Sea grant — Technology transfer in marine systems

This paper presents several examples of transfer of technology from aerospace systems to marine systems, drawing on the author's personal experience with the shipboard installation of Navy guided missiles and in the area of advanced design deep submersibles. A few instances of marine technology transfer to other disciplines are also included. Emphasis is on the culture clash of advanced technology and exotic materials on a conservative, long-established, and slowly evolving body of technology represented by naval architecture and marine engineering professions. Some concluding remarks discuss the organizational and personal environment which helps or hinders these transfers, with mention of the role of “technological gatekeepers” in the sense of Thomas Allen (T. Allen: Managing the Flow of Technology, MIT Press, 1977).