Innovation in the Heartland: S²MARTS Supports Strategic Mission Advancements at Crane’s C2M Event

/EIN News/ -- LOS ANGELES, May 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Crane Regional Defense Group hosted its annual Connect to Mission (C2M) event at the WestGate Academy last week in Odon, Indiana, spotlighting the strategic priorities of NSWC Crane’s Global Deterrence & Defense Department. The event served as a high-impact forum for collaboration among defense leaders, elected officials, and industry partners working to advance U.S. strategic mission capabilities.

The Strategic and Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S²MARTS) Other Transaction Authority (OTA), managed by the National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL), played a key role in the event by supporting NSWC Crane in facilitating meaningful discussions around current and future defense acquisition needs. The S²MARTS team engaged in 13 focused networking discussions with prospective industry partners, fostering connections and laying the groundwork for agile prototyping pathways that accelerate delivery and innovative solutions through the OTA model.

“Events like Connect to Mission are critical to aligning government and industry around urgent national security priorities,” said Tony Kestranek, VP of NSTXL, S²MARTS. “By helping NSWC Crane connect with non-traditional innovators, S²MARTS enables faster, more collaborative approaches to solving critical challenges – not just nationally, but right here in Southern Indiana. These conversations aren’t just networking, they’re where the next generation of solutions takes shape.”

C2M 2025 emphasized Southern Indiana’s unique value as a regional innovation hub, bringing together talent across the defense industrial base. With participation from 13 NSWC Crane offices and 11 key industry partners, the event generated new opportunities for technical collaboration, workforce development, and long-term economic impact in the area surrounding Crane, Indiana.

Guest speakers included Dr. Angie Lewis, Technical Director at NSWC Crane; Greg Goode, State Director for U.S. Senator Todd Young and Indiana State Senator; along with technical leaders from various Crane divisions including Strategic Microelectronics, Trusted Microelectronics, and Strategic Systems Guidance Navigation & Control.

The presence and active engagement of the S²MARTS team demonstrated how agile acquisition vehicles like OTAs are becoming essential tools in bridging the gap between government requirements and innovative commercial solutions. Through C2M and ongoing collaboration, NSTXL and NSWC Crane are helping to accelerate technology development that supports the nation’s most critical strategic deterrence and spectrum missions—while also fueling growth in Indiana’s defense innovation ecosystem.

About S²MARTS
The Strategic & Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S²MARTS), managed by NSTXL, is the premier rapid OT contracting vehicle for the Department of Defense (DoD) in trusted microelectronics, strategic & spectrum mission, and other critical mission areas. The Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Crane Division created S²MARTS to grow and engage an elite network of innovators, shorten the path to defense prototype development, and advance national security efforts.

For media inquiries contact:
press@nstxl.org