Seabees help conduct ADR research

TYNDALL AFB, Fla. – The experiment brought together Gulfport, Miss.-based Seabees from Naval Construction Group 2 and Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 1; Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 12, and Navy Expeditionary War-fighting Development Center (EXWDC) personnel to validate recently updated ADR safety training doctrine and experiment with new technologies to increase the training efficiently. Naval Postgraduate School and Georgia Tech Research Institute conducted experimentation with unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to conduct autonomous surveying, damage and unexploded ordnance detection, and mapping of the airfield. The goal of the research is to develop a total automated assessment tool utilizing swarming UAS technology to quickly collect and analyze data over a damaged runway without placing sailors in harm’s way. Exposing researchers to real-world scenarios increased their awareness of ADR. The experiment afforded EXWDC the opportunity to validate with Seabees and EOD the newly drafted Tactical Memorandum for Navy Expeditionary Rapid ADR safety training. Reducing the timeline and logistics to conduct ADR enables Distributed Maritime Operations, a central overarching operational concept, which allows fleet commanders the ability to distribute but still maneuver assets across an entire theater of operations that directly supports the National Defense Strategy. (Source: Seabee Magazine 09/10/18)