The Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) has successfully simulated the Coanda effect using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) – which may help improve low-speed maneuverability of ships and planes. The engineers demonstrated that by blowing air out of a strategically located slot in an airfoil, the rear stagnation point could be moved further aft along the trailing edge of the airfoil, thereby increasing lift. The military has worked on a number of potential applications for this effect, such as making it possible for submarines moving at low speeds to make sharp turns. The key to the advance made by the NWSC was the use of the Reynolds stress model for predicting turbulence in the jet, which the research shows is far more accurate than the more common k-epsilon models.

The Naval Surface Warfare Center is the principal Navy resource, national focal point and international leader in surface and undersea vehicle science, ship systems and related maritime technology. A major technical component of the Naval Sea Systems Command, the Division is a source of innovative technology for other national priorities such as environment, energy and transportation. The Division is responsible for research, development, test and evaluation, fleet support, and in-service engineering for surface and undersea vehicles, including hull, machinery and electrical systems, and propulsors. It conducts logistics research and development, and provides support to the Maritime Administration and the maritime industry. The technical leadership areas of the Carderock Division include materials, structures, ship protection systems, vehicle concepts, hydrodynamics, acoustic and electromagnetic signatures, environmental protection systems, and logistics.