{"id":28936,"date":"2018-07-08T19:21:59","date_gmt":"2018-07-08T19:21:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/uncategorized\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T20:13:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T20:13:10","slug":"why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Washington state is a key testing ground for the Navy\u2019s underwater drones"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">KEYPORT, Wash. \u2014 For the past 100 years, Keyport has been home to one of Navy\u2019s primary efforts to research, develop and test torpedoes, which earned the small, waterfront community the moniker of \u201cTorpedo Town, U.S.A.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Now, Keyport\u2019s Naval Undersea Warfare Center is becoming the modern testing ground for a new type of technology that silently operates in the depths \u2014 unmanned undersea vehicles, which are known as UUVs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those unmanned undersea vehicles are essentially \u201cpre-programmed, small submarines,\u201d said Cmdr. Scott Smith, commanding officer of the Navy\u2019s newly formed Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Squadron 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2017\/10\/11\/navy-stands-up-first-underwater-drone-squadron\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"214\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/uuv3.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Navy stands up first underwater drone squadron<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Squadron 1 will oversee all Navy underwater drones and help test new ones.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The squadron\u2019s UUVs range from 10-inch torpedo-shaped tubes to large submersibles more than 80 inches in diameter. Many of the UUVs used at Keyport are commercially available, from companies like Bluefin Robotics or Riptide Autonomous Solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The squadron has been tasked with developing the tactics, techniques and procedures that will shape how the Navy will use the unmanned undersea vehicles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eventually, the Navy will use UUVs for a variety of missions. Today, they are capable of reducing the risk to divers in the water and extending sensory capabilities for underway submarines, Smith told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kitsapsun.com\/story\/news\/local\/navy\/2018\/07\/03\/keyport-home-navy-first-underwater-drone-squadron\/751928002\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">the Kitsap Sun<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019ll use UUVs in those areas that are too dangerous to put a manned vessel, and on the other side, we\u2019ll use UUVs where it\u2019s just too mundane for a long-term mission to keep a sailor out there,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThose are really the two places I see UUVs working, but we\u2019ll never replace the manned systems. In my mind, we\u2019ll always need submarines out there doing what submarines do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2016\/10\/27\/the-navy-needs-more-robot-submarines-for-missions-now\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kingfish.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">The Navy needs more robot submarines for missions now<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">A submarine leader is calling for faster development of underwater drones capable of conducing patrols and missions around the world. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Navy currently doesn\u2019t operate unmanned undersea vehicles from submarines, but Smith foresees a potential for rapid growth with the platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFive years down the road,\u201d Smith said, \u201cI\u2019d like to see two UUVs on every submarine in the fleet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The squadron has already tested its expertise and training with a few real-world situations. It has helped to recover a lost item in Sinclair Inlet that fell over the side of a patrol boat. It assisted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police track down a misplaced piece of equipment in the Nanoose Range near Vancouver Island, British Columbia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/37816005035_2a984af652_k.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-81125\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/37816005035_2a984af652_k.jpg.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/37816005035_2a984af652_k.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/37816005035_2a984af652_k.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/37816005035_2a984af652_k.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sailors assigned to Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Squadron 1 (UUVRON 1) perform maintenance on a Bluefin-12D, an unmanned underwater vehicle on Nov. 25, 2017. (MC2 Derek Harkins\/Navy)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In another instance with significantly higher stakes, a team of six of the squadron\u2019s sailors deployed in December to assist with the international search and recovery efforts of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.navytimes.com\/news\/your-navy\/2017\/11\/27\/us-undersea-rescue-module-arriving-to-sub-area-in-argentina\/\" title=\"\" class=\"\" target=\"_blank\">Argentinean navy\u2019s lost submarine, A.R.A. San Juan<\/a>, in the south Atlantic Ocean. The submarine disappeared Nov. 17 with 44 crew members aboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although efforts to locate the submarine\u2019s whereabouts have been unsuccessful, the crew was able to provide assistance in the early days of the search efforts with the UUVs\u2019 capability to perform side-scanning sonar, which uses sonar echoes to create images of large areas of the seafloor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the past year, the squadron has grown from 28 sailors with a handful of operational UUVs to 35 sailors and more than a dozen UUVs. By next fall, Smith said the squadron\u2019s manpower will almost double in size and, by fiscal year 2023, it is projected to quadruple from its current size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With that growth, Smith said the Navy is interested in adding billets that could bring subject matter experts to the squadron, such as meteorologists who could analyze sea conditions for operational planning or operational specialists from the surface community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe recognize there\u2019s going to be UUV operations from all facets of the Navy and we don\u2019t want to stovepipe ourselves just into submarines,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n\n\n<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link smg-interstitial-link--fallback wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.navytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2015\/07\/21\/submarine-launches-undersea-drone-in-a-1st-for-navy\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__fallback-link\">Submarine launches undersea drone in a 1st for Navy<\/a><\/aside>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike its aerial counterparts, once an undersea drone is launched, it can\u2019t be controlled by an operator on the ground. That means before launch, a UUV\u2019s entire mission protocol has to be coded in advance of getting underway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOnce they go underwater, you can\u2019t control them with any type of Wi-Fi or signals,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWithin about 2,000 yards, you can do acoustic; you can put beeps and bops into the water with very, very small messages, to tell them to come up to the surface or to tell them to abort.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Operations typically start with a mission briefing early in the morning, and their execution can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 30 hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the most part, the UUV\u2019s size determines the length of time it can be in the water and what type mission it will be sent on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe\u2019re limited by power. So if you want a long duration, long stay time with a heavy use payload, you\u2019re not going to get that from a small one,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While underway, smaller UUVs are typically used to gather imagery, survey sea conditions or extend the sensor reach of sub. Larger unmanned undersea vehicles can take on more complex missions, such as acting as an independent sensor on its own mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Getting the UUV into the water is the easy part, but at the end of the mission, recovery can prove to be more difficult, Smith said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOnce you find the UUV, you have to get close enough that you can snare it or hook it without getting too close to damage the side of the boat,\u201d Smith said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Smaller ones typically require a two-man lift. Medium ones require a specialized trailer \u2014 Smith calls it a modified boat trailer. Sailors in immersion suits escort the UUV into the trailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After recovering the UUV, crews bring back the data they collected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For some of the squadron\u2019s sailors, being a part of the work to develop the Navy\u2019s UUV policies has been a key part of their career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s exciting, something I\u2019ve just heard whispers of, and now to be able to be hands-on with it is really exciting,\u201d said Electronics Technician 1st Class Andrew Hanashiro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hanashiro, who has been with the squadron for four months, said the best part of working with the UUVs is to get them out on the water the water for training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI just have stars in my eyes every time I see these vehicles,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Electronics Technician 1st Class Eric Maculanlan has been with the squadron for more than four years. He was on the cusp of deciding to get out of the Navy when he learned about the possibility of working with the UUVs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt was new to me. It sounded like something fun to do,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot different aspect and view of the Navy and what happens in the Navy other than being on a submarine with operational life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Last fall, the Navy decided to formally establish the squadron, and it began operating on Oct. 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The squadron is a part of Submarine Development Squadron 5, which is the operational command that oversees the Seawolf-class nuclear-powered fast attack submarines USS Seawolf, USS Connecticut and USS Jimmy Carter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/26227765488_485875e770_k.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-81127\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/26227765488_485875e770_k.jpg.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/26227765488_485875e770_k.jpg.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/26227765488_485875e770_k.jpg.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/26227765488_485875e770_k.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Students from the Bremerton School District pilot remotely operated underwater vehicles during a Navy STEM day at the Naval Undersea Museum in Keyport, Wash., on Jan. 25, 2018. (MC2 Ryan J. Batchelder\/Navy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keyport is the natural place to locate the new command, said Capt. Doug LaCoste, commanding officer of NUWC Keyport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe goal is that (they\u2019ll be able to) leverage some of the knowledge that Keyport has in recovering these UUVS that we call torpedoes, which we\u2019ve done for decades,\u201d LaCoste said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In one instance, one of the squadron\u2019s undersea vehicles crushed its nose cone after colliding with an uncharted rock out in the water near Keyport during a training exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Without the shore installation\u2019s assistance, it would have taken months to obtain a replacement nose cone from the manufacturer and get the UUV back in working order. Instead, the UUV was back in business a few days later after Keyport was able to 3D print a replacement nose cone in about a day, Smith said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Smith said the installation\u2019s proximity to the water makes it an ideal place for testing the squadron\u2019s tech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe can pick a UUV right up and you and I can carry it out to the water right out there and put it in,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The squadron is housed in Keyport\u2019s Barb Hall, which is named after the legendary World War II-era Gato-class submarine USS Barb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Barb is credited with an impressive wartime record, with 12 war patrols. The sub sank five Japanese warships and damaged or sank 34 merchant ships. Most notably, the submarine is credited with \u201csinking\u201d an enemy supply train after crew members snuck ashore Japanese soil and set up explosive charges on the train track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe idea is that the Barb did new and different things, things that were outside of the box,\u201d LaCoste said. \u201cThat\u2019s the idea of bringing UUVRON here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As the squadron\u2019s size and mission grows, LaCoste said Keyport was looking forward to continuing to support the Navy\u2019s development of the technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s going to grow, and what I want to do is to be ready for the growth,\u201d LaCoste said. \u201cAs UUVRON develops the tactics to be able to operationally use UUVs, we need to have the infrastructure, we need to be able to test them out here locally and provide feedback.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With that expansion, Smith said it was important for the squadron to continue to build upon Keyport\u2019s reputation as a considerate neighbor to those who live in the community around the installation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe want to make sure everyone on the water knows what we\u2019re doing and make sure that we\u2019re respectful to the recreational boaters right to be out on the water,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI think that\u2019s important for people to know that the military cares and my sailors certainly do.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For the past 100 years, Keyport has been home to one of Navy\u2019s primary efforts to research, develop and test torpedoes, which earned the small, waterfront community the moniker of \u201cTorpedo Town, U.S.A.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":81122,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":21,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[106,29,32,21],"tags":[],"coauthors":[8306],"class_list":["post-28936","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-brief","category-home","category-newsletters","category-unmanned"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"7D5O2KGYENBPVIZF6BB5XXVSGU","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-navy\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Why Washington state is a key testing ground for the Navy\u2019s underwater drones - C4ISRNet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"For the past 100 years, Keyport has been home to one of Navy\u2019s primary efforts to research, develop and test torpedoes, which earned the small, waterfront community the moniker of \u201cTorpedo Town, U.S.A.\u201d\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why Washington state is a key testing ground for the Navy\u2019s underwater drones\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For the past 100 years, Keyport has been home to one of Navy\u2019s primary efforts to research, develop and test torpedoes, which earned the small, waterfront community the moniker of \u201cTorpedo Town, U.S.A.\u201d\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"C4ISRNet\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-07-08T19:21:59+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T20:13:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Julianne Stanford, The (Bremerton, Wash.) Kitsap Sun\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Julianne Stanford, The (Bremerton, Wash.) Kitsap Sun\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/unmanned\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/08\\\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/unmanned\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/08\\\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"headline\": \"Why Washington state is a key testing ground for the Navy\u2019s underwater drones\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2018-07-08T19:21:59+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T20:13:10+00:00\",\n\t            \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/unmanned\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/08\\\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"wordCount\": 1647,\n\t            \"commentCount\": 0,\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/unmanned\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/08\\\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/1528295.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"articleSection\": [\n\t                \"Daily Brief\",\n\t                \"Home\",\n\t                \"Newsletters\",\n\t                \"Unmanned\"\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"CommentAction\",\n\t                    \"name\": \"Comment\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/unmanned\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/08\\\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\\\/#respond\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/unmanned\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/08\\\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\\\/\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/unmanned\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/08\\\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Why Washington state is a key testing ground for the Navy\u2019s underwater drones - C4ISRNet\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/#website\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"primaryImageOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/unmanned\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/08\\\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/unmanned\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/08\\\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/1528295.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2018-07-08T19:21:59+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T20:13:10+00:00\",\n\t            \"description\": \"For the past 100 years, Keyport has been home to one of Navy\u2019s primary efforts to research, develop and test torpedoes, which earned the small, waterfront community the moniker of \u201cTorpedo Town, U.S.A.\u201d\",\n\t            \"breadcrumb\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/unmanned\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/08\\\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\\\/#breadcrumb\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ReadAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/unmanned\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/08\\\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\\\/\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/unmanned\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/08\\\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\\\/#primaryimage\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/1528295.jpg.jpg\",\n\t            \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/1528295.jpg.jpg\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/unmanned\\\/2018\\\/07\\\/08\\\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\\\/#breadcrumb\",\n\t            \"itemListElement\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 1,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Home\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"home\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 2,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Unmanned\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/unmanned\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"unmanned\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 3,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Why Washington state is a key testing ground for the Navy\u2019s underwater drones\"\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebSite\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/#website\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"C4ISRNet\",\n\t            \"description\": \"Media for the Intelligence-Age Military | C4ISRNET\",\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"SearchAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"EntryPoint\",\n\t                        \"urlTemplate\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"\n\t                    },\n\t                    \"query-input\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"PropertyValueSpecification\",\n\t                        \"valueRequired\": true,\n\t                        \"valueName\": \"search_term_string\"\n\t                    }\n\t                }\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/#organization\",\n\t            \"name\": \"C4ISRNet\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/\",\n\t            \"logo\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/c4isrnet-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/c4isrnet-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"C4ISRNet\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"\n\t            }\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\",\n\t            \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"migration\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/c4isrnet\\\/author\\\/migration\\\/\"\n\t        }\n\t    ]\n\t}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Why Washington state is a key testing ground for the Navy\u2019s underwater drones - C4ISRNet","description":"For the past 100 years, Keyport has been home to one of Navy\u2019s primary efforts to research, develop and test torpedoes, which earned the small, waterfront community the moniker of \u201cTorpedo Town, U.S.A.\u201d","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Why Washington state is a key testing ground for the Navy\u2019s underwater drones","og_description":"For the past 100 years, Keyport has been home to one of Navy\u2019s primary efforts to research, develop and test torpedoes, which earned the small, waterfront community the moniker of \u201cTorpedo Town, U.S.A.\u201d","og_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/","og_site_name":"C4ISRNet","article_published_time":"2018-07-08T19:21:59+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-08T20:13:10+00:00","author":"Julianne Stanford, The (Bremerton, Wash.) Kitsap Sun","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Julianne Stanford, The (Bremerton, Wash.) Kitsap Sun","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/"},"author":{"name":"migration","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1"},"headline":"Why Washington state is a key testing ground for the Navy\u2019s underwater drones","datePublished":"2018-07-08T19:21:59+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T20:13:10+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/"},"wordCount":1647,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1528295.jpg.jpg","articleSection":["Daily Brief","Home","Newsletters","Unmanned"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/","name":"Why Washington state is a key testing ground for the Navy\u2019s underwater drones - C4ISRNet","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1528295.jpg.jpg","datePublished":"2018-07-08T19:21:59+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T20:13:10+00:00","description":"For the past 100 years, Keyport has been home to one of Navy\u2019s primary efforts to research, develop and test torpedoes, which earned the small, waterfront community the moniker of \u201cTorpedo Town, U.S.A.\u201d","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1528295.jpg.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1528295.jpg.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/2018\/07\/08\/why-washington-state-is-a-key-testing-ground-for-the-navys-underwater-drones\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/","ad_zone":"home"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Unmanned","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/unmanned\/","ad_zone":"unmanned"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Why Washington state is a key testing ground for the Navy\u2019s underwater drones"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/#website","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/","name":"C4ISRNet","description":"Media for the Intelligence-Age Military | C4ISRNET","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/#organization","name":"C4ISRNet","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/c4isrnet-logo-white.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/c4isrnet-logo-white.png","caption":"C4ISRNet"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1","name":"migration","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"migration"},"url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/author\/migration\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"C4ISRNet","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet","push-errors":false,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1528295.jpg.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28936","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28936"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28936\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28939,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28936\/revisions\/28939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28936"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28936"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28936"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/c4isrnet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=28936"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}