More than 300 people filled the Flight Deck at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst (NAWCAD LKE) on Oct. 4 for an open house exposition showcasing the work they do and the capabilities they develop in support of the warfighter. 

The event featured approx. 40 indoor and outdoor exhibits as well as a series of focused presentations. Among the departments represented at the event were Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE), Support Equipment (SE), Prototype, Manufacturing and Test (PMT), Mission Operations and Integration (MO&I) and Procurement. 

Topics covered during the presentations included Knowledge Management, Additive Manufacturing, Unmanned Air Systems Test Integrated facilities, Digital Transformation, User Experience/User Interface and the Business of NAWCAD Lakehurst. Outdoor displays included an Aircraft Aerial Service Platform, a Land-Based Variant Air Conditioner, a Shipboard Tow Tractor, a Demineralization Cart and both the traditional Expeditionary Airfield Matting (AM2) and the potential future Prefabricated Aluminum Flat Top Nested Airfield Matting.  

“The fun part about getting together as opposed to handing out a brochure or a PowerPoint is the energy level in those rooms is phenomenal,” NAWCAD LKE Executive Director Kathleen P. Donnelly said. “Everyone’s really excited, it’s loud, people are having fun face-to-face conversations. That’s what it’s really all about, getting people together, face to face, getting to know one another, and then understanding our capabilities at NAWCAD Lakehurst.”  

In addition to showing off some of the products the teams and departments work on, the event also allowed employees to learn more about rotations, mentorships, partnerships and in-house services available to support their work and future career goals.  

One of the invited guests at the event was NAWCAD Air Systems Group Director, William (Bill) Reardon. Based at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Reardon said he was excited to learn more about the work done at Lakehurst.  

“I was not aware of the extent of the production that goes on here. I was certainly aware of all the support equipment that the Lakehurst community is responsible for, but I was not aware of the amount of acquisition and production associated with those activities as well,” Reardon said.  

Reardon said he was also impressed by the work done at Lakehurst in the digital environment and its digital transformation strategy. Noting that this is a focus area across the Naval Air Warfare Centers, he said it was impressive to see how much work was already performed at Lakehurst in those areas and he believes that experience can help the overall effort.  

Despite being separated by almost 200 miles, teams from Lakehurst and Patuxent River routinely collaborate to assist the warfighter. Reardon said events like the open house can dramatically improve that effort.  

“As we look at things like the airwing of the future or North Star programs, we all have a unique role to play in that.” Reardon said. “Today, as we bring NAWCAD into the future of where we’re going from a command perspective, it’s ‘what is our identity and how are all of us going to work closer together as a community as opposed to a bunch of organizational line connections?’”  

Mechanical engineer Andrea Olarte, who started at Lakehurst less than a year ago, compared the event to a career fair where participants had a chance to learn more about the “enormity” of the scope of work being completed daily within NAWCAD Lakehurst’s walls.  

“It feels like I found where I should be because they’ve made me feel good about where I work, and they’re very friendly. And because they’re so intertwined, people reach out to you so often and look for your best interest,” Olarte said. “I get to do so many different things and wear so many different hats. I really feel like this is a place I could call home.”  

From new employees like Olarte to employees who have called Lakehurst home for decades, Donnelly said she was proud to see how everyone came together to make the event a success.  

“I’m very proud of the entire team. A lot of work goes into doing an open house. There’s a lot of planning and behind-the-scenes work, and they’re making it look seamless,” Donnelly said. “Being able to see this successfully executed just makes me very proud of everybody involved with making this a success.”