# US Navy Outlines Technology Procurement Priorities

The US Navy, led by Chief Technology Officer Justin Fanelli, has publicly defined its key technology procurement priorities for the coming years, emphasizing applied artificial intelligence, quantum information science, advanced secure networking, electromagnetic spectrum operations, and digital engineering. The Navy is streamlining its acquisition approach by focusing purchases on mature companies at Series D–F funding stages while encouraging private venture capital investment for early-stage technology development. A recent major contract awarded in September 2026 includes a **$562 million** production deal with Boeing for the MQ-25 Stingray autonomous refueling drone, underscoring significant opportunities in autonomous systems and edge computing.

- **Why this matters:** Procurement professionals should note the Navy's strategic shift toward co-investment models and preference for mature technology providers, which may influence bidding strategies and partnership formations.
- The focus on advanced technologies such as AI, quantum science, and electromagnetic spectrum operations signals growing demand for specialized capabilities and innovative solutions.
- Contractors with expertise in autonomous systems, edge computing, and digital engineering stand to benefit from upcoming solicitations aligned with these priorities.
- Organizations should evaluate their technology maturity and funding stage alignment to position effectively for Navy procurements in these areas.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military, Information Technology
**Topics:** Artificial Intelligence, Digital Infrastructure
**Published:** September 19, 2026

### Government Entities
- Department of the Navy (Navy)
- Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Mission Systems
- US Navy

### Vendors
- Boeing (prime contractor for MQ-25 Stingray production contract)
- Armada (vendor for edge compute hardware)
- Gecko Robotics (vendor for inspection services)
- Domino Data Lab (vendor running machine learning pipeline)
- Applied Intuition (vendor providing commercial cameras and software)

### Sources
- [The US Navy just told us what's on its tech wish list for the next several years | TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/19/even-mid-sprint-to-a-secret-flight-the-navys-tech-chief-had-a-pitch-for-investors) - TechCrunch
- [US Navy names five technology procurement priorities — TechCrunch | UA.NEWS](https://ua.news/en/technologies/vms-ssha-nazvali-piat-tekhnologichnikh-prioritetiv-dlia-zakupivel-techcrunch) - UA.NEWS