Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division The United States Naval Surface Warfare Center , Dahlgren Division ( NSWCDD ) , named for Rear Admiral John A . Dahlgren , is located in Dahlgren , Virginia and is part of the Naval Surface Warfare Center . The NSWCDD was founded as the U . S . Naval Proving Ground on October 16 , 1918 , as a result of the expanded range on large caliber naval guns brought about by the launching of the British battleship HMS Dreadnought that revolutionized seapower , but was renamed some time after 1950 to the U . S . Naval Weapons Laboratory . In 1974 , it was renamed the Naval Surface Weapons Center , and obtained its current name around 1990 . NSWCDD consists of two organizations : The NSWC Dahlgren Lab ( NSWCDL ) in Dahlgren , Virginia and the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dam Neck ( NSWCDN ) , in Virginia Beach , Virginia . NSWCDD employs approximately 2400 scientists & engineers at the Dalhgren organization . Prior to 2007 , Panama City Coastal Systems Station located at the Naval Support Activity Panama City was part of Dahlgren Division . As of 2008 it became its own division within the Naval Surface Warfare Centers . The physical base where NSWCDD is located became officially known the Naval Support Activity South Potomac ( NSASP ) ca . 2003 . The name " NSWCDD " or " NSWC " is still commonly used to refer to the base . The base commander is no longer a secondary function of the Commander of NSWCDD . A tenant command located aboard the base is Joint Warfare Analysis Center . Another tenant command located aboard the base is involved in the training and development for the Aegis Combat System , and training and development for other future shipboard combat systems . NSWCDD was previously home to Naval Space Surveillance System Command before that function was transferred to the Air Force in 2004 . The base is recognized by the Census Bureau as a census - designated place ( CDP ) , Dahlgren Center . Its population as of the 2010 Census was 599 . It is entirely distinct from Dahlgren CDP , to the west . Research . NSWCDD conducts basic research in all systems - related areas and pursues scientific disciplines including biotechnology , chemistry , mathematics , laser and computer technology , chemical , mechanical , electrical and systems engineering , physics and computer science . Distinguished figures who have worked for the NSWCDD include physicists Albert Einstein , Edward Teller , Carl Norden , and computer pioneers Howard Aiken and Grace Hopper . Engineering projects of historical or military significance developed at NSWC Dahlgren include the triggering device on the Hiroshima atomic bomb , the Norden Bombsight used on most American bombers such as the B - 17 Flying Fortress , B - 24 Liberator and B - 29 Superfortress during World War II , the Standard missile used on modern United States Navy warships , and the warhead for the AIM - 54 Phoenix . Current projects include the majority of US research into directed - energy weapons , railgun technology and weapons integration for the Littoral combat ship . Literature . The history of the Dahlgren naval base was documented in the 2007 book , " The Sound of Freedom : Naval Weapons Technology at Dahlgren , VA 1918 - 2006 " by James P . Rife and Rodney P . Carlisle .