Team Crane Takes Mission to Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 16, 2025)— Applied Research Institute (ARI), Crane Regional Defense Group (CRDG) and Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) held the annual Team Crane Congressional Breakfast and Reception June 3 - 4 in the nation’s capital. The events brought together government leaders, defense and technology firms and academia partnerships to learn about critical updates and developments across Indiana’s growing defense ecosystem.

Indiana Senators Jim Banks and Todd Young, and Indiana Congressman Mark Messmer and Congresswoman Erin Houchin hosted the breakfast, sponsored by ARI, the Crane Regional Defense Group, the Federal Manager’s Association (FMA) Crane Chapter 170, and the IEDC. 

“What the Crane team does every single day is vital, absolutely vital, to ensure we never lose our technological edge across expeditionary warfare, electronic warfare, and strategic missions,” shared keynote speaker Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander of the United States Fleet Force Command, during the Crane Congressional Breakfast. Adm. Caudle, who also serves as the commander of Naval Forces Northern Command and as the commander of Naval Forces Strategic Command, went on to describe three main areas in which NSA Crane supports national defense initiatives: “Crane acts as a hub [for] program officers, industry partners, academia, and … the end users of the fleet; Crane understands the velocity of modern warfare; [and Crane] brings unmatched technical depth, [pairing] it with a nuanced understanding of mission need.” 

Leadership from Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane, the largest tenant at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Crane and a naval laboratory and field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), also attended this year’s Congressional Breakfast and Reception. 

“At the Team Crane Congressional Breakfast we have the opportunity to hear firsthand from our customers and stakeholders on the value of Crane and the critical role we play in supporting the Navy and DoD,” said Dr. Angela Lewis (SES), NSWC Crane Technical Director. She continued, “We take pride in the fact that when customers come to Crane for help, they are not just getting Crane’s experts, but access to the entirety of our innovation ecosystem of incredible partners in industry, academia, and other government organizations. We were honored to hear about Crane’s impact from representatives from Indiana’s Congressional delegation, the Navy Strategic Systems Programs, Program Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO-IWS), the Joint Munitions Command, and US Fleet Forces Command— we look forward to continued collaboration and partnership in supporting our nation’s warfighters.”

NSWC Crane fosters its innovation ecosystem with partner organizations to accelerate the development and transition of technical capability to the warfighter. NSWC Crane’s innovation ecosystem is composed of well over 200 different organizations. 

In addition to NSWC, Crane Army Ammunition Activity (CAAA), also attended the event. As one of the largest mission tenants at NSA Crane, CAAA plays an important role in the Crane ecosystem, focusing on supporting Army and Joint Force readiness. 

During recent remarks in the Oval Office, Senator Banks highlighted Crane’s strategic contributions to national defense, underscoring how the base innovation and technical depth are critical to preserving America’s military edge. His recognition reinforces the growing awareness in Washington of the pivotal role Crane plays across key defense missions.

David Roberts, CEO of ARI, further explained how the collaboration that NSA Crane conducts across industry partners supports local and national defense efforts. "It was truly inspiring at the Crane Congressional Breakfast to hear from our delegation about the remarkable contributions of the Crane ecosystem to national security,” he said. Roberts continued, “At Applied Research Institute, we are proud to support and engage with Crane, fostering innovation and collaboration to strengthen our nation's defense. These discussions reinforce our commitment to driving impactful solutions together."

For the fourth year, CRDG hosted the Crane Congressional Reception— with the help from its sponsor IEDC— the evening before the breakfast. This annual networking event is hosted in downtown Washington, and it brought together over 170 defense industry peers, academia, and government officials to discuss the current state of defense and future collaboration opportunities. CRDG officers and members were available to discuss the organization’s role in the southern Indiana community as an effort to expand community support and advocate for Crane at local and federal levels. 

“Having the opportunity to host the networking reception, as well as emcee the Congressional Breakfast, is an honor for our organization,” said Kent Parisien, President of CRDG. “As our organization continues to grow, our goal of supporting the mission areas of NSA Crane and advocating for them at the local and federal level remains paramount. This year’s reception, which was the largest we have held yet, showcases how our members and partners remain committed to elevating the strategic value of Crane and the southern Indiana defense ecosystem.” 

As the annual event continues to gain momentum, industry leaders, local and federal legislators, and academia will continue to support the warfighter, enhancing their capabilities to leverage diverse workforce expertise, state-of-the-art laboratories, and hi-technology equipment to be advantageous over the Nation’s adversaries. Organizers look forward to the collaboration and innovation to come from the connections made, as well as another successful event in 2026.

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ABOUT APPLIED RESEARCH INSTITUTE:

Applied Research Institute (ARI) is a non-profit, non-partisan leader in technology innovation and strategy. ARI serves as an innovation partner for state, local, and federal organizations, managing complex technology projects from start to finish, and collaborating with cross-sectional partners from a variety of industries – all with the goal of transforming ideas into results. Through our network of 200+ partnerships across industry, academia, and government, ARI is uniquely positioned to solve emerging technical and national security challenges in advanced technology areas such as hypersonics, cyber-physical systems, trusted microelectronics, and artificial intelligence. For more information visit our website at https://theari.us/, or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. 

ABOUT CRANE REGIONAL DEFENSE GROUP:

Crane Regional Defense Group is a citizen-led committee that creates partnerships between chambers of commerce, county councils, financial institutions and business leaders to preserve the strategic value of Crane by supporting local outreach and legislative initiatives that protect military installations in the region and state and leverage the installation’s potential to bring economic growth to Southern Indiana.