Naval Oceanography attended this year’s Sea-Air-Space (SAS)—the largest maritime exposition in the United Sates—hosted by the Navy League, April 3-5, 2023.
 
U.S. defense industry stakeholders and key military decision-makers gathered for three-days to engage: policy discussions; informative educational sessions; national security threats and sea service-related solutions in capability as the way forward.
 
Here, Naval Oceanography was able to reassure its partners of value they offer in collaborative efforts to increase capabilities that meet global-threats facing the world.  
 
“I attended Sea-Air-Space this year in my role as CNMOC’s Chief Technology Officer and Office of Research and Technology Applications (ORTA),” said Betty Jester, Naval Oceanography’s Chief Technology Officer.  “Several of the entities who Naval Oceanography has active Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA) or in process of developing a CRADA were in attendance”

During SAS, stakeholders already in collaboration with Naval Oceanography were able to speak with Jester and other representatives about critical work underway, but SAS also facilitates new partnerships—so perspective collaborators had on-the-spot networking ability.

“It was a great opportunity to connect and re-connect with these important industry partners that provide Naval Oceanography access to emerging capability to enhance our ability to close gaps in various mission area,” Jester said.

It’s conferences like SAS that continue to push the nation’s defense components and provide the, literal and figurative, room to convene and discuss pressing issues facing the globe. 

“The conference also afforded Naval Oceanography the ability to see other companies that provide applicable, newly-innovative capabilities and ability to hear senior DOD leadership officials speak on important topics such as emerging threats and the strategic importance of the Artic,” Jester continued.

When government officials, like Jester, attend SAS or similar conferences, they hear directly from DOD Senior Executives with possible one-on-one feedback, thus clarity is shed on mission focus areas—resulting in more mission success.

“I spent several days with important follow-ups and realize SAS gave me a ‘leg-up’ in several important technology areas such as Unmanned Surface Vehicles and Data Management advances,” said Jester.

Naval Oceanography has approximately 2,500 globally distributed military and civilian personnel, who collect, process and exploit environmental information to assist Fleet and Joint Commanders in all warfare areas to guarantee the U.S. Navy’s freedom of action in the physical battlespace from the depths of the ocean to the stars.

The Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition was founded in 1965 as a means to bring the U.S. defense industrial base, private-sector U.S. companies and key military decision-makers from the sea services together for an annual innovative, educational, professional event located in the heart of Washington, D.C. This year’s exposition brought together 15,000 participants, 350 Exhibitors, 270 Flag and SES Officers, and delegations from 67 countries.
 
The Navy League of the United States, founded in 1902 with the support of President Theodore Roosevelt, is a nonprofit civilian, educational and advocacy organization that supports America’s sea services: the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and U.S.-flag Merchant Marine. The Navy League has more than 30,000 individual members, more than 200 councils and, more than 240 corporate and community affiliate members.