ONR unveils new science and technology strategy to shape Navy and Marine Corps innovation

The Office of Naval Research has issued a new science and technology roadmap designed to accelerate how naval innovations are prioritized, developed, and fielded for the Navy and Marine Corps amid rapid technological change and intensifying global competition.

Framed as a shift toward clearer priorities and faster delivery, the strategy centers on an approach ONR is calling “FEED at Speed.” The plan commits the organization to concentrate investments on naval-unique problems unlikely to be solved by the commercial market; require programs to clearly articulate their operational relevance and credible paths to transition; tighten coordination with acquisition leaders, operational commanders, industry, and academia; and judge success by capabilities delivered to sailors and Marines rather than demonstrations alone. It also emphasizes using artificial intelligence to compress research timelines while putting in place rigorous validation and ethical safeguards.

“In this important moment in time, we have embarked on a journey to refine how we do every part of our business — to make transparent what we are solving for, what bets we will place across our portfolio, and how we will measure whether and how they have paid off,” said Chief of Naval Research Dr. Rachel Riley.

The document highlights the need to balance immediate operational demands with longer-horizon, potentially disruptive research. It cites a set of pressures shaping the mission: accelerating technological churn, the changing character of warfare, sharper strategic competition, a surge in defense-innovation funding globally, persistent hurdles in moving prototypes to programs of record, and the challenge of managing near-, mid-, and long-term time horizons.

Under the “FEED” framework:
– Focus directs ONR to zero in on “Only ONR” challenges, apply more rigorous portfolio reviews, and divest projects that do not align with naval-unique needs, backed by defined S&T focus areas to steer long-term bets.
– Explain calls for crisper articulation of value and relevance—from the lab to the Fleet and to Congress—so each effort ties directly to naval missions and shows a plausible transition route.
– Engage seeks tighter synchronization across the defense ecosystem and new mechanisms to break down institutional silos, including hosting Innovation Industry Days and tackling the well-known gap between prototyping and full-scale fielding.
– Deploy shifts metrics toward outcomes, aiming to move mature technologies more rapidly from research to operators across the Fleet and Force.
– Speed underscores leveraging AI to accelerate discovery and problem-solving while maintaining robust oversight.

“This S&T Strategy represents a commitment to discipline, focus and a renewed sense of urgency,” Riley said. “By adhering to the principles outlined in the strategy, ONR will continue to fulfill its vital mission and ensure the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps remain the world’s most formidable naval force — today and for generations to come.”

ONR, founded in 1946, oversees basic and applied research for the Department of the Navy and manages the Naval Research Enterprise, which includes partnerships with the Naval Research Laboratory, ONR Global, industry, and academia. The new strategy is posted on ONR’s website.