Scientific Development Squadron 1 (VXS-1) is a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

military support squadron that conducts numerous single-aircraft deployments around the world in support of a wide range of airborne research projects for the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, United States Navy, U.S. Government, and its contracting agencies.

Mission statement

''"Scientific Development Squadron (VXS) 1 conducts airborne scientific experimentation and advanced technology development in worldwide operations supporting U.S. Navy and national science and technology (S&T) priorities and war fighting goals. Supporting broadly based, multidisciplinary programs across the full spectrum of scientific research and applied technologies, our focus is toward the maritime application of new and improved airborne data collection techniques, experimental equipment, and system demonstration. While directly supporting scientific programs across the globe, we ensure that our work environment provides for the learning, personal growth, and respect of all our men and women and their families."''

History

Formerly known as Flight Support Detachment, VXS-1 was established 13 December 2004, as commissioned by the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Notice 5450.

Fleet Operations

Manned by Navy officers, enlisted sailors and government and private civilian personnel, the squadron is responsible for the maintenance and security of three uniquely configured NP-3C Orion turboprop research aircraft, a Beechcraft RC-12M Guardrail aircraft, and numerous TigerShark

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers onboard, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous.De Gruyter Handbook of Dron ...

(UAVs). In 2019 VXS-1 acquired a UV-18 Twin Otter aircraft, the military equivalent of the DeHavilland DHC-6 – a high-wing, unpressurized twin engine turbine powered aircraft with fixed tricycle landing gear. Located on board the

Naval Air Station Patuxent River Naval Air Station Patuxent River , also known as NAS Pax River, is a United States naval air station in St. Mary’s County, Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay near the mouth of the Patuxent River. It is home to Headquarters, Naval Air Systems Comm ...

, Maryland, VXS-1 is responsible for the training, qualifications, and proficiency of all assigned personnel, as well as the maintenance of the research aircraft, and detachment coordination.

Missions

2004 – The Detachment supported the Antarctic Sea Ice Campaign, flying missions in and around what was formerly known as the Palmer Peninsula on the

Antarctic The Antarctic (, ; commonly ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the South Pole, lying within the Antarctic Circle. It is antipodes, diametrically opposite of the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antar ...

continent. The mission purpose was the evaluation of

spatial variability Spatial variability occurs when a quantity that is measured at different spatial locations exhibits values that differ across the locations. Spatial variability can be assessed using spatial descriptive statistics such as the range. Let us sup ...

to fully assess how accurately sea ice parameters can be derived based on a study of new ice

emissivity The emissivity of the surface of a material is its effectiveness in emitting energy as thermal radiation. Thermal radiation is electromagnetic radiation that most commonly includes both visible radiation (light) and infrared radiation, which is n ...

, heat, and salinity fluxes over coastal waters and a determination of precise locations of ice edges. 2006 – VXS-1 flew the "Rampant Lion I" survey conducted by

Naval Research Laboratory The United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is the corporate research laboratory for the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. Located in Washington, DC, it was founded in 1923 and conducts basic scientific research, appl ...

and

U.S. Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), founded as the Geological Survey, is an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior whose work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The agency was founded on March ...

scientists as part of an integrated

remote sensing Remote sensing is the acquisition of information about an physical object, object or phenomenon without making physical contact with the object, in contrast to in situ or on-site observation. The term is applied especially to acquiring inform ...

survey, mapping approximately two-thirds of the country of

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

. 2008 – The team flew "Rampant Lion II". Built on data obtained in 2006, the team's modified NP-3D Orion aircraft assisted scientists with a dual focus – developing advanced

geospatial Geographic data and information is defined in the ISO/TC 211 series of standards as data and information having an implicit or explicit association with a location relative to Earth (a geographic location or geographic position). It is also call ...

collection; and analysis techniques to support the warfighter and economic infrastructure development in Afghanistan.

References

External links

VXS-1 (Naval Research Laboratory)

NAVAIR at PAX River
{{DEFAULTSORT:VXS-1 Test squadrons of the United States Navy St. Mary's County, Maryland