ONR to Host Innovation Industry Days September 21–25

The U.S. Office of Naval Research (ONR) is preparing to bring scientists, engineers, technology companies and defense innovators together for a five-day event aimed at shaping the next generation of naval warfare. Innovation Industry Days, known as I2D, will take place from September 21 through September 25, 2026, in Arlington, Virginia, where ONR leaders are expected to outline science and technology priorities extending as far as 15 years into the future.

The event is designed to accelerate the transition of emerging research into practical capabilities for sailors, Marines and naval commanders. Rather than focusing solely on mature military equipment, ONR intends to explore technology gaps that could define future operations, including autonomous systems, advanced materials, directed-energy weapons, undersea platforms and resilient communications. The meeting will also give commercial companies and non-traditional defense contractors an opportunity to engage directly with government researchers and program managers.

Registration is free but mandatory, and organizers have set a deadline of 4 p.m. Eastern time on August 21, 2026. Walk-in participation will not be allowed. Attendees who register will receive information about the specific Focus Area sessions scheduled during the week, allowing participants to select discussions most closely related to their scientific or engineering expertise.

According to Chief of Naval Research Dr. Rachel Riley, the event is intended to promote collaboration around the Navy and Marine Corps’ most urgent research challenges. That collaboration is increasingly important as military technologies become interconnected across physical and digital domains. A modern naval platform may depend simultaneously on artificial intelligence, satellite links, cyber defenses, high-density energy storage, autonomous sensing and advanced manufacturing. Weakness in any one of these areas can limit the effectiveness of the entire system.

ONR leadership and program officers will brief participants on major technology portfolios during the event. The briefings are expected to explain the operational problems researchers are being asked to solve, the performance requirements associated with those problems and the areas where existing technologies remain insufficient. Each speaker will also host office hours, offering attendees a more focused setting for technical questions, research discussions and potential collaboration.

Artificial intelligence and autonomy will be among the central subjects. Naval forces are increasingly interested in systems that can interpret sensor data, recognize changing conditions and support decisions with limited human intervention. Such systems could help coordinate fleets of uncrewed aircraft, surface vessels and underwater vehicles, but they must also operate reliably in environments where communications are intermittent, data are incomplete and adversaries may attempt to deceive algorithms. Research in this area is therefore likely to involve machine learning, human-machine teaming, verification, cybersecurity and robust decision-making.

Another major focus will be C5ISR and naval space, a broad technology area covering command, control, communications, computers, cyber operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. These capabilities allow commanders to transform observations into coordinated action. Future systems will need to connect sensors and decision-makers across ships, aircraft, satellites, shore facilities and autonomous platforms while resisting jamming, cyberattacks and physical disruption. The technical challenge is not simply increasing data flow, but ensuring that information remains timely, trustworthy and usable under combat conditions.

ONR will also examine directed-energy and kinetic systems, materials and electronics, manufacturing, naval engineering and aerospace technologies. Directed-energy systems use concentrated electromagnetic or optical energy to affect a target, while kinetic systems rely on physical impact. Both require advances in power generation, thermal management, precision tracking and durable components. Progress in materials and electronics could make sensors lighter, faster and more resistant to heat, radiation, corrosion and mechanical stress. Meanwhile, new manufacturing methods, including advanced additive manufacturing, could enable complex components to be produced more rapidly and closer to the point of need.

The program also includes human and biological systems, ocean, atmosphere and space research, power and energy, and undersea systems. These fields address the physical limits faced by personnel and machines operating in harsh environments. Naval platforms must function amid saltwater corrosion, pressure extremes, turbulence, electromagnetic interference and limited access to fuel or maintenance. Undersea vehicles, in particular, require highly efficient propulsion, quiet operation, precise navigation and sensors capable of working where satellite signals cannot penetrate. Breakthroughs in batteries, fuel cells, power electronics and energy harvesting could determine how long future autonomous systems remain on mission.

By inviting traditional defense companies alongside commercial firms, universities and unconventional technology developers, ONR is signaling that future naval capabilities may emerge from outside established procurement channels. Commercial research in artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum technologies, biotechnology, semiconductors and energy storage is advancing rapidly, but adapting those developments for military use often requires specialized testing, ruggedization and secure integration. Innovation Industry Days is intended to connect those capabilities with the operational knowledge needed to turn promising laboratory concepts into deployable tools.

The event comes at a time when naval forces worldwide are investing heavily in autonomous platforms, distributed operations and resilient networks. ONR’s 15-year outlook suggests that technologies discussed in Arlington may not appear immediately as finished systems. Instead, the meeting may help define the research investments, experiments and partnerships required to make them possible. Researchers and companies interested in participating must complete pre-registration by August 21, 2026, through ONR’s online registration portal.

Web References: https://www.onlineregistrationcenter.com/register/222/page1.asp?m=4269&c=747

References: Office of Naval Research; Innovation Industry Days 2026 announcement

Keywords

Office of Naval Research, Innovation Industry Days, artificial intelligence, autonomy, naval technology, undersea systems, directed energy, naval space, C5ISR, advanced manufacturing, power and energy, defense innovation, science and technology, U.S. Navy, Marine Corps