Naval Research Lab Honored for Electromagnetic Excellence

WASHINGTON, D.C.  –   The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s (NRL) Spectrum Collaboration and Demonstration Team has been awarded the 2025 U.S. Navy - U.S. Marine Corps Electromagnetic Spectrum Team Excellence Award at WEST 2026 in San Diego, Calif., Feb. 9.

This award recognizes the team's pivotal role in advancing Naval capabilities in contested and congested electromagnetic environments.

"Spectrum superiority is a critical cornerstone of our national security, and our team’s ability to bridge the gap between complex research and tangible demonstration is exactly the kind of innovation the Navy needs," said NRL Executive Officer, Capt. Sarah Rice. "This award is a testament to the team’s technical rigor, guided by noted experts like Dr. Thomas, and NRL's ability to collaborate across disciplines to solve high-pressure problems. Their work has established a clear path for developing and evaluating the next generation of spectrum coexistence technologies crucial for naval superiority."

Over an 18-month period, the team transformed the Advanced Dynamic Spectrum Sharing Demonstration (ADSSD) Prototyping project from an emerging concept into a fully realized solicitation and award under the Department of War’s Advanced Spectrum Coexistence (ASC) portfolio.

Throughout the project, the NRL team engaged key decision-makers across the naval enterprise to align stakeholder understanding and articulate a technological path forward. The team's influence extended beyond the Navy, as they collaborated with commercial 5G operators, industry developers, and academic institutions to ensure strategic goals were met.

The team's leadership was instrumental in shaping the national discourse on spectrum coexistence. By chairing and presenting at influential panels at premier industry forums like the IEEE Military Communications Conference, they communicated the Navy's vision and technical challenges, effectively priming the innovation ecosystem to align with the Department of the Navy's priorities.

As the designated technical lead, NRL provided rigorous oversight throughout the prototype acquisition process. The team finalized the solicitation package on a compressed schedule, incorporating demanding, naval-relevant test conditions and assessment frameworks to ensure the project’s success in contested maritime environments.

The members of the award-winning team include:

• Linda Thomas, Ph.D., Superintendent, Space Systems Development Division
• Michael Walder, Superintendent , Radar Division
• Roger Christ, Associate Superintendent, Radar Division
• Joseph Molnar, Branch Head, Networks and Communication Systems
• Greg Tavik, Branch Head, Advanced Radar Systems
• Mark Haffner, Engineer, Advanced Systems Technology Branch
• Robert Wert, Engineer, Electronic Warfare Modeling and Simulation
• T. Nathan Smith, Engineer, Networks & Communication Systems Branch

“I am extremely proud of our NRL team and the impactful work they do,” said NRL Commanding Officer, Capt. Randy Cruz. “The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory has been in the business of tackling challenging problems for over 100 years, often collaborating with other services, academia, and industry partners. This award amplifies NRL's reputation within the Department of War as the Navy's corporate laboratory, where purposeful science leads to warfighter advantage. Much of this groundbreaking work is done in the shadows, with our teams simply focused on the mission.”

Through their visionary leadership and technical excellence, the NRL Spectrum Collaboration and Demonstration Team has delivered a critical milestone in the Navy’s quest for spectrum superiority that will shape naval capabilities for years to come.

About the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
NRL is a scientific and engineering command dedicated to research that drives innovative advances for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from the seafloor to space and in the information domain. NRL, located in Washington, D.C. with major field sites in Stennis Space Center, Mississippi; Key West, Florida; Monterey, California, and employs approximately 3,000 civilian scientists, engineers and support personnel.

NRL offers several mechanisms for collaborating with the broader scientific community, within and outside of the Federal government. These include Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), LP-CRADAs, Educational Partnership Agreements, agreements under the authority of 10 USC 4892, licensing agreements, FAR contracts, and other applicable agreements.
 
For more information, contact NRL Corporate Communications at NRLPAO@us.navy.mil.