NORFOLK, Va. — The Navy has doubled its "Tech Bridge" initiative by six locations, including right here in Hampton Roads.
The aim is to enable greater collaboration with non-traditional partners that will make the Navy stronger.
The NavalX Tech Bridge is all about the Navy finding ways to harness innovation in private businesses and academia to better serve and protect the country.
In other words, tapping into the creative brainpower that is already available in this country in the civilian sector.
The goal of NavalX is to increase awareness and access to best practices and technologies.
Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition James Geurts established NavalX in February 2019 to expand the Navy's capabilities.
He says ships, planes and hardware are crucial warfighting tools, but so is this.
"They're all vitally important," said Geurts. "But in my mind, the strength of our Department of the Navy, D.o.D. and quite frankly, our nation, is ideas. And collaboration. And then, about linking problem solvers to folks with problems."
The Mid-Atlantic Tech Bridge is co-located with Naval Station Norfolk, tying Commander 2nd Fleet to three Naval Warfare Centers and is engaging with the leaders from many Hampton Roads Commands including the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, NASA and the U.S. Air Force.
"We've already signed the first of what we expect will be several partnership segments in the Hampton Roads area and larger Mid-Atlantic region in order to bring innovation at the speed of need to Navy and Marine Corps warfighters," said CDR Bobby Hanvey, Mid-Atlantic Director.
Naval warfare areas of expertise that should benefit from the new partnerships include cyber, unmanned systems and robotics, and artificial intelligence.