U.S. Naval Academy Launches Inaugural Warfighting Industry Showcase during 16th Annual NASEC to Accelerate Fleet Lethality
Annapolis, Md. – The U.S. Naval Academy hosted the 16th annual Naval Academy Science and Engineering Conference (NASEC) alongside its inaugural Warfighting Industry Showcase this week, gathering midshipmen, faculty, defense leaders, and industry partners to address the demands of strategic competition.
Organized under the theme “Science and Technology of Strategic Competition,” the three-day conference examined how emerging capabilities shape maritime superiority. In parallel, the new Warfighting Industry Showcase in Dahlgren Hall, co-organized by the midshipmen-led Brigade Innovation Unit (BIU) and the USNA Office of Research and Innovation, connected classroom concepts directly to Fleet technology. The expo featured operational systems and static displays from more than 30 defense industry experts, spotlighting counter-unmanned aerial systems, robotics and autonomous systems, and electronic warfare. Conference participants hailed from multiple civilian universities, other U.S. and international service academies, and Reserve Officer Training Corps programs.
Lt. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte, 66th Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy provided the opening remarks for the conference. “Our job at the Naval Academy is to develop leaders who can think critically, adapt under fire, and outpace any adversary on the battlefield,” said Borgschulte. “Connecting our midshipmen directly with commercial defense innovators ensures they graduate with an intuitive grasp of the autonomous, contested battlespace they will soon command. Bridging the gap between the classroom and frontline warfighting technology isn’t just an academic exercise, it’s how we generate decisive combat power for the Navy and Marine Corps team.” Keynote addresses and breakout panels explored ship design and advanced manufacturing, the modern space race, supply chain resilience, superintelligence, automation, and semiconductor security. As part of the conference the Honorable Kenneth J. Braithwaite, 77th Secretary of the Navy, addressed the entire Brigade of Midshipmen during a Forrestal Lecture on Monday night.
The combined events during the conference offered future naval leaders early exposure to the Department of War’s "Arsenal of Freedom" initiatives. By engaging directly with commercial innovators, midshipmen saw firsthand how rapid prototyping, scalable production, and a resilient defense-industrial base deliver decisive technological advantages against pacing threats. "Rigorous research and Fleet lethality go hand in hand at the Naval Academy,” said U.S. Naval Academy Provost, Dr. Samara Firebaugh. “Our faculty are directly tackling the Navy and Marine Corps critical operational needs. By immersing midshipmen in this level of innovation, we are cultivating technical leaders who will enter the Fleet ready to out-think and out-engineer any pacing challenge."
The conference and showcase reflect Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle’s "Foundry" framework, the imperative that decisive advantage is forged on shore through people, education, and industrial collaboration before being tested in the Fleet. The event also reflected the U.S. Marine Corps commitment to aggressively pursue burgeoning capabilities that are defining the modern battlefield. As both an undergraduate college and a military proving ground, the Academy continues to instill the technical fluency and tactical edge required to ensure a ready, resilient force today and shape the battlefield of tomorrow.
Founded in 1845, the U.S. Naval Academy today is a prestigious four-year service academy that prepares midshipmen morally, mentally, and physically to become professional officers in the naval service. More than 4,400 men and women representing every state in the U.S. and several foreign countries make up the student body known as the Brigade of Midshipmen. U.S. News and World Report has recognized the Naval Academy as the #1 top public school, #3 national liberal arts college, and #4 best undergraduate engineering programs. From a pool of 17,000 top-tier applicants, approximately 1,200 earn a highly coveted appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy each year. Midshipmen learn from military and civilian instructors and participate in intercollegiate varsity sports and extracurricular activities. They also study subjects like small arms, drill, seamanship and navigation, robotics and autonomous systems, tactics, naval engineering and weapons, leadership, ethics, and military law. Upon graduation, midshipmen earn a Bachelor of Science degree in a choice of 26 different subject majors and go on to serve at least five years of exciting and rewarding service as commissioned officers in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. For more information about the Naval Academy, visit www.usna.edu and our social media via linktr.ee/usnavalacademy.
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