One advantage of having an OCEANS conference along the Gulf Coast is the ability to highlight the important work going on in the area that is oftentimes overlooked. Across the coast is a myriad of organizations focused on operational oceanography. This is the place where the rubber meets the road for research efforts – where they make a difference in a mission, project, or daily operation.
Since 2017, the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command has held their ANTX Demo Day in conjunction with Marine Technology Society events. OCEANS 2023 will provide the results of ANTX exercises as part of the Thursday program.
What’s ANTX? It’s the Advanced Naval Technology Exercise. It’s the process by which the Navy and their partners test new technologies in real-world mission scenarios (called vignettes) to see the advantages of integrating that technology permanently into that mission (other others).
For example, the Navy had a need for improved current meter measurements in Arctic regions taken by unmanned systems. An improved Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler from Nortek was tested on an Iver (L3 Ocean Server). Visit their table at ANTX to see how things turned out!
In working with partner NASA, Navy environmental models were used to assist in the splashdown of the Orion capsule following the Artemis I unmanned mission. The planned location was modified by 200 miles to avoid hazardous weather.
NOAA is another important partner in the ANTX tests, with three vignettes spotlighted during OCEANS 2023. One investigates the use of uncrewed systems from Saildrone to assess issues with deployed buoys across the world’s oceans.
The results of these and other vignettes will be detailed as part of OCEANS 2023. This part of the conference will kick off with a panel featuring our two Honorary Federal Co-Chairs, the Navy’s Admiral Ron Piret and NOAA’s Dr. William Burnett. Conference attendees will then be shuttled to the Port of Gulfport’s new Roger Wicker Ocean Enterprise Facility. The University of Southern Mississippi will serve as the host for ANTX results displays. They invite you to tour the building as well – it will be ready as leased space to companies supporting the Blue Economy beginning in October.
Please note that registration for the conference is required for this event. Click the registration button below to register. The ANTX event will take place beyond the gates at the Port of Gulfport and attendees will be shuttled from the Mississippi Coast Convention Center to the Port. Unbadged individuals will not be able to access the area.
