Photo Gallery

PACIFIC OCEAN

An F/A-18F Super Hornet from the “Fighting Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22, front, and an F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 137 soar over Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gridley (DDG 101) in the Pacific Ocean, April 11, 2026. Gridley is deployed with Nimitz Carrier Strike Group as part of Southern Seas 2026 which seeks to enhance capability, improve interoperability, and strengthen maritime partnerships with countries throughout the region through joint, multinational and interagency exchanges and cooperation. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy Meyer) Share

WASHINGTON D.C.

A glowing plasma inside the Large Area Plasma Processing System (LAPPS). The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory-developed LAPPS facility enables material processing with atomic-layer precision and supports the development of advanced materials for the Navy. (U.S. Navy photo) Share

WASHINGTON D.C.

U.S. Naval Research Laboratory scientists work on the Ion Ring Experiment in this archival image of the Gamble II, a system used to study high-energy plasma behavior and confinement. The research contributed to advances in fusion science and high-energy density physics. (U.S. Navy photo) Share

WASHINGTON D.C.

Six plasma guns shoot Teflon plasma towards the central axis of a plasma-filled rod pinch diode. This pulsed power device, developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, produces an intense, fast x-ray pulse, enabling new capabilities for radiography of military materials and components. (U.S. Navy photo) Share

WASHINGTON DC

Laser propagation experiments performed by U.S. Naval Research Laboratory scientists in the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Carderock Division’s David Taylor Model Basin Facility, Bethesda, Maryland. Researchers created very strong atmospheric turbulence conditions over an 800m range to study how high-intensity laser light propagates. The work supports directed energy efforts in the Navy. (U.S. Navy photo) Share

WASHINGTON D.C.

The Space Physics Simulation chamber. A large vacuum chamber that can recreate plasma conditions in space to study basic plasma physics phenomena and test hardware operation in a simulated environment before flight. (U.S. Navy photo) Share

WASHINGTON D.C.

A U.S. Naval Research Laboratory technician operates a pulsed power experimental system in this archival image of the Gamble I, supporting early research into high-energy plasma behavior and laboratory simulation of space and fusion environments. The work contributed to foundational advances in plasma scence and national defense. (U.S. Navy photo) Share

WASHINGTON D.C.

NRL Nike Laser Achieves Spot in Guinness World Records; A set of experiments conducted on the Nike krypton fluoride (KrF) laser at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) nearly five years ago has, at long last, earned the coveted Guinness World Records title for achieving “Highest Projectile Velocity” of greater than 1,000 kilometers per second (km/s), a speed equivalent to two-and-a-quarter million miles per hour. Nike Laser Target Area: James (Jim) Weaver, Yefim Aglitskiy, Jude Kessler, Dennis Brown, Victor Serlin, Steve Krafsig, Max Karasik, Lop-Yung Chan, Stephen (Steve) Terrell, Jaechul Oh; Share

WASHINGTON D.C.

A shot from the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s medium-caliber railgun. NRL continues to develop railgun science and technology for the Navy, demonstrating performance in areas including bore life and projectile energy. (U.S. Navy photo) Share

WASHINGTON D.C.

The condenser bank of the Pharos theta-pinch device, an early fusion research machine developed by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in the 1960s, is shown in this archival image. The system was used to study high-temperature plasma behavior and helped lay the foundation for modern fusion and pulsed-power research. (U.S. Navy photo) Share

WASHINGTON D.C.

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Plasma Physics Division team in 2025. (U.S. Navy photo) Share

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The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Savannah (LCS 28) departs from Naval Base San Diego for its new homeport of Portland, Ore., April 8, 2026. While Savannah is in Portland, the ship will be entering into a Docking Selected Restricted Availability (DSRA) to receive lethality and survivability upgrades. Littoral combat ships are fast, optimally manned, mission-tailored surface combatants that operate in near-shore and open-ocean environments, winning against 21st-century threats. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kassandra Alanis) Share