Former Commanding Officer Capt. Matthew Tardy (right) sits with New Commanding Officer Capt. Christopher Matassa during the Change of Command Ceremony at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division in West Bethesda, Md., on July 17, 2024. (U.S. Navy photo by Chalene Simmons) Carderock is one of the Navy’s pre-eminent research and development facilities that specializes in critical ship design components headquartered in West Bethesda, Maryland. The Carderock Division supports small-scale model testing and evaluation of next-generation surface ships and underwater vessels.