AFCEA/USNI WEST 2026

Multi-Domain Autonomy: From Innovation to Fleet Execution (Room Excellence in Warfighting Stage - Sails Pavilion)

10 Feb 26
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Tracks: Excellence in Warfighting Stage

Speaker(s): Brent Sadler, Senior Research Fellow, Allison Center for National Security, Heritage Foundation; CDR Sophia Haberman, USN, Commanding Officer, Unmanned Surface Vessel Squadron THREE; CAPT Jerry Daley, USN, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Robotic and Autonomous Systems; CAPT Newt McKissick, USN, Senior Military Advisor, Energy Portfolio, Defense Innovation Unit; Paul Lwin, Founder and CEO, Havoc AI

Sustaining maritime dominance requires forces that are ready, resilient, and adaptive under fire. Robotics and autonomous systems are critical enablers of warfighting readiness, reducing risk to personnel, increasing operational tempo, and providing commanders with decision advantage. As pacing threats accelerate and operational environments become increasingly contested, the Sea Services must compress timelines from concept to deployment.

The panel will explore how robotics and autonomous systems are transitioning from experimentation to operational capability across Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard missions. Topics include multi-domain autonomy (air, surface, subsurface), expeditionary and littoral operations, maritime security and interdiction, logistics under threat, and persistent ISR. Panelists will address integration challenges, human–machine trust, sustainment, and interoperability—focusing on what it takes to deliver reliable, combat-credible autonomy to the Fleet and joint force.