SAM #NAWCAD-SN-26-PAE(A)SI_AI

NAWCAD industry day on autonomy and AI for Naval Aviation

NAWCAD is hosting an informational industry day on autonomy and artificial intelligence for Naval Aviation. - Host: Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), under the Department of the Navy’s Portfolio Acquisition Executive Aviation (PAE(A)) Autonomy & Super Intelligence (SI) / Artificial Intelligence (AI) leadership team. - Purpose: Align industry and academic capabilities with Navy needs, identify technical and operational gaps, and inform potential future acquisition approaches. - Potential acquisition path: The Government is considering the Naval Air Systems Consortium (NASC) as a possible mechanism for prototype efforts using Other Transaction Agreements under 10 U.S.C. 4022. NASC is not identified as a selected vendor or awardee. - Participation: Traditional defense contractors, non-traditional developers, and academic researchers may participate; attendance is limited to three people per organization. - Notice status: This is for informational and planning purposes only. It is not a solicitation or a commitment to issue a solicitation or make an award.

Description

I. Event Information

Event Dates: December 8-9, 2026 Daily Schedule: 0900 – 1600 EST daily Location: UMD SMART Conference Center, 44219 Airport Road, California, MD 20619 Security Classification: UNCLASSIFIED Registration Deadline: November 20, 2026 or earlier if event capacity is reached Attendance Cap: Maximum of three (3) attendees per organization.

II. Purpose

The Portfolio Acquisition Executive Aviation (PAE(A)) Autonomy & Super Intelligence (SI) / Artificial Intelligence (AI) leadership team invites leaders, technical experts, and developers from Government, industry, and academia to participate in an upcoming Industry Day focused on autonomy and super intelligence/artificial intelligence mission areas relevant to Naval Aviation.

The objectives of this event are to:

Align Government, industry, and academic capabilities with Naval Aviation requirements. Identify technical, operational, and mission capability gaps. Increase awareness of commercial and academic tools relevant to current Navy development priorities. Inform potential future acquisition approaches to support near-term warfighter needs.

III. Special Notice & Consortium Information

The Government is considering use of the Naval Air Systems Consortium (NASC) in connection with one or more prototype efforts that may be pursued through Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) under 10 U.S.C. 4022, Authority of the Department of Defense to carry out certain prototype projects.  Additional information regarding this potential approach is expected to be discussed by Government representatives during the event on December 8-9, 2026.

This forum is not limited to existing members of the NASC. All interested parties, including traditional defense contractors, non-traditional developers, and academic researchers, are encouraged to attend.

For more information regarding consortium membership, event registration, and event updates, interested parties should refer to the NASC event posting and related NASC resources at nascsolutions.org.

IV. Disclaimer

This Special Notice is issued solely for informational and planning purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), or any other solicitation.  This announcement does not commit the Government to issue a solicitation, make an award, or pay for any costs incurred in connection with attendance, registration, or responses to this notice.

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