NSWC Indian Head Is Mission Critical to Charles County and the Nation

The Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head (NSWC IHD) is one of Charles County’s greatest assets, as a part of the County’s major employer,  Naval Support Facility (NSF) Indian Head, and the main reason energetics-related businesses want to locate in the Town of Indian Head. On a national level, the NSWC IHD is the Department of Navy’s only arsenal and leader in energetics. Their work is critical to our national defense and protecting America’s interests at home and abroad.

NSWC IHD’s mission is to research, develop, test, evaluate, and produce energetics and energetic systems for U.S. fighting forces. There really is no modern defense system or type of weaponry that doesn’t rely on energetic materials, and that is fundamentally what Indian Head’s mission is about: to provide an advantage to our war fighters through advanced energetics.

What Are Energetics? Why Are They Important?

Energetics are a mix of chemicals that go into everything from missiles to mines to ejection seats for aircraft. They come in three main forms: explosives, which create the lethal effects in warheads; propellants, which produce thrust for missiles and rockets; and pyrotechnics, such as fireworks, which illuminate or mark targets.

Energetic materials are used in all phases of Navy operations in the air, on the surface of the ocean, or under the sea. They’re the force behind ejection seats in aircraft and the ability to drop ammunitions from the air. They give the ability to launch a torpedo, but a torpedo won’t go anywhere without torpedo fuel. The NSWC IHD is the only site in the nation where torpedo fuel is made.

Advancements in energetics mean advantages for the American soldier because they allow for increased range, increased lethality, and decreased weapon size. The conflict in Ukraine and naval weapons delivery delays highlight the need for increased energetics material production, capacity and capability from across the Navy and Department of Defense.  At the same time, the nation is facing peer competitors on a scale not seen in many decades, and NSWC IHD must rise to the occasion. As the Navy’s arsenal, NSWC IHD serves a vital role with its unique capabilities and expertise critical for wartime mobilization. The time to increase the Navy’s state of readiness is now, and the demands on the arsenal are only going to increase. 

As the Navy’s only government-owned, government-operated (GOGO) arsenal, NSWC IHD serves a vital role in the Navy’s preparation, surge, and replenishment of energetic materials and munitions required to obtain an increased state of readiness. 

Impact in Numbers

The NSWC IHD is a billion dollar business. As the Department of Defense’s (DoD) largest full-spectrum energetics facility and the Navy’s energetic enterprise leader, NSWC IHD employs a primarily Maryland-based workforce of nearly 2,700. That workforce is very capable and advanced, with 900 scientists and engineers, almost 100 PhDs, and a total 300+ combined PhDs and Masters degrees.

The NSWC IHD total Maryland FY22 payroll was $346 million, with another $44.6 million in Maryland contracts.  68% of those dollars went to Charles County employees. On base, there are 152 homes, 296 barracks rooms, and 4,000 people working there.*

Our Charles County Public Schools students benefit from a partnership with the NSWC IHD and school system where volunteers from the Naval Command share their expertise and knowledge with students at our schools and events. The Command provides judges for the school system’s Science Fair and mentors and funds robotics programs and research opportunities for high school students.

Base Behind an Energetics Renaissance

Energetics-related businesses are moving to the Town of Indian Head to be close to the NSWC IHD. The Energetics Technology Center (ETC) has had a presence since late 2006, with work primarily focused on energetics-related research and engineering projects in collaboration with the Center for Energetics Concepts Development (CECD) at the University of Maryland. Their work has expanded into adjacent fields, such as robotics, autonomous systems, and literature-based discovery. In 2020, the community celebrated the successful completion of the College of Southern Maryland’s Velocity Center, a unique facility for innovation, ideation, and collaboration for base scientists and other personnel, business, academia, and the community. The United States Bomb Technician Association (USBTA) soon moved in across the street, turning an old grocery store into the Maryland Technology Center, which is now also home to several of the USBTA’s member businesses and other base contractors. This activity is not only creating an “Energetics Renaissance” there, but revitalizing the Town of Indian Head.

Support Our Naval Base

The work carried out on the base has long proven essential to the mission of the United States military and the defense of our nation. It also has a considerable impact on our region and is drawing energetics businesses to Indian Head. Learn more about how you can support the Naval Support Facility and the Town of Indian Head on the Charles County Military Alliance Council website.

*Data was shared at the State of the Station event held January 19 at the College of Southern Maryland Velocity Center in the Town of Indian Head.