Beyond Shipyards: Scaling the Fleet Through Innovation

  • Room: Hall C Stage
  • Session Number:3272819
Wednesday, February 11, 2026: 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Speaker(s)

Moderator (confirmed)
Michael A. Stewart
Former Director
U.S. Navy Disruptive Capabilities Office
Panelist (confirmed)
Laura Bukkosy Hooks, Ph.D.
Vice President and General Manager
Maritime & Strategic Systems, General Dynamics, Mission Systems
Panelist (confirmed)
Sebastien Grall
VP, Maritime Autonomy
Exail
Panelist (confirmed)
Rylan Hamilton
CEO and Co-Founder
Blue Water Autonomy
Panelist (confirmed)
Nathan Michael
Chief Technology Officer
Shield AI
Panelist (confirmed)
Greg Ostrin
General Manager
Networking and Data Link Solutions, L3 Harris
Panelist (confirmed)
RADM Ryan Scholl, USN (Ret.)
Executive Vice President, Defence Partnerships
Kraken Technologies

Description

As the Navy tries to grow the fleet under increasing industrial strain, innovation and production beyond traditional shipyards is critical to sustaining maritime power. This session will explore how non-traditional defense companies are delivering agile, disruptive solutions and how prime contractors are partnering with innovative small companies to scale capability and close the fleet capacity gap. Moderated by Mr. Michael Stewart, former Director of the Navy Disruptive Capabilities Office, the panel will examine advanced manufacturing, digital engineering, modular design, and new acquisition approaches that accelerate production while reducing costs and improving quality. Attendees will gain insights into the opportunities and challenges of leveraging innovation to expand the fleet, strengthen warfighting readiness, and maintain the Navy’s advantage in a contested maritime environment.

Watch here


Tracks: