Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation


Previously known as NATO Undersea Research Centre, the Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation is a scientific research and experimentation NATO facility that organizes and conducts scientific research and technology development, centered on the maritime domain, to address defense and security needs of the Alliance. It is an executive body of NATO's Science and Technology Organization.

Research areas

CMRE conducts projects in the following major research areas:
CMRE employs scientists and support staff from NATO member nations. Scientists rotate through the Centre on a contract basis with a fixed time limit.
The current Director is Dr. Catherine Warner, US CIV. The post of Deputy Director is currently unoccupied. The Chief Scientist is in charge of the scientific programme. The post of Chief Scientist is currently unoccupied.

Facilities

CMRE has two ships for conducting NATO research: the NATO Research Vessel Alliance and the Coastal Research Vessel Leonardo. The NRV Alliance is a 93-meter ship commissioned in 1988. Its double hull and propulsion system make it one of the quietest research vessels in the world. The smaller CRV Leonardo, commissioned in 2002, was designed for conducting experiments in shallower waters. In addition to supporting NURC's scientific mission, the two vessels are chartered to commercial or government organizations within the NATO nations.
CMRE has specialized facilities and equipment for research at-sea, including a fleet of AUVs and other unmanned vehicles and instrumentation, linear array assembly facilities, and the Oceanography Calibrating Laboratory, which provides instrument calibration according to the World Ocean Circulation Experiment standard.

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