Navy awards 458 million contract to UT
Applied Research Labs to study sonar, satellite navigation, other tech.
The U.S. Navy has awarded a $458 million contract to the University of Texas’ Applied Research Laboratories for research and development aimed at advancing sonar, satellite navigation, cybersecurity and other technologies.
Work for the Navy, particularly in acoustics, has for decades been a mainstay of the Applied Research Laboratories, located at UT’s J.J. Pickle Research Campus in North Austin.
The contract includes an option which, if exercised, would bring its value to $1.1 billion over 10 years, making it the largest research con- tract in the university’s history. The initial phase is expected to be completed by September 2022, according to a Defense Department news release.
“I am proud of the work that is already underway at Applied Research Laboratories at UT, and I am looking forward to their continued contributions to our national security,” Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement.
UT President Gregory L. Fenves said the contract “demonstrates the massive impact UT research has on the world through the breadth and depth of our programs in engineering, technology, high-performance computing and applied science.”
Acoustics-related research has been a focus of the Applied Research Laboratories since World
War II, with a special emphasis on developing high-resolution sonar equipment used by the Navy to detect enemy divers, explosives planted on the hull of a ship and other hazards. In addition to its North Austin complex, the labs operate a field testing station on Lake Travis near Mansfield Dam.
The labs keep a relatively low profile, in part because some of the work is classified. Funding for the past 10 years totaled $887 million, all from federally sponsored research, according to UT. The overarching mission has been to develop science and technology that enhance national security, said Clark Penrod, the labs’ executive director for the past 18 years.
The labs employ about 400 scientists and engineers and a staff of nearly 750, with 100 students working yearround. Several lab employees years ago went on to establish some of Austin’s earliest high-tech companies, including Tracor and National Instruments.
The new contract will be administered by the Naval Sea Systems Command, which engineers, builds, buys and maintains the Navy’s ships and submarines, as well as those vessels’ combat systems.
The UT labs’ assignments under the contract include improving high-resolution, hand-held sonar devices used by divers; advancing signal processing for tracking submarines; developing rugged instruments to survey ocean and atmospheric environments for threats; improving satellite navigation and global positioning systems; improving technology for detecting advanced cybersecurity threats; and developing technology to aid in the review, redaction and release of sensitive documents.