ONR aims to expand industry partnerships at Sea-Air-Space

The Office of Naval Research is bringing a broad slate of programs and prototypes to the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space exposition at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, April 20-22, in a push to deepen industry collaboration and speed new capabilities to sailors and Marines. ONR’s presence will include the Naval Research Laboratory and ONR Global.

At Booth 1653, ONR and NRL will showcase sponsored technologies alongside interactive demos and program information. Program officers and other staff plan to meet with industry, government and military leaders throughout the show to identify opportunities to transition science and technology to the Fleet and Force, with an emphasis on face-to-face engagement and industry-focused discussions featuring command leadership and representatives from 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.

ONR also intends to unveil a series of Innovation Industry Days to be hosted at ONR over the coming months, aimed at setting future direction, addressing obstacles, sharing priorities and accelerating delivery of advanced combat capability. “The Department of War and Department of the Navy guidance is clear: We are moving forward to ensure continued warfighting dominance,” said Riley.

Leaders from ONR and NRL are slated to participate in multiple sessions during the conference:
– 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, joins a panel titled “Naval Research: From Discovery to Deployment, Delivering Science and Technology for Naval Dominance,” focused on how NRL advances Navy and Marine Corps capabilities from undersea to space and across 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 appear on “From Concept to Capability: Aligning Autonomy Across our Maritime Forces,” examining the role of autonomous systems and cross-service integration, operations and policy.
– 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.

Among the ONR-backed technologies expected on the floor:
– Virtual Bridge and Nautical Trainer (VIBRaNT) — a compact, self-contained system that simulates a ship’s bridge to support realistic seamanship training.
– “RF Sniffer” — a lightweight handheld device that helps users quickly locate and identify radio-frequency emissions.
– Horizontal Construction App — a tool to standardize and streamline estimates for projects such as roads and expeditionary airstrips across the Marine Corps engineering community.

Sea-Air-Space week will also include the Navy League’s free STEM Expo at the Gaylord on Sunday, April 19, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., geared toward students in grades 5-12 and featuring hands-on activities and workshops. The Department of the Navy’s Naval STEM Coordination Office, based at ONR, will participate.

Hosted by the Navy League of the United States, Sea-Air-Space is billed as the nation’s leading maritime exposition for the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and the defense sector. Organizers say the event draws about 16,000 attendees and 297 senior federal executives and flag officers, bringing together military leaders, government decision-makers, industry and research institutions to spotlight emerging technologies, discuss operational challenges and outline priorities across naval warfare domains.