, in-service engineering, and integrated logistics support for:

• Surveillance radar systems
• System interface
• Radar design improvement

Responsibilities

• In-Service Engineering services for surveillance radar systems
• Specification Development
• Performance Assessments
• System Fleet Introduction
• Reliability Analysis
• System Modification
• Radar Design Improvement
• Engineering Change Proposals
• Field Change Development
• Fleet Installation and Testing
• Integrated Logistic Support products
• Technical Manuals
• Operator Manuals
• Configuration Management
• Supply Support
• Preventative Maintenance Procedures
• Training Curriculum Development
• Computer Programming Services
• Performance Specifications
• Performance/Acceptance Testing
• Software Correction and Delivery
• Fleet Integration and Testing
• Data Analysis
• Foreign Military Sales
• System Introduction/Integration
• Follow-on Engineering/Logistics support

The detachment also maintains a land-based engineering and test facility complete with 11 air and surface search radar systems that support engineering development, logistics product development, and live radar testing. In support of the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) system, the detachment also maintains the two east coast relay towers at Eastville, VA and Reedville, VA as well as mobile joint interoperability test equipment (5 HMMWV’s and one mobile tower). On a daily basis, the Virginia Beach Detachment provides remote troubleshooting assistance and onboard direct fleet support for every U.S. Navy ship and numerous foreign navy customers.^[1]

Most of the people at the Virginia Beach Detachment work in the Surveillance Radar Division, however, the detachment is also home to representatives from other departments, including:

• Guns
• Land and Sea Test
• Surface Combatants
• Land Attack
• Underway Replenishment

History

The Surveillance Radar Division has provided In-Service Engineering for surveillance radars since 1963, when it was established as part of Electronics Maintenance Engineering Center (EMEC) at Norfolk Naval Base. EMEC moved to commercial facilities off of the naval base in 1968 and experienced several name changes, but was last known as Naval Sea Combat System Engineering Station.

In response to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) actions in 1992, the Navy established the warfare centers. With the establishment of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, the Surveillance Radar Division was realigned with the Port Hueneme Division as part of the Terrier Department. On July 17, 1993, the Division moved from Norfolk, Virginia, to the Dam Neck Annex of NAS Oceana where it resides today. NSWC PHD VAB DET's official status as a detachment was assigned on September 20, 2001, and they were designated the Virginia Beach Detachment of the Port Hueneme Division.

Today, the Detachment is home to over nearly 100 Port Hueneme Division civil service employees. The In-Service Engineering Agent (ISEA) radar laboratory at Dam Neck consists of 11 radar system installations where engineers and technicians perform In-Service Engineering functions for the fleet and for the Surveillance Radar Program Office, Program Executive Office, Integrated Warfare Systems 2.0 (PEO IWS 2.0).^[2]

References