Above: (July 04, 2023) Volunteers with the USS Constitution 1812 Marine Guard fire a saluting volley onboard USS Constitution during a 4th of July celebration in Boston Harbor. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Raymond Minami/Released); (July 4, 2025) – USS Constitution sails in Boston Harbor in honor of Independence Day. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Raymond Minami/Released)
Story by Steven Infanti, Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division
For more than two centuries, the USS Constitution (famously known as “Old Ironsides”) has relied on the stars, the sea, and traditional paper charts to navigate. But as the historic vessel sails through nine “America 250” fleet events in 2026, Old Ironsides is receiving a critical digital upgrade courtesy of Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD).
The USS Constitution is a wooden-hulled heavy frigate of the United States Navy and the world’s oldest commissioned warship still afloat. Launched in 1797, she played a crucial role in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812, actively defending sea lanes from 1797 to 1855. Old Ironsides was undefeated in battle, having destroyed or captured 33 enemy vessels.
“NSWCPD delivers solutions that keep ships at sea and Sailors mission-ready, whether that ship was commissioned in 1797 or 2026,” said NSWCPD Commanding Officer Capt. Ashley (Ash) Wright. “USS Constitution is a living symbol of our Navy’s heritage, and this project shows how our engineers can tailor modern capability to meet a one-of-a-kind mission while preserving a national treasure.”
The transition marks a significant milestone for both the ship and the Navy. In December 2024, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officially sunset the distribution of paper charts, making electronic charting the standard for modern maritime navigation. Today, every commissioned surface and subsurface vessel in the U.S. Navy fleet relies on a certified Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS).
NSWCPD Ship Navigation System, Navigation Critical Distribution System (NCDS) & Navy ECDIS Control Branch serves as the In-Service Engineering Agent (ISEA) for ECDIS across both the surface and, more recently, the subsurface fleets. The system provides electronic charting and navigation information that helps ship operators maintain awareness of the vessel’s position and movement. It represents a significant advancement from the manual plotting and chart-updating processes traditionally associated with paper charts.
When the USS Constitution recently transitioned to become a Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic (COMNAVSURFLANT) asset, the Type Commander (TYCOM) required the historic ship to be equipped with ECDIS to ensure navigational safety during the highly anticipated 250th birthday cruise events. However, outfitting an 18th-century wooden-hulled frigate with 21st-century technology presented a unique engineering challenge.
A traditional surface-ship ECDIS installation is designed for modern naval vessels with complex operational requirements, established shipboard configurations, and multiple layers of system resiliency. For the USS Constitution, that type of installation would have exceeded the ship’s unique mission needs and presented challenges because of the vessel’s historic design, limited space, and preservation requirements.
To meet the requirement without altering the ship’s historic integrity, the NSWCPD team developed a streamlined solution. Leveraging the flexibility of the Systems Engineering Process (SEP), the team outfitted USS Constitution with an Emergency Navigational Laptop.
“We didn’t need to reinvent the wheel. We needed to apply existing fleet technology in a smart way,” NSWCPD Ship Navigation System, NCDS & Navy ECDIS Control Technical Specialist James Vaites said. “The Emergency Navigational Laptop we provided to Constitution uses the same hardware and software carried as a critical backup across the modern surface fleet. For Old Ironsides, it gave us the real-time charting capability we needed in a compact, portable format that fit the ship’s unique mission requirements.”
The Emergency Navigational Laptop is the same technology provided to every ship in the surface fleet as a backup to its primary ECDIS in the event of an operational or power failure. For the USS Constitution, however, it serves as the ideal primary tool — delivering the necessary real-time charting and safety data in a compact, unclassified, and highly portable format.
By thinking beyond the traditional installation model, the NSWCPD team successfully met COMNAVSURFLANT’s safety requirements, equipping the Navy’s oldest commissioned warship afloat with its newest navigational standard and getting her underway on time for the Nation’s semiquincentennial celebrations.
The effort highlights NSWCPD’s role in supporting both current fleet readiness and the Navy’s historic legacy. As USS Constitution prepared to represent the Navy, Old Ironsides did so with the help of modern navigation technology adapted for one of the most unique ships in the fleet.
NSWCPD employs about 2,700 civilian engineers, scientists, technicians, and support staff. The team focuses on research and development, testing and evaluation, acquisition support, and in-service and logistics engineering for non-nuclear machinery, ship machinery systems, and related equipment and materials for Navy surface ships and submarines. NSWCPD also serves as the main organization responsible for providing cybersecurity for all ship systems.
Where Can You See the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides)?
The USS Constitution, the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat and America’s “Ship of State,” promotes the United States Navy and America’s naval heritage through educational outreach, public access and historic demonstrations both in port and underway in Boston Harbor. During normal operations, the active-duty Sailors stationed aboard USS Constitution provide free tours and welcome more than 600,000 visitors annually, supporting the ship’s mission of promoting the Navy’s history and maritime heritage, and raising awareness of the importance of a sustained naval presence.
Old Ironsides goes “Underway” in Boston Harbor at various times each year. The Ship cruises into the Harbor, stopping for a memorable 21-gun salute at Fort Independence, Castle Island.
For America’s 250th Birthday and the remainder of 2026, the following sailing dates remain:
August 21 – Chief Petty Officer Heritage Week
August 28 – Chief Petty Officer Heritage Week
September 25 – Honoring Gold Star Families
October 21 – Commemorating USS Constitution and the United States Navy’s Birthday
More information is HERE.
Located inside Boston National Historical Park as part of the Charlestown Navy Yard in Charlestown, Massachusetts and part of Boston’s Freedom Trail, the USS Constitution is open for public visitation, FREE OF CHARGE, throughout the year.
Visitors to “Old Ironsides” are able to ask questions and speak with active duty U.S. Navy Sailors assigned as members of USS Constitution’s crew, who are stationed at the ship as interpretative historians to help bring the ship’s storied past to life!
For the complete CONSTITUTION experience, visitors are also highly encouraged to explore the USS Constitution Museum, also located in Charlestown Navy Yard – just steps away from “Old Ironsides” herself!
Other nearby Charlestown attractions include the USS Cassin Young and the Bunker Hill Monument and Museum.
