AUVSI today hosted Phase II of Unmanned Systems Defense, the association’s signature event connecting industry leaders with U.S. defense officials to advance the front line of innovation. Throughout the day’s maritime-focused programming, experts discussed the promise unmanned marine technologies hold for maintaining the U.S. military’s competitive advantage and the need to champion funding for these platforms in the FY 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).  

The Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee recently called for an increased focus on the development of unmanned maritime vessels to strengthen our nation’s armed forces, and AUVSI urges fellow lawmakers and national security officials to take note.   Democratic Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed spoke during a virtual Ronald Reagan Institute event on May 11th, during which he emphasized the importance of technologically evolved ships over merely large numbers of traditional vessels.  

Today, AUVSI hosted Day Three of the 2021 Unmanned Systems Defense (USD) Conference with a focus on technologies and systems within the ground domain. During the keynote address and panel discussion, attendees learned about key capabilities DOD will seek out in new systems and heard from private sector stakeholders about how emerging technologies can meet needs in both the commercial market and the defense and military ecosystem.  MG Ross Coffman, Director, Next Generation Combat Vehicle - Cross Functional Team, expressed his appreciation in his keynote address for the way the unmanned industry collaborates and learns from each other. He urged the industry to work together to solve cross-functional challenges: “Together, we can solve really complex problems.”