ARLINGTON, Va.—To strengthen collaboration with industry, while enhancing warfighter readiness and lethality, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) — to include the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and ONR’s international arm, ONR Global — will host an exhibit at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition, April 20-22, at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.
The exhibit (No. 1653) will feature ONR- and NRL-sponsored technologies, interactive displays and informational materials. In addition, ONR, NRL and ONR Global program officers and other personnel will engage with industry, government and military leaders to discuss ways to advance cutting-edge science and technology (S&T) capabilities to the Fleet and Force.
A crucial part of this outreach involves in-person engagement with industry — from conversations at the exhibit to dialogue on the showroom floor. Also, ONR objectives for effective S&T partnerships will be highlighted during industry-centric panel discussions, featuring command leaders and representatives from its Small Business and Technology Transfer offices.
“Sea-Air-Space is an opportunity for ONR, NRL and ONR Global to engage with industry and build powerful partnerships resulting in dominant warfighting capabilities that will re-shape the Navy and Marine Corps’ future,” said Chief of Naval Research (CNR) Dr. Rachel Riley.
At Sea-Air-Space this year, ONR will announce a series of Innovation Industry Days that will take place at ONR over the coming months — designed to chart the future, overcome hurdles, share priorities and continue to lead the way in developing and delivering America’s dominant warfighting capabilities.
“The Department of War and Department of the Navy guidance is clear: We are moving forward to ensure continued warfighting dominance,” said Riley.
The CNR and other ONR and NRL leaders are scheduled to participate in several panels during Sea-Air-Space:
- Monday, April 20, 3 p.m.-3:45 p.m., Command Central Stage (Booth No. 1653), Prince George’s Exhibit Hall: Capt. Randy C. Cruz, NRL commanding officer, will speak on a panel titled “Naval Research: From Discovery to Deployment, Delivering Science and Technology for Naval Dominance.” The goal of this panel is to discuss how NRL is a scientific and engineering command dedicated to research that drives innovative advances for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, from the seafloor to space and in the information domain.
- Tuesday, April 21, 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m., Potomac C: CNR Riley and Vice Chief of Naval Research Brig. Gen. Dustin J. Byrum will speak on a panel titled “From Concept to Capability: Aligning Autonomy Across our Maritime Forces.” This panel will explore how autonomous systems are redefining maritime operations — particularly joint integration efforts, operational synergy and policy alignment across military services.
- Tuesday, April 21, 3 p.m.-3:45 p.m., Command Central Stage (Booth No. 1653), Prince George’s Exhibit Hall: “Doing Biz with ONR and NRL,” moderated by ONR Mission Support Director Arveice Washington.
Some of the ONR-sponsored technologies to be highlighted at Sea-Air-Space include:
- Virtual Bridge and Nautical Trainer (VIBRaNT) — VIBRaNT is a portable, self-contained training system designed to create a realistic virtual ship’s bridge environment.
- “RF Sniffer” — Enables users to simply and easily identify radio frequency transmissions through the use of a lightweight, handheld directional device.
- Horizontal Construction App — This app allows users to perform horizontal construction (e.g., roads, landing strips) estimates with uniformity throughout the Marine Corps engineering community.
In addition to Sea-Air-Space, the Gaylord will host the Navy League’s STEM Expo on Sunday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is free and geared to students in grades 5 through 12. It will provide an introduction to naval STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) careers through workshops, hands-on activities and more. The Department of the Navy’s Naval STEM Coordination Office, located at ONR, will exhibit at the event.
Hosted by the Navy League of the United States, Sea-Air-Space is the premier maritime exposition for the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and defense industry. With 16,000 attendees and 297 senior federal executives and flag officers, the conference brings together senior military leadership, government decision makers, industry partners and research institutions to showcase emerging technologies, discuss operational challenges and highlight priorities across naval warfare domains.