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Navy Undersea War Lab

Navy Underwater Warfare Lab - New London

The Division of War Research and Harvard Underwater Sound Laboratory, were both established in 1941. During World War II, the Columbia Laboratory developed passive detection devices and Harvard produced active ASW sonar devices. In 1945, the Harvard Laboratory sonar functions were merged with the Columbia Laboratory in New London, CT, to establish the Naval Underwater Sound Laboratory.

Work performed at these laboratories formed the foundation for understanding the nature and behavior of underwater sound. In the 1970s, the Naval  Underwater Weapons Research and Engineering  Station and the Naval Underwater Sound Laboratory  were merged to create the Naval Underwater Systems Center (NUSC) in Newport, RI and New London, CT. NUSC continued the tradition of excellence in the areas of submarine warfare systems, submarine weapon systems, and surface ship sonar systems. The laboratory began in the early days of World War II in response to the need of combating the presence of German U-boats in the North Atlantic. A single building was erected at Fort Trumbull for the Columbia University Division of War Research under the sponsorship of the National Defense Research Committee (NDRC).  At the same time, a similar group known as the Harvard Underwater Sound Laboratory was established in Cambridge, Mass.   Development work at the CT lab included surface craft and aircraft listening equipment, ordnance, and echo-ranging equipment.  The highly successful radio sonobuoy and submarine-installed listening sonars were developed at Fort Trumbull. 

     After the war, in 1944, the various laboratories’ work was continued under Navy control, and in 1945, New London’s Columbia and Harvard's laboratory were merged to form the Navy Underwater Sound Laboratory (NUSL) at Fort Trumbull. 

    Between 1950 and 1969 R&D focused on new scientific problems posed by the development of atomic submarines and guided missiles.  NUSL had a definitive role in submarine sonar and radio communication systems and antisubmarine sonar systems for surface craft.  Efforts also included ocean surveillance systems for continental defense against missile-launching submarines, underwater acoustic research, and Polaris command communications.  Expanded research activities at the site necessitated alterations to many of the old buildings and the construction of additional new ones.  In 1970 the New London facilities were combined with undersea research and development activities in Newport, Rhode Island into a single center where the technological expertise for underwater systems could provide an organization with extensive combat control and communication expertise.  The result of this combination was the Naval Underwater Systems Center (NUSC).   In 1992, the Naval Underwater Systems Center was absorbed by a newly created Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) with major divisions in Newport, Rhode Island and Keyport Washington.  At that time, the New London Laboratory was redesignated as the New London Detachment of NUWC.  With the close of the Cold War, the Navy consolidated the operations of the New London facility with its Newport, R.I. Facility.  In 1996 the Navy closed the New London laboratory, and several years later the property was transferred to the State of Connecticut which invested $25 million to bring Fort Trumbull back to the condition it was in a century ago prior to its grand opening as the state's newest park in June of 2000.

 

 This was the principal sonar research facility operated by the Navy, and worked in close cooperation with the Naval Submarine Base and Electric Boat shipyard, both located across the Thames River in Groton.  Sound Lab personnel gained international recognition for their pioneering work in acoustics and applied their expertise to develop and introduce into the U.S. Fleet advanced high-performance sonar suites for both submarines and surface vessels.  The Laboratory was also involved in the development of periscopes and non-acoustic sensors used on submarines, providing at one location an expertise in all aspects of detection.  The broad mix of talent covered a spectrum ranging from theoretical acoustic research, computerized system and warfare analysis and simulation, through fleet introduction and check-out of new sonar suites.  This provided a core of resident expertise that was at the forefront of the evolution of modern antisubmarine warfare sensor systems. 

 

The efforts of the New London Laboratory began in the early days of World War II in response to the presence of German U-boats in the North Atlantic which generated a requirement for an effective means of combating that threat.  In response to this requirement, a small building was erected at Fort Trumbull for the Columbia University Division of War Research under the sponsorship of the National Defense Research Committee (NDRC).  Concurrently, a similar group known as the Harvard Underwater Sound Laboratory was established in Cambridge, Mass.   Development work at New London in the period from April 1941 to August 1943 included aircraft listening equipment, ordnance, surface craft listening and echo-ranging equipment.  The highly successful radio sonobuoy and submarine-installed listening sonars were developed at Fort Trumbull.  Concurrently, the work at Harvard was directed toward active antisubmarine warfare scanning equipment.  The term “SONAR” (S Ound Navigation And Ranging) originated there.  Their efforts resulted in numerous devices and equipment, radically new in design and function, that ultimately reduced the threat to shipping in the Atlantic and changed the nature of warfare in the Pacific.  After the war, in 1944, the university laboratories’ work was continued under Navy cognizance, and in 1945, Harvard and New London’s Columbia laboratory were merged to form the Navy Underwater Sound Laboratory (NUSL) at Fort Trumbull. 

 

During the 1950s and 1960s, New London’s Research and Development focused on new scientific problems posed by the development of nuclear submarines and guided missiles.  NUSL had a definitive role in submarine sonar and radio communication systems and antisubmarine sonar systems for surface craft.  Efforts also included ocean surveillance systems for continental defense against missile-launching submarines, underwater acoustic research, and Polaris command communications.  Expanded research activities at the site necessitated alterations to many of the old buildings and the construction of additional new ones.  In 1970 the New London facilities were combined with undersea research and development activities in Newport, Rhode Island into a single center where the technological expertise for underwater systems could provide an organization with extensive combat control and communication expertise.  The result of this combination was the Naval Underwater Systems Center (NUSC).   In 1992, the Naval Underwater Systems Center was absorbed by a newly created Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) with major divisions in Newport, Rhode Island and Keyport Washington.  At that time, the New London Laboratory was redesignated as the New London Detachment of NUWC.  With the close of the Cold War, the Navy consolidated the operations of the New London facility with its Newport, R.I. Facility.  In 1996 the Navy closed the New London laboratory, and several years later the property was transferred to the State of Connecticut which invested $25 million to bring Fort Trumbull back to the condition it was in a century ago prior to its grand opening as the state's newest park in June of 2000.

 

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