MOS CFA Topics of Interest

Mastery of the Seas at All Depths:
Capability Focus Area—Topics and Subtopics
Starting in 2025, NUWC Division Newport defined a new strategic vision: “Mastery of the Seas at All Depths.” This strategic vision is underpinned by the technologies, capabilities, and other enablers that are essential to NUWC’s role in supporting the Navy for the next decade and beyond. The scope of this vision was concentrated into 11 distinct Capability Focus Areas (CFAs) that highlight the areas where NUWC has the required technical expertise and proficiency to achieve this audacious strategic vision. This list is intended to serve as a starting point for technical discussions with industry, academic involvement, and all other public-facing engagements. Capability Focus Area: Undersea Sensing
Mission: Enhance the performance of Naval ASW platforms and systems using a variety of undersea sensors. Hydrophones & Transducers: Acoustic sensor miniaturization; Novel transduction materials maximizing output in small form factors; Low cost but higher efficiency and higher power projectors; Higher reliability devices under harsh conditions. Towed Systems: Large multi-line configurations for tactical platforms; Improved multi-line towing methods; Flow noise reduction techniques; Improved handlers for deployment and retrieval with reduced space and weight and higher reliability. Hull Mounted Systems: Improved methods for array construction; Lighter weight, larger size, more efficient cabling methods; Non-invasive methods for hull inspections behind arrays. Sensors & Anti-Fouling: Low noise sensors (electrical/flow-induced) across a wide range of frequencies; Innovative anti-fouling methods for acoustic windows and domes; Reduced acoustic loss and noise from acoustic domes; Higher reliability acoustic domes. Signal Processing & AI: AI-enabled automatic classification of signals; Improved array processing methods for increased gain against noise; Improved automation for large arrays; Low-power signal processing. Power & Telemetry: Submarine-compatible energy sources & storage for off-board systems; Low-power/weight open-architecture telemetry; Combined sensor and telemetry packages; Improved methods for out-board electronics packages; Through-hull interface connectivity. Active Systems: High-power, submarine-compatible off-board acoustic sources; Distributed active acoustic arrays. Novel Sensing Systems: Bio-inspired sensing; Non-acoustic undersea sensors. Fixed Sensor Systems: Sensor infrastructure and networking; Sensor and system endurance and ruggedization; Anti-fouling methods; Sustained power and battery technology.