The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is the corporate research laboratory for the United States Navy and Marine Corps. It conducts basic scientific research, applied research, technological development and prototyping in fields like electronics, space systems, information technology, materials science, oceanography, chemistry, physics, and more. The NRL aims to advance fundamental science and technology to enable future naval forces and capabilities.
The Naval Research Laboratory was established in 1923 and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. It has two main campuses – one in Washington and one in Monterey, California. The NRL employs over 2,500 scientists, engineers, technicians and support staff. It has an annual budget of around $1 billion and conducts over $2 billion worth of research annually.
As the Navy’s corporate research laboratory, the NRL provides innovative science and technology solutions for naval operations. It conducts early-stage research that is often high-risk but has potential for high payoff if successful. The NRL focuses on multidisciplinary research areas important to naval needs like electronics, optics, materials science, oceanography, aeronautics, acoustics, information technology, space systems and more.
Major Research Areas
The Naval Research Laboratory has 7 main research directorates focusing on different areas of science and technology:
- Systems Directorate – Focuses on command, control and communication systems, electronic warfare, cyber operations, information operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems.
- Materials Science and Component Technology Directorate – Conducts research on materials like polymers, ceramics, nanostructured materials. Also focuses on chemistry, corrosion science, lubrication, surface science, battery technology, fuel cells, sensors, microelectronics, optics and more.
- Ocean and Atmospheric Science and Technology Directorate – Studies oceanography, meteorology, climate modeling, global environmental change, marine geoscience and other ocean and atmospheric sciences.
- Naval Center for Space Technology – Focuses on space systems research including space science, surveillance, communications, navigation, environmental remote sensing and more.
- Laboratory for Computational Physics and Fluid Dynamics – Specializes in computational physics, plasma physics, fluid dynamics, acoustics, electromagnetic propagation, and other physics research.
- Plasma Physics Division – Conducts research on plasma physics, electromagnetics, pulsed power sources, directed energy technology, laser-matter interactions and more.
- Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering – Studies molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, biotechnology and bioinformatics with naval applications.
Major Research Facilities
The Naval Research Laboratory has numerous specialized research facilities and equipment to support its R&D work. Some examples include:
- Supercomputer facilities with advanced computing power for complex modeling, simulation and big data analysis.
- State-of-the-art cleanrooms for microelectronics fabrication and nanotechnology research.
- Materials engineering labs with electron microscopes, x-ray diffractometers, thermal analysis tools, casting equipment and more.
- Shock physics facilities like gas guns, pulsed power generators and high-speed diagnostics for studying materials under extreme conditions.
- Ocean science facilities with tow tanks, wave tanks, high-speed water tunnels, sediment laboratories, marine corrosion facilities and more.
- Space chambers that simulate conditions in space, including thermal-vacuum chambers, vibration test facilities and anechoic chambers.
- Radars, sensors, aerial drone laboratories, satellites, aircraft, ships, radio towers and other assets for field research.
The NRL also has partnerships with academic institutions and industry that provide additional facilities and resources for collaborative research when needed.
Notable NRL Innovations
Since its founding in 1923, scientists and engineers at the Naval Research Laboratory have made many groundbreaking discoveries and innovations, including:
- Developed the first U.S. radar systems in the 1930s.
- Invented the first modern U.S. sonar systems in the 1940s.
- Created the first U.S. satellite in 1958 – Vanguard 1.
- Developed the first successful radio astronomy systems in the 1960s.
- Demonstrated the first modern semiconductor laser diodes in 1962.
- Pioneered early satellite navigation systems like Timation and Transit.
- Developed GPS time synchronization technology still used today.
- Created the first atomic clocks accurate to one second in several thousand years.
- Developed synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging techniques for airborne and space radar.
- Pioneered early weather satellites, global weather models and El Nino forecasting.
- Developed 2D and 3D radar imaging technologies used in modern radar systems.
- Created the first electromagnetic railgun prototype demonstrator in the 2000s.
In addition to these historic advances, NRL scientists continue making cutting-edge technological breakthroughs today that end up transferred to naval operations, industry and broader society over time.
Technology Transition
A key part of the NRL’s mission is transitioning early-stage research and technologies to naval applications and systems. Different mechanisms facilitate this transition process:
- Direct transition to naval platforms – NRL technologies are directly integrated into Navy and Marine Corps ships, aircraft, submarines, spacecraft, weapon systems and information systems.
- Partnerships with industry – NRL licenses intellectual property and forms partnerships with companies to commercialize technologies.
- Coordination with Naval SYSCOMS – NRL coordinates with Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Air Systems Command, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command and other SYSCOMS.
- Personnel exchange – NRL personnel temporarily work in industry and naval commands, facilitating tech transfer.
- Scientific publications – NRL research is published in journals, shared at conferences, and communicated to the broader scientific community.
Historically, most military technologies like radar, GPS, satellite communications, anti-submarine warfare systems, missile guidance systems and more can trace their roots back to early-stage NRL research.
Partnerships and Collaborations
The Naval Research Laboratory pursues extensive partnerships and collaborative research projects with other organizations, including:
- Other military R&D laboratories like the Army Research Lab, Air Force Research Lab, DARPA, etc.
- Academic institutions – research partnerships with top universities in areas of naval relevance.
- Companies like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, General Dynamics, BAE Systems, and more – cooperative R&D agreements (CRADAs).
- Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) like MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Aerospace Corporation, and Institute for Defense Analyses.
- Other government agencies like NASA, NOAA, DOE national labs, NIST, and more.
- International partners from allied nations – cooperative research on topics of mutual interest.
These partnerships allow the NRL to tackle large-scale, cross-disciplinary research projects by combining capabilities, expertise, facilities and resources.
Organization and Leadership
The Naval Research Laboratory is a field command of the Naval Research & Development Establishment headquartered in Washington D.C. It is currently led by:
- Commanding Officer – Capt. Eric Ver Hage, USN
- Director of Research – Dr. Scott Littlefield
- 7 Research Directorates led by senior scientists and engineers.
The NRL falls under the administrative control of the Office of Naval Research (ONR). ONR is responsible for Navy and Marine Corps S&T funding decisions and NRL project sponsors. However, the NRL has wide latitude over choosing research areas to pursue based on naval needs and scientific opportunities.
Career Opportunities
The Naval Research Laboratory employs over 2,500 personnel including:
- About 1,500 scientists and engineers including physicists, chemists, oceanographers, mathematicians, materials scientists, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, optical engineers, computer scientists, space systems experts, and more.
- About 1,000 technical support personnel like electronics technicians, machinists, computer technicians, model makers, precision instrument makers, and more.
- Roughly 50% civilian personnel and 50% active duty military personnel on rotations.
The NRL provides excellent career opportunities to work at the cutting edge of science and technology to tackle naval challenges. Civilian positions are filled through a competitive recruitment process. Military officers apply through their assignment branches. The NRL looks for top talent and provides world-class facilities, rewarding work, opportunities for advancement, and competitive federal government benefits.
Research Funding
The Naval Research Laboratory has a budget of around $1 billion per year to fund its R&D projects and operations. Major sources include:
- Office of Naval Research (ONR)
- Naval Systems Commands (NAVSEA, NAVAIR, NAVWAR, etc.)
- Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
- Naval Space Command
- Department of Energy
- National Reconnaissance Office
- Other parts of the Department of Defense (Army, Air Force, MDA, etc.)
- Intelligence community agencies
- National labs like Los Alamos and Sandia
- Other government agencies like NASA, NOAA, NSF, etc.
The NRL competes for project funding based on naval S&T priorities. Researchers submit proposals that go through a peer review process to get selected for funding. The flexible funding model allows the pursuit of innovative high-risk, high-payoff research.
NRL Culture
The Naval Research Laboratory has a culture focused on excellence, innovation, honor, and service. Key aspects include:
- Cutting-edge research – Pursuit of high-impact fundamental research advancements.
- Technology transition – Commitment to transitioning research to applications.
- Interdisciplinarity – Bringing together expertise across scientific fields to solve problems.
- High caliber staff – Recruiting top talent from academia, industry and government.
- Flexibility and creativity – Scientific freedom to explore new ideas.
- Collaboration – Teamwork and partnerships across organizations.
- Honor and integrity – Maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards.
- National service – Dedication to serving the country through naval S&T.
This culture supports the NRL’s mission of advancing naval science and delivering innovative solutions for the Navy/Marine Corps team.
Conclusion
For over 100 years, the Naval Research Laboratory has served a vital role as the Navy and Marine Corps corporate research laboratory. It conducts a broad spectrum of basic and applied research to enable naval forces and capabilities. The NRL is home to world-class facilities, experts and programs pursuing early-stage discoveries. Many revolutionary technologies tracing back to NRL breakthroughs have transitioned to enable dominant U.S. naval power and benefit society overall. As the strategic maritime environment evolves, the NRL will continue its leadership in naval S&T to give American forces decisive technological advantages.