The Mark 48 Mod 4 Torpedo Submarine Launch Team won the Expand the Advantage Achievement Award category in Naval Sea Systems Command Excellence Awards program in fiscal year 2023, for their outstanding efforts in demonstrating that a Mark 48 Mod 4 torpedo can still be successfully deployed from U.S. submarines, resulting in the first time that torpedo was fired from a submarine in more than 20 years. Pictured are Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport team members: Christopher S. Guinen (left photo, from left), Jeffrey R. Noia, Dylan J. Souza, William J. Roman, David R. Reynolds, Patrick M. Foster, Peter F. Bria Jr. (right photo, from left), Kyle M. Edwards, and Eric P. Bouche. Division Newport team members not pictured include Antone M. Santos, Joseph F. McSweet, Michael A. Gower, and Joseph M. Vieira. Nine NUWC Division Keyport personnel also contributed to the team’s success.

A team of 13 members from the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport has been awarded the prestigious Expand the Advantage Achievement Award for their outstanding efforts in demonstrating the successful deployment of the Mark 48 Mod 4 analog torpedo from a U.S. submarine. This marks the first time this type of torpedo has been fired from a U.S. submarine in over two decades.

The team, comprised of members from three departments, collaborated with nine NUWC Division Keyport personnel to achieve this milestone. Their efforts involved building and issuing two Mark 48 Mod 4 torpedoes to the fleet, reconstituting a Mod 4 Combat Systems Lab and weapon simulators at Division Newport, and conducting extensive testing and troubleshooting of the submarine’s existing analog torpedo launch capability. Over a month, the team visited ports to board a submarine, test its analog torpedo launch capability, and identify issues with the console hardware.

The award recognized the team’s perseverance and teamwork in overcoming numerous challenges with the old console hardware, ultimately enabling the submarine to successfully communicate with and launch two Mark 48 Mod 4 torpedoes. This success has significant implications for the torpedo enterprise, as it opens up the possibility of re-issuing Mark 48 Mod 4 torpedoes, potentially increasing the torpedo inventory while new torpedoes are being developed and delivered.

NUWC Division Newport, a top-20 Rhode Island employer, employs a diverse, highly trained, educated, and skilled workforce. We’re continuously recruiting engineers, scientists, and other STEM professionals, as well as business, finance, logistics, and other support experts who want to lead undersea research and development. Connect with NUWC Division Newport Recruiting at https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NUWC-Newport/Career-Opportunities/, LinkedIn @NUWC-Newport, and Facebook @NUWCNewport.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) assisted a What’sUpNewp journalist with the reporting included in this story.

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...