USNA Launches Warfighting Industry Showcase during NASEC – USNA

USNA Launches Warfighting Industry Showcase during NASEC  USNA

POSTED ON: Wednesday, November 4, 2026 5:10 PM by United States Naval Academy 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