NSSC Hosts First Naval Systems Engineering Symposium 2014

The Philippines Naval Sea Systems Command (NSSC) hosted the first Naval Systems Engineering (NSE) Symposium 2014last 28 November 2014 aboard the NSSC Multi-Purpose Hall, Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Station Pascual Ledesma, Fort San Felipe, Cavite City.

The theme for the symposium was: “Naval Systems Engineers: Providing quality and integrated systems management services in order to support the Fleet-Marine Tea.”

The Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, RADM LEOPOLDO M ALANO AFP, have deemed it necessary that a gathering of minds be undertaken by NSE Officers as a family this year, for updating on strategies, idea sharing through gathering of lessons-learned for the past years, and strengthening of bond as NSE specialists.

The NSE Symposium 2014 was attended by the NSE Officers of the Philippine Navy, a group of Officers designated to provide administration and management of naval resources to provide quality and integrated sea systems services in order to support naval operations. This group of officers was provided with information through: policy dissemination by the staff from HPN; sharing of experiences through private and public best practices in hull, machinery and electrical systems engineering by private shipyard and technical inspection managers and naval architecture and marine engineer practitioner; and ideas and knowledge for weapons, electronic communications, and information systems engineers on present and future capabilities of the Philippine Navy by the proponents and subject matter experts. The information that they were provided and ideas they shared can ensure that they could administer and manage the limited resources of the navy efficiently and effectively as required by the stakeholders.

The Symposium was envisioned as a training activity, a training venue for the participants, and was facilitated by the Naval Sea Systems Training Center under CDR LEMUEL E ESPARTINEZ PN(GSC). The Symposium provided the different Maintenance and Repair Officers and Weapons, Communications and Information Systems Engineers, an update and shared knowledge in their field of expertise. This is with the end-state that the Fleet-Marine team, the Combat Engineers and those in the Naval Intelligence, will have the ready operational sea and air assets that they require.

The Command invited the following HPN Staffs: Assistant Chief of Naval Staff for Plans and Programs, N5; Assistant Chief of Naval Staff for Communications, Electronics and Information Systems, N6; and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff for Ships and Yards, N10 (represented by the Deputy N10) who shared higher headquarters relevant policies and dissemination son PN Defense Capability Programs as direction sharing for the Systems Engineers.

Further, the Symposium had invited speakers who have established names in the industry and excelled in providing quality products and services locally and internationally, these representatives came from the following companies: For Hull Machinery and Electrical are: Herma Shipyard Inc. – Mark Glenn D. Millan, Executive Vice-President; Porta Vaga Marine Services – CDR NORMAN R BIOLA PN(RES)(MNSA); and, Seasafe Inspection and Marine Services – Engineer Willian B. Hernandez, President; For Weapons are: MBDA of France – Ms. Corinne Pommier, MBDA Logistics Executive; and, Terma Asia Pacific Singapore Pte Ltd – Mr. Jesper Tolstrup, Vice-President; For Information Systems; INDRA Company of Spain – Mr. Manuel Rodriguez Cerezo, Director; and Fire Eye Inc – Mr. Ronald Javine Ong, Territory Manager and Solutions Consultant.

The NSE Field of Specialty Administrator through the Deputy Commander, NSSC CAPT JANDE S FRANCISCO PN(GSC) also gave a snapshot of the NSE capability development and management framework for NSE FOS as a career advice for the NSE Officers and practitioners.

The objectives of the symposium were met for the participants. They were given information on the latest policies and directions of the Philippine Navy, information on the latest technology and practices on Repair Management, Inspection Procedures and Importance of Maintenance on Planning, Design and Alterations, Importance of Technical Inspections, Missile Logistics Practices, maintenance procedures, Roles on Electronic Warfare and Cyber-Security, and directions of moving forward by the NSE Field of Specialty Board. The outcome of this Symposium had helped them draw together new inputs on how to undertake the maintenance and repair support services which will enable them to provide their stakeholders with efficient and quality support.

The Flag Officer In Command, VADM JESUS C MILLAN AFP, graced the occasion in the afternoon as the Keynote Speaker during the closing of the Symposium. The FOIC, PN emphasized in his remarks the need of an efficient and responsive systems engineer to sustain the readiness and competitiveness of the navy, especially the readiness of navy ships for sea to defend their maritime nation. He further challenged the Naval Systems Engineers and Technical Advisers to “keep abreast of the changing technology so that our navy will become more competitive and sustained.”

The NSE Symposium has set the baseline to further improve the capacity and capability of technical skills practitioners and managers of the Navy. NSSC, as the NSE FOS Administrator, and feedback from Ship Systems Engineers believes that the NS Engineers and Advisers need to have more of these activities (i.e. symposia) to be fully equipped and highly effective and efficient as maintenance and repair and technical assistance providers in order to address further the technical requirements of the Fleet-Marine Team.

Press Release