CHARLESTON, S.C. — Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Energy – Savannah River (DOE-SR) on March 13 to open channels of collaboration that advance technology solutions for each organization.

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), acting as an agent of the DOE-SR, will directly support the cooperative science and technology (S&T) interchange with NIWC Atlantic. Both organizations will seek to develop dual-use training, testing and experimentation to enhance their research and development (R&D) efforts in fields like electromagnetic warfare, spectrum operations, cybersecurity and autonomous systems.

“For us, this partnership is to accelerate solutions to the warfighter,” said Capt. Nicole Nigro, NIWC Atlantic commanding officer. “This agreement can help us each learn, ask questions and ultimately develop solutions that are jointly evaluated in relevant environments and respective of our missions.”

One major driver of the important signing was NIWC Atlantic’s Palmetto Tech Bridge (PTB), whose director believes in the urgency of the Department of Navy’s stated goal of achieving a competitive advantage over America’s pacing threats.

“I believe this will be a new model of intergovernmental cooperation and technical collaboration,” said Erik Gardner, PTB director. “We each have a lot to offer. We are each on a mission to provide world-class S&T solutions to our customers. One way for us to increase the pace of those solutions is to join forces with exceptional organizations like the DOE’s SRNL that share a common technical focus in the same critical technology space as NIWC Atlantic.”

The PTB exists to connect, reinforce and sustain “acceleration ecosystems” in South Carolina and beyond. It forms partnerships with academia, nontraditional small businesses, government labs and others to share information, support collaboration spaces and generate dual-use solutions that both meet national defense needs and enhance the region’s economy.

Last year, the PTB began participating in discussions with South Carolina’s Department of Commerce and other state stakeholders focused on cybersecurity in the state.

This summer, NIWC Atlantic plans to participate in a new South Carolina cyber strategy working group focused on building strong and resilient cyber infrastructures both within the state and at its major ports.

Ahead of the signing, Gardner briefed key stakeholders in each organization on the capability development, unique facilities, experimentation opportunities and the general collision of ideas occurring within each lab.

The DOE’s SRNL, which is located near Aiken, South Carolina, applies state-of-the-art science to provide practical, high-value, cost-effective solutions to complex technical problems, such as the detection of weapons of mass destruction, the development of hydrogen as an energy source and the need for a viable national defense.

“SRNL is outstanding in its ability to deploy leading edge technologies and engineering solutions and we are excited to be directly involved with NIWC Atlantic and learn how we can best support our warfighters,” said Vahid Majidi, director of SRNL. “Partnership with NIWC Atlantic will create advanced solutions for some of the most complex problems in the national security landscape, which benefits our nation and the whole of government.”

Peter C. Reddy, NIWC Atlantic executive director, said with the fierce competition for information superiority in today’s environment, NIWC Atlantic is constantly looking for ways to rapidly deliver the kind of competitive advantages that will deter armed conflict. “Our partnership with SRNL, a national lab with a world-class reputation, can help accelerate those technical solutions that give our men and women in uniform the competitive and tactical edge,” he said.