Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division Welcome to the Official Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division Facebook Fan page sponsored by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division.

The Carderock Division consists of approximately 3,200 scientists, engineers and support personnel working in more than 40 disciplines ranging from fundamental science to applied/in-service engineering. We are the Navy's experts for maritime technology. The Division houses world-class facilities and laboratories. Carderock's Headquarters is located in West Bethesda, Maryland. The Division also con

ducts research and development at several remote sites across the country. As a major component and field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command, the Carderock Division provides cradle-to-grave support for its technical products over an enormous range of scientific areas related to surface and undersea platforms. The Division addresses the full spectrum of applied maritime science and technology, from the theoretical and conceptual beginnings, through design and acquisition, to implementation and follow-on engineering. This includes all technical aspects of improving the performance of ships, submarines, military water craft, and unmanned vehicles, as well as research for military logistics systems. In addition, the Division is uniquely chartered by Congress to support America's maritime industry. We design, build, deliver and maintain ships, submarines and systems reliably, on-time and on-cost for the United States Navy.

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About Naval Sea Systems Command

The Naval Sea Systems Command is comprised of command staff, headquarters directorates, affiliated Program Executive Offices (PEOs) and numerous field activities. Together, we engineer, build, buy and maintain ships, submarines and combat systems that meet the Fleet's current and future operational requirements. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) is the largest of the Navy's five system commands. With a fiscal year budget of nearly $30 billion, NAVSEA accounts for nearly one quarter of the Navy's entire budget. With a force of 80,200 (as of 1 Oct 2019) civilian and military personnel, NAVSEA engineers, builds, buys and maintains the Navy's ships and submarines and their combat systems. To accomplish this, NAVSEA manages 150 acquisition programs and manages foreign military sales cases that include billions of dollars in annual military sales to partner nations. The origin of NAVSEA dates to 1794, when Commodore John Barry was charged to oversee the construction of a 44-gun frigate and ensure that all business "harmonized and conformed" to the public's interest. Today, the NAVSEA organization has 40 activities. NAVSEA strives to be an efficient provider of defense resources for the nation, and it plays an important role in the Navy Enterprise. As a Provider Command, it has the responsibility of directing resource sponsors into the proper mix of manpower and resources to properly equip the fleet. NAVSEA has the further responsibility of establishing and enforcing technical authority in combat system design and operation. These technical standards use the organization's technical expertise to ensure systems are engineered effectively, and that they operate safely and reliably. The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the United States Navy or NAVSEA of the linked websites, or the information, products or services contained therein. Other than for authorized activities, such as military exchanges and Morale, Welfare and Recreation sites, the United States Department of Defense does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

This page is intended to provide updated information and discussion on work that NAVSEA does to support and supply the US Navy. Please visit our official homepage at www.navsea.navy.mil

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07/31/2026

Long before a U.S. Navy warship hits the ocean, our team designs and tests it right here at Carderock.

From our headquarters in West Bethesda, Maryland, to our critical sites and detachments across the country, NSWC Carderock drives innovation as the Navy’s ship design powerhouse.

Our scientists and engineers solve the Navy’s toughest technical challenges across naval architecture, signature management, and platform integrity. Leveraging world-class facilities like the David Taylor Model Basin and the Harold E. Saunders Maneuvering and Seakeeping Basin (aka the “Indoor Ocean”), we design, test, and evaluate next-generation surface warships, submarines, and autonomous craft.

Building the world’s most dominant fleet takes strong collaboration.

We partner directly with industry and private-sector innovators to turbocharge and accelerate the capability, capacity, and speed of development across America’s Maritime Industrial Base. Together, we strengthen domestic shipbuilding and deliver combat-ready capabilities to the fleet faster than ever.

With teams and specialized facilities spanning the nation—from Florida to Alaska, and Idaho to Washington—we show every day why Carderock is “Where the Fleet Begins.”

Learn more about our mission, facilities, and careers:

🔗 https://www.navsea.navy.mil/home/warfare-centers/nswc-carderock/

On July 22, SummerRise High School interns from Montgomery County Public Schools gave their final presentations at Carde...
07/30/2026

On July 22, SummerRise High School interns from Montgomery County Public Schools gave their final presentations at Carderock.

Students talked about their most meaningful projects and explained how they tackled challenges in professional development, CAD design, SeaPerch builds, and youth outreach.

07/29/2026
SURVIVING THE ATOMIC BLAST: HOW CARDEROCK ENGINEERED SHOCK-HARDENED WARSHIPS Shock Trial of CVN 71. In 1963, the Bureau ...
07/28/2026

SURVIVING THE ATOMIC BLAST: HOW CARDEROCK ENGINEERED SHOCK-HARDENED WARSHIPS

Shock Trial of CVN 71. In 1963, the Bureau of Ships assigned to the David Taylor Model Basin the task of evaluating the capability of ships to survive the underwater shock wave of a near-miss nuclear explosion. Carderock still carries out this mission for the U.S. Navy today.

Following World War II, the emergence of nuclear weapons fundamentally changed the realities of naval warfare. While early nuclear tests like Operation Crossroads at Bikini Atoll proved surface ships could survive initial atomic blasts, researchers quickly recognized a far more critical vulnerability: underwater shock waves and airblasts were disabling vital electronic and mechanical systems long before the ship's structural hull failed.

To solve this challenge, Carderock and the Underwater Explosions Research Detachment (UERD) spearheaded the Navy’s long-term ship protection and "shock hardening" programs. Researchers utilized explosive test ponds, scaled models, and data from full-scale nuclear trials to determine how shock waves travel through ship hulls and internal machinery. By designing resilient, shock-absorbing equipment mounts, reinforced deckhouses, and blast-resistant superstructures, Carderock established the modern standards for protecting shipboard systems against explosive shock—a vital survivability mission the center continues to execute for the fleet today.

Carderock, the Navy's innovation and ship design powerhouse, continues to deliver world-class, cost-effective, and groundbreaking technical solutions for advanced ships and systems to strengthen the U.S. maritime industrial base and ensure long-term maritime superiority.

  Bryan! Carderock had the pleasure of hosting Bryan as a SEAP intern in our Naval Architecture and Engineering Departme...
07/27/2026

Bryan! Carderock had the pleasure of hosting Bryan as a SEAP intern in our Naval Architecture and Engineering Department at the beginning of his civil service journey.

Carderock and the Navy invest in the future through our STEM programs, which help inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators!

SMART scholar Bryan Tomer recently had the opportunity to present his research directly to Virginia state legislators at the capital, an experience he described as valuable for showing him the academic side of lab work. Tomer, a junior majoring in aerospace engineering at Virginia Tech , worked on restarting the university's hypersonic wind tunnel, examining data and building automated programs to help analyze results from tunnel tests. His participation in the event highlights how SMART scholars are connecting cutting-edge research to the policy conversations that shape our nation's future.
Learn more: https://news.vt.edu/articles/2026/04/virginia-tech-students-share-research-at-state-capital-.html
DoW STEM

Hydrodynamic forces at work! Carderock’s Rotating Arm Facility is an innovative basin used to evaluate the stability and...
07/26/2026

Hydrodynamic forces at work!

Carderock’s Rotating Arm Facility is an innovative basin used to evaluate the stability and control of different platforms, measuring hydrodynamic forces and moments during steady turns on models and making it a powerhouse for maritime testing.

At the center of this 8-million gallon, 260-foot circular basin, sits a rotating arm that pivots about a center post and tows ship and submarine models in a circular path up to 50 knots. This unique facility gives our scientists and engineers the ability to characterize the turning performance of the model tested, producing data used widely across the fleet.

Learn more about the facility in this video! https://www.dvidshub.net/video/948664/carderocks-260-foot-diameter-circular-basin-with-rotating-arm-engineering-marvel

Carderock, the Navy’s ship design and innovation powerhouse provides the technical foundation for the future fleet through world-class research, development, and testing.

The Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock's Rotating Arm showcased its large-scale dynamic capabilities during Mock Model Testing the week of June 16th at the Mask in West Bethesda, MD. The Rotating Arm Facility features a 260-foot diameter circular basin with a rotating arm that pivots around a ce...

Carderock is helping inspire and develop the next generation of engineers by investing in STEM education and strengtheni...
07/23/2026

Carderock is helping inspire and develop the next generation of engineers by investing in STEM education and strengthening the future Navy workforce pipeline.

Carderock hosted students and teachers as part of the SeaPerch Academy on July 8-9, 2026. SeaPerch Academy is a professional development program designed to provide educators with the tools, resources, and training they need to teach robotics and underwater engineering concepts to students. SeaPerch, an initiative developed by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), focuses on building underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) as part of (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education.

Carderock hosted a Japanese delegation from the Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Agency (ATLA) and the Naval Syste...
07/22/2026

Carderock hosted a Japanese delegation from the Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Agency (ATLA) and the Naval Systems Research Center (NSRC) on July 13, 2026.

The visit was designed to facilitate technical discussions and included a Carderock overview followed by a facilities tour, including the David Taylor Model Basin, MASK Basin, Welding and Mechanical Test Labs, Additive Manufacturing Facility, Explosive Test Pond, and Deep Submergence Pressure Tanks. The day concluded with focused topic meetings in the afternoon including, Structural Materials, Hull Structures, and Additive Manufacturing.

Hosting international partners and allies boosts warfighting readiness and drives collaborative innovation in ship design, and showcases Carderock’s world-class maritime research and development expertise.

REVOLUTIONIZING THE SKIES: HOW CARDEROCK TAMED THE CHAOS OF VERTICAL FLIGHTCaption: Osprey V-22 V/STOL. After decades of...
07/21/2026

REVOLUTIONIZING THE SKIES: HOW CARDEROCK TAMED THE CHAOS OF VERTICAL FLIGHT

Caption: Osprey V-22 V/STOL. After decades of experimenting with vertical short take-off and landing concepts, the V-22 was introduced to the fleet. The David Taylor Research Center, Carderock’s predecessor, focused on reducing aircraft drag and tail buffeting.

During the post-WWII jet revolution, the Aerodynamics Department at Carderock expanded beyond ship hydrodynamics to solve the complex aerodynamic challenges of high-performance naval aviation. As new aircraft designs pushed speed and maneuverability boundaries, Carderock’s wind tunnels became critical proving grounds for analyzing carrier air-wake interference, captive weapon flight paths, and interface aerodynamics.

Central to this evolving research mission was the study of vertical and short take-off and landing (V/STOL) capabilities. By investigating dynamic stability, wing-tail interference, and drag reduction across decades of specialized testing, center researchers provided the foundational data necessary to refine advanced airframes. This decades-long commitment to taming complex flight dynamics—such as tail buffeting and aerodynamic drag—helped pave the way for revolutionary tiltrotor aircraft like the V-22 Osprey to successfully transition from experimental concept to operational fleet asset.

Carderock, the Navy's innovation and ship design powerhouse, continues to deliver world-class, cost-effective, and groundbreaking technical solutions for advanced ships and systems to strengthen the U.S. maritime industrial base and ensure long-term maritime superiority.

Behind every technical breakthrough, fleet capability and warfighter success story is a team helping ensure it is seen, ...
07/20/2026

Behind every technical breakthrough, fleet capability and warfighter success story is a team helping ensure it is seen, understood and communicated with purpose.

Carderock’s Corporate Communications Division has earned team and individual recognition from NAVSEA and the Navy’s Chief of Information for excellence in public affairs, strategic communications, writing and graphic design.

The honors include the Fiscal Year 2025 NAVSEA Excellence in Public Affairs Award for the ISR 18 Communications Team, along with Calendar Year 2025 Navy Public Affairs Awards recognizing Alisha Tyer and Kristin Behrle for individual excellence.

These awards reflect the creativity, technical skill and collaboration required to communicate Carderock’s contributions to the Fleet and the warfighter.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3T0wmix

Address

9500 MacArthur Boulevard
Bethesda, MD
20817

Opening Hours

Monday 6am - 6pm
Tuesday 6am - 6pm
Wednesday 6am - 6pm
Thursday 6am - 6pm
Friday 6am - 6pm

Telephone

+13012274465

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