Tech Innovation Award To RSL Fiber Systems

RSL Fiber Systems, LLC, an East Hartford, Connecticut-based manufacturer of advanced lighting solutions and illumination systems for commercial and military applications, has earned its second major award in three months with its receipt of the 2010 North American Technology Innovation of the Year Award in Remote Source Lighting, presented by internationally-renowned research leader Frost & Sullivan.

The annual“best practices” awards recognize companies in a wide variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, independent analysis and extensive secondary research.

RSL will accept the award on Feb. 9 at Frost & Sullivan’s 2011 Excellence in Best Practices Awards Banquet in New Orleans.

The company was chosen for the award based upon an extensive and independent analysis by researchers of today’s remote source lighting market. In general terms, remote source lighting refers to the method by which high-performance light is delivered to any number of hard-to-reach destinations, usually in a hazardous work environment, from a remotely located source.

Remote source lighting generates light in one location and delivers it to another – 1,000 or more feet away – via fiber optic cable. The technology is safe, efficient, low maintenance and durable.

The company is the sole-source provider of remote source lighting applications for the U.S. Navy for shipboard use on the Navy experimental craft Sea Fighter, the LPD 17 and the DDG 1000 stealth class ships. Since 2005, RSL has installed some 50 high-performance fiber optic lighting systems on Navy ships, including signaling and navigation lights for the USS New York, one of the Navy’s newest vessels with the keel built using steel from the World Trade Center.

RSL and its proprietary technology are moving into new markets including mining and mine safety, first responders, homeland security, energy and chemical industries, luxury yachts and commercial ships, renewable energy and more.

In 2010, the company was named the state’s leading Connecticut technology company in revenue growth in the advanced manufacturing category by the Connecticut Technology Council and Marcum, LLP. RSL has also earned the Silver Connecticut Quality Innovation Award, and been nominated for “Business of the Year” by the Greater Hartford Chamber of Commerce.

A division of Skyler Technologies Group, more about the company may be found at www.rslfibersystems.com.

USN Neighbor, Submarine Base NL at Groton

It's easy to overlook what's in your own neighborhood.

The world arrives in Connecticut for the Naval Submarine Base New London at Groton, the U.S. Navy's first submarine base and "Home of the Submarine Force."

The state bond commission approved $7.65 million in grants for the United States Navy to fund infrastructure upgrades at the base, located on the east side of Thames River, and homeport to 17 attack submarines.

The main base occupies more than 687 acres and is home to more than 530 acres of family housing and supports more than 70 tenant commands including Commander Submarine Group 2, Naval Submarine School, Naval Submarine Support Facility, three submarine squadron staffs, and the housing and support facilities for more than 21,000 civilian workers, active-duty service members and their families.

Funds of $4.65 million are earmarked for upgrades to the Sub Base’s diver facility, and $3 million goes toward replacing the base’s power plant boilers.

The funds are part of $40 million set aside for infrastructure improvements on the base.

The Pentagon proposed closing the base during the 2005 Defense Base Closure and Realignment process. Groton scored low on its “military value” to the Department of Defense, but an independent commission overruled the Pentagon.

”The submarine base has an annual economic impact that can be measured in billions of dollars, and we want to do all we can to keep it off of future closure lists,” according to Governor Rell. “We feel that we have come up with a creative way to accomplish that goal.”

State economists estimate that the 31,500 jobs are connected in some way to the base operations.

Nearby Electric Boat Corporation, a division of General Dynamics, makes and repairs submarines.

The Navy decides on a case-by-case basis whether to accept money from a state, under Title 10 of the U.S. Code, which outlines the role of the armed forces.

In 1868, the State of Connecticut gave the Navy 112 acres of land along the Thames River to build a Naval Station. Due to a lack of federal funding, it was not until 1872 that two brick buildings and a T-shaped pier were constructed and officially declared a Navy Yard. This new yard was primarily used as a coaling station by Atlantic Fleet small craft, according to the official history of the base.