Mitre has recently opened a Blue Tech Lab on its campus in Bedford, Massachusetts. The purpose of this lab is to expand research and development on marine technologies with the goal of ensuring national, climate, and economic security. The lab features a 620,000-gallon test tank that is specifically designed for communication and acoustic sensing studies, as well as for use with unmanned surface and undersea vehicles.

The Blue Tech Lab is intended to be a collaborative space for government, industry, and academic researchers to work on rapid prototyping, research and development, and testing initiatives. The focus areas of the lab include maritime autonomy, uncrewed underwater vehicles, climate science, and acoustic sensing and communications.

Douglas Robbins, the vice president at Mitre Labs, emphasized the lab’s potential as a national resource for maritime research and its ability to support technological innovation and collaboration. This new laboratory will also serve as the hub of Mitre’s BlueNERVE network. The network’s aim is to provide research organizations with access to maritime data and testing resources in order to drive innovation and make new discoveries in the field.

The opening ceremony for the facility was attended by Richard Spinrad, the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Rep. Seth Moulton, a representative from Massachusetts.