15. PMS-EOD DEPUTY DIRECTOR MR. PAUL MILCETIC PMS-EOD-B DIRECTOR CAPT R.J. KISER PMS-EOD SECRETARY MS. Sheila Hancock PMS-EOD-S BUDGET ANALYST MS. Debbie Strickland PMS-EOD-F JOINT SERVICE EOD PROGRAM MANAGER MR. PAUL MILCETIC PMS-EOD-1 ILS MANAGER MR. PAT SHERRIF PMS-EOD-L UNDERWATER EOD PROGRAM MANAGER LCDR DAVE LESKO PMS-EOD-2 U/W EOD PROJECT OFFICER LT(N) TIM FLATH PMS-EOD-21 (CDN) U/W EOD IN-SERVICE SPECIALIST MR. DON ROBERTS PMS-EOD-22 ILS MANAGER MS. SHELLEY DIEDRICH PMS-EOD-M MARINE MAMMAL SYS. PROGRAM MANAGER MR. ROB SIMMONS PMS-EOD-3 VSW MCM PROJECT OFFICER LT DAVE WRIGHT PMS-EOD-23 (RN) ILS MANAGER MR. PAT SHERRIF PMS-EOD-L VSW MCM PROGRAM MANAGER MR. ROB SIMMONS PMS_EOD-3 ILS MANAGER MS. SHELLEY DIEDRICH PMS-EOD-M PROJECT OFFICER MR. JIM RYAN PMS-EOD-24
21. Underwater Programs – EOD Tools DIVER SUPPORT AND EOD TOOLS DWLS MK 7 Mod 0 MK 2 Mod 0 Flotation Bladder Explosive Actuated Valve Cable Connector AN/PQS-2A Diver Held Sonar MK 25 Mod 0 U/W Ferrous Locator MK 72 U/W Acoustic Receiver Sonar Search System MK 103 Mod 0 DEU MK 1 Mod 0 Dry Suit
22. Underwater Programs – EOD Tools MK 16 Mod 0 UBA OTPA MK 23 Mod 0 DIVER SUPPORT AND EOD TOOLS EBS - I MK 2 Mod 0 MK 24 FFM TRCS NAVSEA 00C Project MK 1 MOD 0 MOBILE SUPPORT FACILITIES FARCC FADL LSS Cressi-Sub FFM COMM BOX MK 1 Mod 0 GTS
Good Day Everyone, I am LT(N) Tim Flath, the Canadian Exchange Clearance Diving Officer presently serving a tour of duty in the Program Office for EOD at the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division near Indian Head Maryland.
NAVEODTECHDIV is part of Naval Sea Systems Command which encompasses a large portion of the US Navy.
The TECHDIV (as we affectionately call it) is located in Beautiful Downtown Stump Neck Maryland on a peninsula that juts out into the Potomac River. The Division is broken up into 5 main Department under the Command of a Navy Captain(N) – Now Captain Dan Renwick: The departments are: Code 05 Information Management and Resources Planning Department Code 45 Equipment Management Department Code 50 Research and Development Department Code 60 Munitions Countermeasures Department Code 70 or Program Management Office for EOD is where I work and is more like a lodger unit as we fall under the PEO-MUW Chain of Command (more on that later)
NAVEODTECHDIV is approx. 27 miles south of the Washington DC Beltway on the Maryland side of the Potomac River. Base is in two parts: NSWC Indian Head which is the Main Base – Center of excellence for energetics. NAVEODTECHDIV where I work is out in the countryside of Southern MD
Part of the facilities located at the Techdiv include A small explosive test range (part of the R & D Department) and is located near the end of the peninsula at Stump Neck. Used to test explosive EOD tool, Disruptors, Remotely Operated Systems, and Render Safe Procedures.
The Magnetometer facility is also managed by Code 45 They do a lot of work for our EOD program office. This facility is used to screen and test EOD tools and Diver Life Support Systems to ensure they meet the stringent MIL-M-19595 spec. for MCM operations. In Mine Countermeasures operations all tools and apparatus used by operators have to be both magnetically clean and acoustically quiet for influence mines and ordnance. Code 45 is also responsible for: Oxygen Cleaning And Calibration Facility Environmental Test Chamber Mechanical Test And Inspection Facility Vibration Test Facility
A small dive locker with a Master Diver and a core cell of fleet divers is located on base to support the R & D, Depot and In Service Engineering efforts. Here diving systems and underwater tools can be tested without having to go out to operational units.
Managed by Code 50 (R & D Department) is a fully outfitted tool & model shop with skilled machine shop operators. NAVEODTECHDIV has long been known for their Rapid Prototyping capabilities. A Cadre of engineers (mechanical, electrical, systems) provide the center of mass for all R & D efforts.
Part of the Munitions Countermeasures Department (Code 60) is the Disassembly complex. Necessary in the development of Render Safe Procedures is the need to disassemble ordnance items. All actions done at this complex are done either remotely or if manual are closely monitored from a command bunker. Everything is video taped. All work done here is closely scripted and must go through a review board for approval. Code 60 also includes the Special Activities Special Security Department (SASS) which provides information services and through liaison with civilian government and military organizations, both foreign and domestic, in support of Command objectives and international relations. In this respect, it is responsible for the scientific and technical intelligence services as it pertains to EOD, foreign material acquisition of ordnance, foreign military sales of EOD publications and equipment, and international exchange programmes to include NATO, ABCA-5, and Mutual Weapons Development Data Exchange Agreements. Unique responsibilities and capabilities of the SASS Department include: Command Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) Foreign Disclosure Technical Information System (FORDTIS) Communication Security Material System (CMS) North Atlantic Treaty Organization COSMIC Control Point The department operates and maintains the following special facilities and capabilities: Automated Ordnance Graphics Capability IND Response Team Automated Publication System Munitions Disassembly Complex
Also part of the munitions countermeasures Department is the Munitions Radiography Facility. This facility is used extensively as a tool for reverse engineering ordnance items and in the development of RSP (Render Safe Procedures)
Co-Located at NAVEODTECHDIV as part of Code 60 (Munitions Countermeasures Department) is the Technical Information Center. Arguably the largest repository of EOD related technical publications (Classified and Unclassified) anywhere in the world. Here unknown ordnance items can be identified from any nation. It is also used extensively for the R & D efforts ongoing at the TECHDIV.
The responsibilities and authority for total program management of all EOD programs is executed by the Program Office at NAVEODTECHDIV (as a lodger unit). We at PMS-EOD actually come directly under the Program Executive Officer for Mine and Undersea Warfare (PEO MUW) – now Rear Admiral Sharp headquartered at the Washington Naval Yard. We at the program office perform all program management functions to include planning, programming, and budgeting of R & D Funds, procurement, and production funds; in-service engineering life cycle management; and operation and maintenance support for assigned systems.
Four separate program managers are part of the PMS-EOD Team. Naval Captain Rick Kiser (PMS-EOD) is the overall director who reports to PEO-MUW. The Programs we run are: Joint Services EOD Underwater EOD which is the only program with a Military Program Manager (Commader (Select) Dave Lesko - My direct Boss). Finally Both the Marine Mammal Systems and Very Shallow Water Warfare Programs. The RN exchange billet (LT Dave Wright) is a project Officer with the VSW Program. The VSW Detachment (In San Diego) is comprised of Seals, EOD and Marine personnel. The specific functions of the Program Management Office are to: Plan and direct the execution of advanced and engineering development, production, installation, support and in-service engineering for assigned systems. Chair Configuration Control Boards for assigned systems. Coordinate development and testing of EOD diving systems. Plan and direct technical test and evaluation programs. Provide advisory guidance for NAVSEA to the Office of Naval Research on execution of Joint Service EOD, IND and marine mammal technology base (exploratory development). Provide PMS-325 with interface and funding when required for small boats. Provide full support to the VSW MCM Test Detachment.
Joint Services EOD which includes EOD tools and equipment's used by all four services - The Navy is the lead service for all US EOD Programs.
Main Charge Disrupter (MCD) Advanced Radiographic System (ARS) Lightweight Disposable Disrupter (LIDD) Remote Ordnance Neutralization System (RONS) MK 3 MOD 0
Marine Mammal Systems MK 4 Mod 0 Dolphins for the moored Mine Threat MK 5 Mod 1 Sea Lions for Target Recovery MK 6 Mod 1 Dolphins for the Anti-Swimmer Defence MK 7 Mod 0 & 1 Dolphins for Buried and Proud Ground Mines) Some of the programs ongoing in the office concern: EX 8 Experimental program using Dolphins for the VSW Test detachment MK 98 MOD 0 Neutralization Charge Care and Feeding of the mammals Forward Deployment of the Mammal Systems.
The VSW Detachment (In San Diego) is comprised of Seals, EOD and Marine Recon personnel. When fully operational will consist of 3 platoons Diver/Swimmer Platoon (Operational now) Marine Mammal Systems Platoon (EX 8 System currently under development) Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Platoon (New program under development)
My Office The underwater office provides for the development of diving equipment and systems to support all US Navy Underwater EOD Operations. All of the equipment's and systems must meet the US Mil Specifications for Low Acoustic and Non-Magnetic thresholds. This factor alone is the single most difficult and expensive hurdle to overcome in any of the programs we run. The following mission areas are the specialties of the program office: 1) Manned or unmanned MCM operations from Shallow Water (40 FSW) to 260 FSW 2) Limpet and other special attack mine threats. 3) detect, identify, neutralize, recover and exploit ordnance for clearance and intelligence gathering purposes. 4) Underwater object recovery to include lost aircraft and seabed searches.
These next two slides show an overall view of the tools and systems we manage in Underwater EOD.
First major progra (abbreviated acquisition program) that I was involved with I saw it through from Developmental testing to delivery. Canadian Company kongsberg/Simrad/Mesotech out of Port Coquitlam BC Adjunct to the Edgetech DF-1000 fish with Triton/ISIS Processor Side Scan Sonar System Units EODMu 7 San Diego, CA EODMU 8 Sigonella Sicily EODMU 10 Fort Story, Virginia EODMu 17 Oak harbor, WA
Mini- Fly Away Dive Locker to Support the MK 16 Mod 0 rebreather in forward deployed areas $400K prototype which I have seen through from concept Delivery at EODMU 3 in San Diego in Aug 2000 Now have 3 advance units to finalize the design under contract through OST in Fort Washington, MD Will have 10 more under contract for $1.5 Million by end of this FY. Gichner Shelter Systems awarded the contract after open competition thru CBD
The MK 16 Mod 0 UBA is the primary breathing apparatus for the EOD Community. It is currently undergoing a Product Improvement to change it from a .75 ATA O2 set point rig to a 1.3 ATA set point. The benefits of this will be longer bottom times with lower decompression debts.
The MK 16 UBA has three different configured face mask or mouth piece arrangements fitted for it. One of my projects has been to explore replacement options for consolidating the advantages of all three of these configurations into one mask. We put out a general sources sought Commerce Business Daily (CBD) announcement and really only had one contender which was a mask by Diving Systems International (the folks who build the Superlite Helmets). We are keeping our options open and have had the Supermask down at NEDU for testing.
An ongoing project that I have been tasked with is the development of a re-entry control and Failure Analysis Reporting Database for the MK16 UBA to replace an older system that has proved unreliable and ineffective. Using a server setup in Alexandria Virginia with our support contractor and a software development team we are close to fielding the new system which will be internet based and workable around the world where EOD divers are deployed.
Another of my main projects was to complete an Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) for the product improvement of the Diver Evaluation Unit currently fielded. The improvement will add: 1) A tilt rod sensor capability 2) A Programmable mode to allow the DEU to go into sleep mode and wake up at pre-planned times. 3) The Addition of an external battery capability to increase operational time. 4) Improved Software. 5) A new Manta shaped case option and 6) Sacrificial anodes to prevent case corrosion.
As the technical manager for the Venerable 2Alpha sonar I have worked on two small but separate projects associated with the Hand Held Sonar. The first was a software development effort to convert the old hardware proprietary trainer software into a software package able to run on a Windows 95/98/NT based multimedia computer. This is now complete and fielded in the fleet. The second was a low Mu digital compass effort as a product improvement to stem the transition to the new Underwater Imaging Sonar under development. With the new UIS scheduled now to replace the 2 Alpha the effort was dropped.
Another project of mine concerns the stalwart MK 2 Flotation Bladder. An Analysis of Alternatives study was conducted after the fleet requested that a new lift balloon be identified for eventual replacement simply because it is a dated system. The AoA showed that there is nothing commercially available out there that can replace it. Thus I was tasked to do an ECP for product improvements that were suggested. These included reducing life cycle costs and fitting standard scuba bottles to the system – they were designed around twin 90’s which are no longer available. The ECP is now complete and a result is that the non-mag requirements have been eliminated – It never was non-mag with scuba jugs attached.
The MK 25 Underwater Ordnance Locator is unique in the EOD world as a Cesium Vapor based ordnance locator designed to work near influence ordnance. Because it uses cesium vapor to detect the presence of a magnetic field it does not generate or disturb a magnetic field during operation. The only disadvantage is its tremendous size. I was tasked to complete an Analysis of Alternatives Study for the eventual replacement or improvement of this tool. Sadly there is nothing out there to replace it but the door has been left open for the eventual improvement in size. This will largely be in the form of miniaturization of electronic components and batteries etc.
Having worked on so many software related projects I was also tasked with the implementation of a Web Site for the EOD Program Office. The web site is up and running at www.supsalv.org/eod The supervisor of Diving OOC Shop is the sponsoring agency for our site.
In Conclusion I would just like to say that I have been privileged to work on many diverse and interesting projects during my tenure here and have really enjoyed the position. In the interest of time this has been a capsule of NAVEODTECHDIV and the major efforts I have had direct involvement with as ther are many other ongoing programs in both our office and those of Joint Services, Marine Mammals and VSW. Thank you for your time.