"This is indeed a great day" proclaimed Dr. Mike Sullivan, director and ORTA at Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWPNS) - Point Mugu. That early day in May 1996, Rear Adm. Dana B. McKinney, commander, NAWCWPNS signed not one CRADA, but seven with business organizations within Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Specifically, those partnerships were with the Ventura County Business Incubator (VCBI), Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors (SBC), Sonic Development Laboratories (SDL), KDG Vortec, Southwest Aerospace, Toyon Research Corporation, and SRS Technologies.

The Ventura County Business Incubator's CRADA with Point Mugu is to foster technology transfer from NAWCWPNS to companies in Ventura County who make requests through its technology access service. In a similar but separate CRADA with SBC, there is a parallel recognition that NAWCWPN's leading-edge technical skills can assist the growing number of technologically based companies that are being attracted to both counties. Identified by both VCBI and SBC, were the primary areas of Aerospace Engineering, Software, Communication Command and Control Systems, Control and Data-Link Systems, Electronic Warfare Systems, Electro-Optic and Radio Frequency Multispectral, Devices and Signatures, Embedded Computer Hardware and Software, Information Processing and Instrumental Analysis, Microwave Devices and Materials, Optical Devices and Materials, Radio Frequency/lnfrared Signature Collection, Recovery Systems, Sensor Systems, Simulation and Modeling, Target Recognition, Classification, and Identification, Test Instrumentation Systems, Data Base Management, and Software Support.

Two more entities, Sonic Development Laboratories and KDG Vortec, have each signed separate CRADAs but will collaborate in a joint effort with NAWCWPNS for potential commercial and government applications in medical emergency and therapy devices. Showing immediate promise is an apparatus, based on ring vortex technologies, that can more effectively deliver a medicated aerosol deeper into the lungs than spray mist nebulizers currently being used. Possible uses would be: asthma self care, emphysema treatment, emergency treatment (smoke and chemical inhalation victims), anesthesia administration, and medicine administration via lung (rather than by injection). Other potential applications involving human breathing enhancement include: decreased breathing work load for deep sea divers and astronauts on EVA, as well as increasing breathing efficiency for people wearing masks and respirators.

In the works for SDL is an apparatus that utilizes the fluid dynamic characteristics of the ring vortex to project fire fighting gases, such as Halon and carbon dioxide, into inaccessible or space confined areas like attics and crawl spaces of buildings, as well as void spaces in aircraft and ships. SDL is also developing a device for use by law enforcement in the apprehension of "hot pursuit" vehicles. SDL and NAWCWPNS will jointly develop, demonstrate, and evaluate several gas dynamic aspects of ring vortex flow phenomena with SDL, providing a knowledgeable expert and inventor of several ring vortex related concepts already filed with the Navy.

The CRADA signed with Southwest Aerospace (SWA) states that NAWCWPNS will loan a Tactical Air Launched Decoy (TALD) for the purpose of SWA exploring the development and installation of a new IR plume generator kit for the TALD. The TALD, launch aircraft, chase aircraft, and any Navy-owned equipment will be operated by NAWCWPNS personnel.

Toyon Research Corporation (TRC) is collaborating with NAWCWPNS to develop, demonstrate, and evaluate exploiting Radar Cross Section (RCS) measurements to detect and identify lethal weapons that are hidden or carried on a human body. Potential exists for commercial law enforcement application, such as airport security, crowd control/security, court security systems, law enforcement officer protection, and threat screening.

Another collaboration with TRC is for an electronically-steerable antenna that has the potential for communication systems on automobiles, boats, and aircraft, such as radios and cell phones.

A prototype Text, Photo, Video Electronic Technical Library of the Future (consisting of material already approved for public release) is the objective of a CRADA with NAWCWPNS and SRS Technologies. SRS will provide personnel with skills, knowledge, and experience in data research, input, conversion/transfer and data recording to gather, assemble, integrate, digitize, record, and input the scientific and technical data. Also provided or developed by SRS will be the software to create a prototype relational database. NAWCWPNS will provide personnel (when available) knowledgeable in the location of and sources of selected technical and scientific information. NAWCWPNS will also provide facilities (when available) at approved sites. The joint effort has a potential commercial application as an input data source to a national and international on-line information network as an Electronic Technical Library of the Future.

For more information please contact:

Dr. Michael Sullivan (op913d1@tecnet1.jcte.jcs.mil)
NAWCWPNS, Point Mugu
(805) 989-9204 or
Fax: (805) 989-3938