NSWC Crane Experts Bolster Joint Service Readiness at Premier EOD Competition
In a powerful demonstration of joint-service collaboration, technical experts from Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) provided critical support to the nation's top Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams at the recent Air Force EOD Team of the Year (ToTY) competition.
For the third consecutive year, NSWC Crane’s subject matter experts were instrumental in shaping a high-stakes, realistic training environment that pushes elite operators from the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, and Navy to the peak of operational readiness.
“The on-site presence of NSWC Crane’s subject matter experts at the EOD Team of the Year was a massive force multiplier. Their comprehensive ECM training and top-tier equipment allowed our teams to bridge the gap between complex theory and real-world application,” said MSgt. Jason Ostberg, USAF EOD, Team of the Year Lead Planner. “Having their continuous guidance during practical exercises not only elevated the quality of the competition but was absolutely instrumental to our overall success.”
![]()This competition challenges teams with a series of intense, simulated real-world scenarios designed to test the setup, employment, and effective use of their specialized equipment. One of the most demanding training "lanes" focuses on defeating Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Devices (RCIEDs), a persistent threat on the modern battlefield.
It is in this critical area that NSWC Crane's personnel shine. A specialized team of instructors, technicians, and engineers from NSWC Crane provided hands-on support for the Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) system. Their mission was to keep the systems in peak operational condition during high tempo use and providing advanced training for operators.
![]()The high stakes, and rugged environmental conditions EOD ToTY competition provides, gives us real world information and stress testing on the JCREW system,” said Alex Finnigan, NSWC Crane Team Lead for USAF EOD ToTY. “The NSWC Crane team successfully trained a huge cross-join service group in implementation, best practices, and took feedback back to the engineering side to better improve the system in the future iterations of software, hardware, and mission development.”
The collaboration is a two-way street, creating a powerful feedback loop that ultimately benefits the men and women on the front lines. EOD operators receive direct access to the engineers and technicians behind the equipment, increasing their confidence and proficiency with the JCREW system. They can ask advanced technical questions and receive pre- and post-scenario training on the real-world effects of Radio Frequency (RF) energy, effects invisible to the naked eye.
In return, the NSWC Crane experts gain critical insights that go beyond what can be replicated in a lab. By observing the equipment under realistic operational stress and hearing directly from the end-users, they learn about field deployment techniques, environmental challenges, and operator experiences. This direct feedback allows them to produce a better, more capable system, ensuring that those tasked with the dangerous mission of disarming explosive threats have the most effective tools possible. NSWC Crane’s continued involvement has not only sharpened the skills of the nation's EOD technicians but also increased awareness and acceptance of the system across all branches of the military.
“Events like this are invaluable,” said Michael J Lewis, EOD AF Team member. “With Army, Navy, and Marine Corp EOD techs all participating alongside Air Force, some folks who don't normally get to use JCREW get the chance to gain confidence in a piece of kit they may have to use one day when deployed.”
About NSWC Crane |NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with mission areas in Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions and Electromagnetic Warfare. The warfare center is responsible for multi-domain, multi-spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today's Warfighter.
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