The Waves of Innovation: A Summary of the 2024 Naval Science and Technology Strategy

The Naval Science and Technology (S&T) Strategy for 2024 is a comprehensive plan to strengthen the US Navy and Marine Corps' technological leadership in the face of global competition. This policy encourages scientists, engineers, inventors, and innovators from academia, industry, and government to work together to solve naval challenges and ensure freedom and security.

The plan is based on a robust research ecosystem that includes the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and Warfare Centers, as well as a track record of engagement with academia, the commercial sector, and other partners. It highlights the importance of taking a long-term perspective, giving domain leaders, program officers, and researchers autonomy, and focusing on developing scientific knowledge, capability enhancements, and innovative technologies.

The policy aims to preserve technical superiority by rapidly adopting and adapting private sector technology, investing in basic research, and focusing on the Navy and Marine Corps' specific marine demands. The strategy identifies three key priorities: increasing maritime technological dominance, fostering a culture of science and technology excellence, and improving naval scientific diplomacy.

To improve maritime technical superiority, the strategy calls for faster technology advancements, alignment of S&T initiatives with key naval missions, and investigation of alternative transition paths for capability accelerators. It also underlines the necessity of disrupting technologies like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology, as well as leveraging US investment in basic and applied research.

Collaboration between Program Offices, System Commands, and the Naval Research and Development Enterprise is required to foster an S&T culture of excellence. The strategy emphasizes the necessity of Sailor, Marine, Scientist, and Engineer collaboration, partnering and capacity building with naval educational institutions, and investing in the future Naval STEM workforce.

Improving Naval Scientific Diplomacy focuses on internal and international collaborations, collaborating with global partners, and using scientific diplomacy to increase Naval influence and interoperability.

The strategy also emphasizes the significance of connecting S&T activities with Naval Warfare requirements and Force Design Imperatives, as well as building S&T Execution Plans to adapt to new modalities and assure efficient delivery of technological options to acquisition and industry.

In reaction to this strategy, federal contractors could take the following actions:

1. Work with the Naval Research Enterprise to match their R&D efforts with the strategy's aims.

2. Invest in new technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology to help the Navy achieve technical superiority.

3. Form collaborations with academia, industry, and government to exploit shared expertise and resources.

4. Concentrate on building capabilities that meet the Navy and Marine Corps' specific maritime demands.

5. Take part in programs to foster a culture of science and technology excellence, such as collaborating with sailors, marines, scientists, and engineers.

6. Help build the Naval STEM workforce by sponsoring education and outreach activities.

7. Look at potential for international collaboration to improve naval scientific diplomacy and interoperability.

Fed Contract Pros can help with your efforts!

Fed Contract Pros can assist a federal contractor in navigating the complexity of the Naval Science and Technology (S&T) Strategy and implementing effective activities to achieve its objectives. Here's how we can help:

• Fed Contract Pros can help you form collaborations with academics, business, and government agencies. We can assist you in identifying suitable partners, negotiating agreements, and managing connections so that you may leverage your joint skills and resources.

• We can assist you in developing proposals for government contracts that are consistent with the Naval S&T Strategy. The proposal will help to define how the contractor's solutions fulfill the Navy's specific maritime requirements while also contributing to technological dominance.

  • Consider reading our article on proposal writing or taking our course on mastering the proposal process.

• Fed Contract Pros can assist you in ensuring that your projects and initiatives comply with all applicable requirements and standards. We can help you navigate the federal procurement process and meet the criteria of the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Navy.

• We can assist you with international partnerships, and experts can provide knowledge in naval scientific diplomacy. Read our article on What Foreign Companies Should Know.

FedFeather Frank says:

“The blog post is important for federal government contractors because it provides a comprehensive summary of the 2024 Naval Science and Technology Strategy, highlighting key priorities and actions that contractors can take to align their efforts with the Navy's goals. Understanding this strategy is crucial for contractors looking to secure contracts, innovate in maritime technology, and contribute to the technological dominance of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.”