Article

Rear Adm. Melvin R. Smith, commander of Submarine Group Two, visited the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport on December 11.

His visit included briefings on undersea technologies and a holiday gathering with the workforce. Smith oversees the U.S. Navy's Undersea Hybrid Fleet Executive Steering Group, which focuses on developing undersea robotic autonomous systems (URAS) for the fleet.

During his visit, he emphasized the importance of foundational research at NUWC, acknowledging that only a small fraction of technical concepts transition into operational capabilities. He committed to improving recognition of the team's contributions to the Navy's operational success. Smith's agenda included discussions with senior leaders on Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) partnerships and a waterfront tour of Experimental Payload Group capabilities.