TPP Defense Summit Delivers Day of Dynamic Speakers, Panels

The Patuxent Partnership Executive Director Bonnie Green, left, and the 2024 Defense Summit moderator Steve Spehn, deputy science advisor with the US European Command.

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Rumbaugh Is Keynote Speaker

The Patuxent Partnership‘s 2024 Defense Summit welcomed dynamic speakers and panels to a full-day program that covered an array of topics with a focus on accelerating capabilities and acquisitions for the US Navy.

More than 200 members of the defense community, including NAWCAD and NAVAIR leadership, attended the second annual event March 27, 2024, at the University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland’s SMART Building in California, MD.

Bonnie Green, TPP executive director, opened the program and welcomed everyone. Ms. Green talked about the critical importance of getting capabilities to the warfighter in the fast-changing global landscape.

Steve Spehn, deputy science advisor with the US European Command, was the event moderator. He gave the audience a brief rundown on the day’s events and welcomed keynote speaker Assistant Secretary of the Navy Russell Rumbaugh.

After Mr. Rumbaugh’s remarks, the focus shifted to “The Leveling Effect of Technology on US Maritime Operations” with retired Navy RADM Robert Girrier, senior fellow with the Center for Naval Analyses, president emeritus and board director of the Pacific Forum International; and Steven Wills, PhD, a navalist for the Center for Maritime Strategy, Navy League of the United States. They talked about challenges and opportunities from the Red Sea to China.

“Accelerating Capabilities to the DoD for the Warfighter” was moderated by Sevan Mehrabian, senior manager with Deloitte Consulting LLP. New capabilities and building capacity were discussed by Michael Dodd, principal with National Security Innovation Capital, Defense Innovation Unit; Michael McGuinness, science advisor with OSD R&E LNO, US European Command; Derek Greer, director of the Integrated Battlespace Simulation and Test Department at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division; and CAPT Dennis Monagle, program manager Multi-Mission Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems at NAVAIR.

The afternoon began with VADM Frank “Spanky” Morley, principal military deputy, Assistant of the Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development & Acquisition, speaking on “Big Navy Acquisition – Accomplishments and Challenges.” VADM Morley discussed the current state of play in today’s Department of the Navy acquisition efforts and the challenge going forward in today’s increasingly competitive world order.

Ashley Johnson, technical director of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division, addressed Indian Head “The Navy’s Arsenal.” He spoke about the $1 billion+ growth and expansion of NSWC Indian Head’s mission capabilities to research, develop, test, and manufacture energetic systems and the technology to detect such systems.

“NAVAIR: Transformational Thinking – Meeting the Needs of the Warfighter” was led by moderator Tom Rudowsky, deputy commander of NAVAIR.

Panelists were Steve Cricchi, executive director of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division; RDML Joseph Hornbuckle, commander of the Fleet Readiness Centers, Naval Air Systems Command; retired Navy VADM Joe Rixey, vice president, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Lockheed Martin Corp. Government Affairs; and retired Navy RADM Mark Darrah, deputy VP, F35 Solutions, Electronic Systems, BAE Systems.

Their lively discussion included the acquisition process and making better use of the tools available including nontraditional acquisition, as time is of the essence.

Mr. Spehn made closing remarks and Mr. Rudowsky provided brief closing comments from the NAVAIR perspective.

Summit sponsors and exhibitors were:

Diamond Sponsor — Northrop Grumman Corporation

Gold Sponsors — Chenega Agile Real-Time Solutions (CARS) and SAIC

Silver Sponsors — Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Naval Systems Inc., and MIL Corp.

Lunch Break Sponsor — Resource Management Concepts Inc.

Exhibitors were Booz Allen Hamilton, Dayton T. Brown, Govini, G2iT, NAWCAD, NSWC Indian Head, St. Mary’s County Economic Development, SURVICE, TRISTAR, and Resource Management Concepts Inc.

About The Patuxent Partnership

The Patuxent Partnership is a nonprofit member organization that fosters collaboration between government, industry, and academia to advance education through STEM-based initiatives; to advance technology through speaker programs, forums, and networking; to advance science and technology transfer through the exchange of ideas, information, and data related to technologies; and to increase workforce development through an array of initiatives.

To learn more about The Patuxent Partnership and its programs, visit its Leader member page.