Mitre 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.

In addition to being a hub for research organizations working on new discoveries in the field of marine technology, the laboratory will also serve as the centerpiece of Mitre’s BlueNERVE network. This network aims to provide access to maritime data and testing resources for organizations looking to drive innovation in their research efforts. The opening ceremony for the facility was attended by Richard Spinrad, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as well as Representative Seth Moulton from Massachusetts.