NAWCAD Sets December Industry Day on Naval Aviation Autonomy and AI

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) will host an industry day on December 8–9, 2026, at the UMD SMART Conference Center in California, Maryland. Led by the Portfolio Acquisition Executive Aviation Autonomy & Super Intelligence/Artificial Intelligence team, the event is intended to connect government, industry, and academic capabilities with Naval Aviation needs. For organizations developing autonomy or artificial intelligence technologies, the two-day event offers a chance to better understand the mission context and areas where the Government may seek new capabilities.

The procurement relevance is prospective rather than immediate. The notice says the Government is discussing potential prototype efforts using Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) under 10 U.S.C. 4022 and may use the Naval Air Systems Consortium as a mechanism. These details point to a possible pathway for future prototype collaboration, but they do not establish that a requirement has been finalized, a solicitation issued, or funding committed. Companies should therefore treat the event as market engagement and capability discovery—not as an open contract opportunity or an indication of award.

For prospective participants, the discussion may help clarify how Naval Aviation needs align with industry and academic work in autonomy and AI. Organizations can use the event to assess whether their technical capabilities are relevant to potential prototype areas, identify questions for government representatives, and determine whether a consortium-based OTA pathway could be pertinent if a future effort is pursued. The announcement does not specify prototype scopes, technical requirements, evaluation criteria, funding levels, or a procurement schedule, so attendees should avoid assuming that any particular technology or vendor will be selected.

Participation planning is also important: attendance is limited to three people per organization. Companies and research organizations should select representatives who can cover the most relevant technical, mission, and business-development perspectives within that cap. The event is scheduled at the UMD SMART Conference Center in California, Maryland, on December 8–9, 2026. The notice expressly states that it is not a solicitation and does not commit the Government to make an award; any later opportunity would require separate action and details from the Government.

• Event: NAWCAD industry day focused on autonomy and AI for Naval Aviation, scheduled for December 8–9, 2026.
• Location: UMD SMART Conference Center, California, Maryland.
• Government lead: The Portfolio Acquisition Executive Aviation Autonomy & Super Intelligence/Artificial Intelligence team is leading the event.
• Purpose: Connect government, industry, and academic capabilities with Naval Aviation needs and discuss potential prototype areas.
• Potential acquisition route: The Government is considering OTAs under 10 U.S.C. 4022 for potential prototype efforts.
• Possible mechanism: The Naval Air Systems Consortium may be used; the notice does not confirm that it will be used for a specific effort.
• Opportunity status: This is market engagement, not a solicitation, contract award, or commitment to award.
• Attendance cap: No more than three representatives per organization; prospective attendees should coordinate internally before registering or participating.
• Preparation: Organizations should map their autonomy and AI capabilities to Naval Aviation needs, while recognizing that the notice provides no finalized scope, evaluation criteria, or funding details.