The Coast Guard Research & Development Center and the Connecticut Military Department have signed an agreement that allows for collaboration in areas such as cyber, intelligence and Arctic operations.

Maj. Gen. Fran Evon, the adjutant general and commanding officer of the Connecticut National Guard, and Capt. Gregory Rothrock, commander of the R&D Center, said the memorandum of understanding signed March 29 will pave the way for the two organizations to explore mutually beneficial partnerships.

To start, the Connecticut National Guard has invited the R&D Center to participate in a regional cyber exercise this summer, and the center is exploring collaboration with the Air National Guard on deployment and testing of buoys used by the Coast Guard International Ice Patrol.

The Connecticut Military Department consists of the Connecticut Army National Guard, Connecticut Air National Guard and the Governor's Foot and Horse Guard Units of the State Militia. In total, the organization encompasses more than 5,000 Guardsmen, Militia Members and Employees.

The R&D Center, located in New London's Fort Trumbull neighborhood, is the Coast Guard's primary facility performing research, development, and test and evaluation in support of the service's major missions.

Connecticut is the second state National Guard to partner with the R&D Center, which reached an agreement with the Ohio National Guard in 2018.

In the past year, the R&D center has entered into similar agreements with the Air Force Research Lab, the Naval Postgraduate School and the Army Research Lab.