From Commander, Navy Installations Command, Jan. 22, 2026 

Exercise Reinforces Integrated Defense, Warfighting Readiness, and Homeland Security 

WASHINGTON, D.C. - From January 26 to February 6, 2026, Navy installations across the continental United States will participate in the annual Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain (CS-SC26) exercise. Conducted by Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) and Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC), this two-week exercise is a cornerstone of the Navy’s commitment to generating a combat-ready fleet prepared to defend the homeland and prevail in conflict. 

“Force protection is everyone’s responsibility whether in competition or crisis, and Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain is a critical test of our preparedness and responsiveness,” said Adm. Karl Thomas, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. “This exercise tests more than just our security forces, and is a measure of our entire force to say something if they see something, an opportunity to flex our command and control structure, and validates that our platforms and people are ready to respond decisively against a variety of threats.” 

CS-SC26 is designed to forge warfighters and ready our platforms for a complex security environment. The exercise begins with Citadel Shield, a field training exercise led by CNIC that focuses on the readiness and response of Navy Security Forces. It is followed by Solid Curtain, a command post exercise spearheaded by USFFC that integrates command-and-control elements to synchronize the Fleet’s response to threats against shore-based infrastructure. Together, these events test and validate the Navy’s ability to deter and respond to threats in real-time. 

As in past exercises, the training will improve defenses against improvised explosive devices, small unmanned aerial systems, and active shooter threats to name a few. This year’s exercise, however, has been enhanced to prepare installations to defend against modern and emerging threats. Scenarios will emphasize operational protection, surveillance detection, protection of critical infrastructure, and response to potential kinetic attacks, which aim to strengthen commanders’ understanding of risks to respond to real-world events quickly and effectively. 

The exercise will also execute the Ashore Navy Security Operations Exercise Program (NSOXP), which will enhance threat detection from both land and sea. The NSOXP is a structured training system providing commanders with standardized force protection scenarios and evaluation tools to assess watch standers and small units, ensuring readiness for real-world threats. 

The exercise scenarios are designed to be both realistic and challenging, testing the seamless interoperability between Navy commands, other military services, and our essential municipal agency partners. 

“Our forces must adapt faster than our adversaries,” said Vice Adm. Scott Gray, commander, Navy Installations Command. “By realistically simulating complex threat environments, we ensure our Navy security forces and partners are forged into a unified, all-domain team. This training is critical to protecting our people, our infrastructure, and the Fleet’s ability to project power from a secure home front.” 

Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain is a regularly scheduled training event, not a response to any specific threat. Its purpose is to ensure the Navy is ready to fight and win, anywhere, anytime. 

While the exercise may lead to some increased traffic or minor delays in base access, every effort is made to minimize disruptions to local communities. Residents near installations may observe or hear security-related activities. Local law enforcement and first responders have been coordinated with to ensure safety and smooth operations throughout the exercise. 

For more details on any potential local impacts, residents are encouraged to visit their respective Navy installation’s website and social media channels. 

By Kristin Davis, NSWCDD Corporate Communications, Jan. 21, 2026 

DAHLGREN, Va.  –  While modern naval warships field advanced weapons systems, many essential ordnance-handling tasks still depend on human muscle. Sailors manually move heavy projectiles and propellant charges through cramped, hot and constantly moving spaces. 

The work is labor-intensive – and inherently dangerous. 

Engineers at Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division are exploring how commercial robotics systems can be adapted to automate projectile handling, making the process both safer and more efficient. While some technology already exists, the end-of-arm tool – a component that directly interfaces with the ordnance – must be customized for each weapon system, said Matt Lehr, Mechanical Design and Integration lead for the Gun Weapon Systems Mechanical Design Branch of the Integrated Engagement Systems Department at NSWCDD. 

This past fall, NSWCDD partnered with Penn State, sponsoring a capstone project in which engineering students took on the task of developing such a tool. They had one semester to research existing robotic grippers and effectors, design a custom end-of-arm tool, build and test prototypes and refine their product. 

The project brought a fresh perspective to NSCWDD engineers working to make ammunition handling safer, faster and more sustainable for today’s fleet – while giving students the chance to tackle a real-world defense challenge.  

There were surprises along the way – and ultimately, success. 

But before any of that work could begin, the project started the same way many real-world engineering challenges do: with a team of strangers. 

Hands-on innovation 

None of the students knew each other at first. 

“Starting a big project with random people you don’t know was definitely a new experience,” said Jackoy Gayle, an electrical engineering senior at Penn State.  

But they quickly organized into team roles and divided up tasks based on their experience and areas of expertise. Victoria Walker, a mechanical engineering student who has analyzed acoustic data from unmanned underwater vehicles and built a robotic dog, would serve as project manager.  

Walker was immediately drawn to the project. She plans to study robotics in graduate school and has already worked on unmanned underwater vehicles for Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division. Still, the end-of-arm tool was different from anything she’d worked on before. 

“At Carderock, it was a lot of code processing and data. This was very hands-on,” she said.  

It was also the first time Walker and the other students had relatively free rein to engineer a solution to a problem. 

“In school, we receive really structured projects,” she said. “Dahlgren gave us parameters and told us to come up with what we thought would work best. We started by coming up with a ton of different solutions for the end-of-arm tool.” 

Among them: an electromagnetic gripper to retrieve projectiles from their inventory and place them into a loading system. They nixed the idea; such a gripper would only be compatible with certain materials. 

“We talked to others at the university and settled on a vacuum gripper,” Walker said. 

It was an out-of-the-box solution that surprised Lehr. 

“I was initially skeptical of the vacuum approach,” Lehr said. “But it allowed the team to keep the design compact, which is needed for the system to be able to deposit the projectile into the narrow receptacle of the handling system.” 

The engineering challenges weren’t theoretical – they showed up immediately in the lab. Gayle, the electrical engineering student, discovered that the electronic prototyping platform he utilized was rated for 5 volts but the equipment he needed to run was more than twice that. He solved the problem by using a relay. When air began to leak through the vacuum system once it reached a certain level, he resized the tubing. And with no real-life projectile to work with, Gayle earned a metal shop certification so he could resize their dummy ammunition. 

From concept to proof of capability 

Over the course of the semester, students had regular meetings with NSWCDD engineers as they designed and 3D-printed a custom vacuum manifold fitted with suction cups, paired with a simple vacuum system and pressure reservoir. Early prototypes successfully lifted a 40-pound model projectile. Later versions successfully handled a 70-pound model — the equivalent of a Mark 45 5-inch gun round. 

To take it a step further, the team integrated the tool with a robotic arm, demonstrating that it could lift and place a projectile into a loading bay — a key step toward automating future magazine-to-gun workflows.  
From Lehr’s perspective, the students more than met the intent of the project. 

“They did a wonderful job and accomplished a lot within the time and budget they were given,” he said. “They developed a prototype end-of-arm tool, integrated it with a robot, demonstrated projectile manipulation and proved the design could pick up a round in both vertical and horizontal orientations.” 

In a fitting finale to the project that bridged academic innovation with real-world Navy impact, the team attended the Capstone Project Showcase at Penn State College of Engineering’s Learning Factory, where their end-of-arm tool took second place. 

“We’re really proud of it,” Walker said. “It worked, we were able to demonstrate it worked, and we were able to show that on a specific robot. We’re proud of how far we came, and I think another team in the future could make it even better.”  

Looking ahead 

If the project is funded for further refinement, the prototype could be improved to ensure it would be capable of operating in harsh environments, Lehr said. “We would also add redundancy features to ensure there is no possibility of a mishap in the event of a fault.”  

While many other portions of automation must be developed before fielding a complete system, this project represents an important first step toward reducing risk and physical strain for Sailors. 

“This type of technology could be used in the deep magazine to withdraw projectiles and feed them into the ammunition hoist,” Lehr said. “This would allow the system to keep up a high rate of fire over long durations without fatiguing the crew.” 

Similar robotic tooling could one day be applied to propelling charges and other ordnance, forming the backbone of semi-automated or fully-automated weapons handling systems across the fleet. 

If matured and fielded, the impact on Sailors and the Navy could be significant. 

“The goal is to provide Sailors with tools that reduce their workload,” Lehr said. “From a Navy standpoint, automation can reduce the demands for crew size, allowing more assets to be fielded for a given force and enabling that force to be prioritized for other tasking.” 

For the Penn State engineering students, the experience offered a rare opportunity to work on technology that could one day be used by Navy warfighters. 

“I’m grateful for the team, the support we had from NSWCDD and the chance to work on something that really matters,” Gayle said. 

From the Department of War, Jan. 20, 2026 

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Jan. 20 that the president has made the following nominations: 
 
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. James H. Adams III for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as director, Defense Intelligence Agency, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. Adams is currently serving as deputy commandant for Programs and Resources, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 
 
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Melvin G. Carter for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as director’s advisor for Military Affairs, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Washington, D.C. Carter is currently serving as deputy commandant for Information, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 
 
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Robert C. Fulford for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as commanding general, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Fulford is currently serving as deputy commander, U.S. European Command, Stuttgart, Germany. 
 
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as commanding general, III Marine Expeditionary Force and commander, Marine Forces Japan, Okinawa, Japan. Watson is currently serving as deputy commandant, Training and Education, and commanding general, Training and Education Command, Quantico, Virginia. 
 
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Calvert L. Worth Jr. for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command/commanding general, Fleet Marine Force Atlantic/commander, Marine Forces North, Norfolk, Virginia. Worth is currently serving as commanding general, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. 
 
Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Joseph A. Matos III for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as deputy commandant for Information, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Matos is currently serving as commander, Marine Forces Cyberspace Command; commander, Marine Forces Space Command; commander, Joint Force Headquarters-Cyber; commander, Marine Corps Information Command, Fort Meade, Maryland. 
 
Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Andrew M. Niebel, for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as deputy commandant for Installations and Logistics, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Niebel is currently serving as director, Logistics Division, Installations and Logistics, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. 

From Charles River Analytics, Jan. 20, 2026 

Charles River Analytics is developing advanced predictive maintenance and logistics technologies for the United States Navy’s ship systems. The technology helps ensure reliability across the entire lifecycle of complex assets, including ships, fleets, and equipment. The work is sponsored by the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and supported through a series of contracts totaling $6.6 million over 8.5 years. The multidisciplinary team is using system modeling, hybrid AI reasoning, and cognitive systems engineering to create software services that predict system performance and proactive maintenance needs.  

Traditional prescriptive maintenance relies on fixing or replacing degraded parts on rigid schedules. This reactive approach can lead to wasted resources, late or premature maintenance, and operational delays. Logistics and timely availability of parts are especially critical for long-duration or hard-to-reach assets, such as ships at sea, where system failures can have severe consequences and teams have small windows of opportunity to complete any necessary repairs.  

“By predicting when failures occur, you can optimize resource and labor allocation by prioritizing the failures or degradations that are most pressing or most impactful for the mission,” says Kenny Lu, Machine Learning Scientist at Charles River Analytics. 

The Navy is shifting toward a more proactive approach that uses data to forecast maintenance needs before catastrophic failure. The Charles River team is supporting this effort by developing software that provides on-platform, real-time prognostics and real-time diagnostics, including actionable insights for operators and maintainers. The solution features a back-end analytics engine that uses a statistical modeling technique called probabilistic programming to forecast failures and assess risk. It is based on a hybrid AI approach that combines domain expertise with available sensor and log data. The system translates complex technical data into clear recommendations through a front-end decision support interface, delivering user-friendly guidance to maintenance personnel in an intuitive format.  

“We’re not framing the information from a system engineering perspective, but from a perspective where maintenance staff can interpret the maintenance picture,” says Mandy Warren, UX Senior Scientist at Charles River Analytics. She adds, “Our end users greatly appreciate that they don’t need the same understanding as the engineer who architected the system; they only need to know what’s relevant and what they need to do in that moment.”  

These predictive analytics technologies enable junior technicians to quickly identify potential problem areas and prioritize maintenance tasks, ultimately allowing the Navy to deploy technical specialists strategically when advanced knowledge is required.  

The team is addressing a fundamental challenge with predictive systems and AI by helping users understand how the system arrives at its conclusions.  

“We’re building the system with the idea of being able to collect performance data over time, to make sure that the output is explainable, and that the provenance of the forecasting is constantly updating, so that the operator knows  that they can trust the predictions of our system,” said Samuel Mahoney, Vice President and Chief Product Officer at Charles River Analytics.  

After more than eight years of development and testing, the system is now transitioning from research to operational use, and a prototype will soon be deployed on a Naval ship. By reducing unnecessary maintenance, the technology frees up the Navy’s resources for mission-critical needs while increasing operational readiness through early failure prediction and prevention.  

Charles River Analytics is also exploring opportunities for its predictive maintenance and logistics technology beyond the Navy to other military and commercial domains, including ground and air autonomy, oil and gas, power grids, and industrial maintenance. The focus is on making complex analytics accessible to non-engineers through improved trust and a user-friendly interface.  

Visit cra.com to learn more about advanced predictive maintenance and logistics and our other human-machine teamingand probabilistic programming capabilities. 

This material is based upon work supported by the Naval Sea Systems Command under Contract No. N00024-25-C-S174 and N00024-25-C-S175. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Naval Sea Systems Command. 

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Caleb Foote, Jan. 21, 2026 

NAPLES, Italy  –  U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) hosted the U.S. Maritime Security Cooperation and Attaché Symposium (MSCAS), an annual symposium hosting more than 80 U.S. Navy and Marine Corps attachés, Personnel Exchange Program Officers, and U.S. 6th Fleet liaison officers stationed throughout Europe and Africa, from Jan. 12-15, 2026, in Naples, Italy. 

The four-day symposium featured discussions with senior U.S. Navy leadership and naval attachés on the importance of developing relationships with ally and partner nations, advocating for U.S. naval operations and activities in Europe and Africa, and strengthening coordination and collaboration between the naval forces and embassy staff. 

“This is an important forum for our Maritime Security Cooperation and Naval Attaché communities to align with policy objectives, share best practices, and highlight opportunities to enhance collective maritime security in both Africa and Europe,” said Adm. George Wikoff, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa. 

The symposium also featured discussions facilitated by Raymond P. Owens III, director, Navy International Programs Office, Office of the Secretary of the Navy, and Cmdr. Nick Avila, N51 Division Lead; and a Task Force Commander roundtable led by Vice. Adm. J.T. Anderson, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet. 

“In working together, our goal is to try to create an environment where integration, interoperability, and interchangeability can help our, allies and partners,” said Vice Adm. J.T. Anderson, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet. “Testing tactics, techniques and procedures for their own capabilities in conjunction with their neighbors and their allies. I think that’s where we can help sustain something that is an enduring synchronized effort and not just episodic events. “ 

In 1872, Secretary of the Navy George M. Robeson ordered Commander Francis M. Ramsay to report to the U.S. Minister in England, as, “Naval Attaché to his Legation.” This is the first known historical reference to an assignment as a U.S. Naval attaché, according to a 1946 article maintained by the U.S. Naval Institute. 

Generations later, U.S. naval attaché ally and partner collaboration continues. They serve as key military advisors to their ambassadors on all naval matters, act as liaisons between the U.S. Navy and their host nation, collaborate to improve military interoperability between allied and partner naval forces and support U.S. military theater security cooperation and security assistance programs in their respective countries. 

For more than 80 years, NAVEUR-NAVAF has forged strategic relationships with Allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability. Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command areas of responsibility. 

From Naval Air Systems Command, Jan 21, 2026 

NAS PATUXENT RIVER, Md. – The new AN/FPN-68 Precision Approach Radar at Naval Air Station Patuxent River is providing critical support to pilots and air traffic controllers, bringing reliable technology that delivers accurate data for safe aircraft landings even in adverse weather.  

The AN/FPN-68 was successfully installed and flight-checked last summer on Pax, marking the 23rd installation of this new radar system at various locations. 

“This system’s advanced precision and digital technology play a significant role in enhancing air traffic control and pilot safety, especially in challenging weather,” said Capt. Walter B. Massenburg Jr., Naval Air Traffic Management Systems Program Office (PMA-213) program manager. 

Massenburg commended the Shore Air Traffic Management Team for their dedication, adding, “Due to their incredible perseverance, this radar performs at a high readiness state and is meeting the fleet’s needs with critical ATC [Air Traffic Control] capabilities.” 

The AN/FPN-68 replaces the aging AN/FPN-63 system, first commissioned in 1978, and brings state-of-the-art capabilities to the fleet. 

Release From U.S. Coast Guard Southeast District

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Vigilant (WMEC 617) returned to Cape Canaveral on Friday after a 33-day patrol in the Caribbean Sea supporting operations Pacific Viper and Southern Spear. 

During the patrol, Vigilant escorted a motor tanker, which was seized by a U.S. Coast Guard tactical boarding team with support from the Department of War, for operating as a vessel without nationality in the Caribbean Sea. Vigilant’s crew coordinated with naval and law enforcement partners to transfer personnel and provisions to the tanker. A law enforcement team from Vigilant boarded the vessel to provide security during the 600-nautical-mile transit to the United States. 

Cmdr. Steve Welch, commanding officer of Vigilant, said, “I am proud of the crew’s adaptability and professionalism during this mission of national importance. Their performance ensured the safe execution of the operation in partnership with the Department of War.” 

Unique statutory authorities enable the Coast Guard to enforce international and domestic law in the maritime domain, deploying assets to conduct missions in U.S. waters and on the high seas. The Coast Guard’s involvement in this seizure was conducted under Title 14, U.S. Code and in accordance with customary international law. The Coast Guard exercises these authorities to protect maritime safety, security, and U.S. interests. 

Release From Fairbanks Morse Defense

Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD), today announced that Welin Lambie has been awarded an Indefinite Delivery Contract (IDC) to provide aftermarket support for Welin Lambie davits installed across the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) fleet. This contract ensures access to OEM-quality parts and support services to ensure fleet readiness and the long-term reliability of critical launch-and-recovery systems. 

The framework contract was signed in July 2025 and includes a base year with four one-year options, extending potential support through 2030. Each option year is pre-priced to provide predictable costs and streamlined procurement, allowing the Coast Guard to rapidly secure OEM parts, technical services, overhauls and new davit systems as operational needs arise. 

“This award highlights our continued commitment to supporting the U.S. Coast Guard with reliable, mission-critical systems that protect crews and enhance operational availability,” said Ben Dunscombe, Managing Director at Welin Lambie. “Our davits are critical to ensuring that Coast Guard vessels can safely launch and recover boats in demanding conditions. This contract strengthens our service footprint and will ensure that the Coast Guard receives the highest level of technical support and aftermarket care.” 

Davit systems are life-critical components on USCG vessels that enable the safe launch and recovery of rescue craft for interdiction, search-and-rescue and maritime security missions. As a long-standing supplier to U.S. naval forces, and with more than 70 davits delivered to USCG, Welin Lambie has established a strong reputation for engineering robust, precision-built davit solutions that ensure safe and dependable launch and recovery operations. 

The contract will also leverage the capabilities of Fairbanks Morse Defense’s Federal Equipment Company (FEC), which have developed specialized expertise in overhauling U.S. Coast Guard davit systems. This integrated approach ensures rapid turnaround, improved lifecycle management and direct access to factory-certified technicians. 

Release From Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace Inc. 

Jan. 16, 2026 – Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace, Inc. (‘KONGSBERG’) held a groundbreaking ceremony Friday for its first state-of-the-art US-based missile production facility in James City County, Va.  

Speakers at the event included Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace (Norway) President Eirik Lie, James City County Board of Supervisors Chair Dr. John McGlennon, Virginia Secretary of Transportation Hon. Shep Miller, U.S. Representative Rob Wittman (VA-1) and Norwegian Ambassador to the United States Anniken Huitfeldt.  

This facility, located in Toano, Va, between Richmond and Williamsburg and conveniently near Naval Station Yorktown, will help the company meet global demand for its precision strike missiles.   

“This new KONGSBERG factory will provide additional production capacity, sustainment and in-country tech refresh capabilities for our Naval Strike Missile (NSM) and Joint Strike Missile (JSM) – both highly advanced, fifth generation cruise missiles capable of both maritime strike and land attack,” said Lie.  

The United States Navy awarded KONGSBERG a multi-year procurement contract for NSM in 2024 for the Navy’s Over-the-Horizon weapon weapon system, as well as the Marine Corps’ NMESIS (Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System). The United States Air Force selected the JSM in 2024 for use on the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter.  

“We are proud to invest in defense manufacturing in the United States and excited to onshore our world-class capabilities in James City County, Va. The state of Virginia, including the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Hampton Roads Alliance, have been integral in this process and we look forward to growing our presence in the US as we ramp up hiring,” said Heather Armentrout, KDA, Inc. president and general manager.   

The KONGSBERG facility was announced in September 2024 and will create more than 180 jobs in the James City County area. It will inject more than $100 million in economic benefits, as well as create opportunities for local suppliers to support the production and manufacturing of these weapons.  

Preparatory site work has commenced with construction expected to begin by Q2 2026. Missile manufacturing will begin in late 2027, ramping up to full rate production by the end of 2028. 

The NSM has been selected by 14 countries and the JSM by 5 nations, including the US. 

Release From U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard is proud to announce a bold new era in mission success, unveiling a rapid-response approach that identifies, prototypes and delivers breakthrough technologies to meet urgent operational needs and drives accelerated transition to programs.  The Office of Rapid Response and Prototyping (CG-RAPTOR) is accelerating the “idea-to-operations” cycle, rolling out proven solutions within 30, 60, and 90 days through dynamic collaboration with operators, industry leaders and subject matter experts. 

The standup of CG-RAPTOR comes amid Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s push for transformational change to revolutionize how the Coast Guard operates to defeat our adversaries and protect the Homeland.  A key component of the service’s Force Design 2028 initiative, the launch of CG-RAPTOR accelerates innovation and enables the Service to experiment with streamlined business processes and applications prior to making larger enterprise investments. 

In just 150 days, CG-RAPTOR has debuted advanced unmanned systems, innovative personnel management tools, secure communications platforms and real-time readiness tracking – empowering servicemembers with game-changing capabilities.  

With a commitment to delivering impactful technology every 30 days, CG-RAPTOR is launching the Coast Guard into a future defined by agility, integration and operational excellence.  

This Friday in San Diego, CG-RAPTOR will host an exclusive demonstration for Coast Guard personnel and select invitees, showcasing the latest advancements in sensor data and video feed integration across a unified operational picture.  

This event will highlight direct-to-operator tactical situational awareness, supporting emerging priorities such as Southern Border personal watercraft interdiction.  

Attendees will experience firsthand how CG-RAPTOR’s innovative solutions deliver real-time operational insights and enhance mission effectiveness in the field.  

“With Force Design 2028, we are completely changing the game on how the Coast Guard delivers our mission through operational agility, integration and automation,” said Captain Chad Brick, the inaugural chief of CG-RAPTOR.  “CG-RAPTOR feeds on this transformative approach, rapidly driving cutting-edge technology directly into the hands of our operators for a more effective workforce and to protect our nation’s maritime interests.” 

The Coast Guard’s technological modernization comes on the heels of a historic year for the service. In fiscal year 2025, the Coast Guard seized a record-breaking 510,000 pounds of cocaine, thanks in large part to strategic surge operations like Operation Pacific Viper. The Coast Guard also surpassed its recruiting goals, welcoming over 5,200 new active-duty members, the highest annual total since 1991. These successes underscore the importance of investing in an agile, capable, and responsive force to meet evolving global challenges. 

Force Design 2028 is the way the Coast Guard will defeat adversaries, deliver peace through strength, and protect the Homeland both today and for decades to come. The Service will embrace innovation and cutting-edge technology to control the nation’s borders, facilitate commerce to economic prosperity and strategic mobility, and ensure readiness to respond to any crisis or contingency. Force Design 2028 is Coast Guard’s bold roadmap for enduring success.   

As part of Force Design 2028, the Coast Guard continues to foster a culture of innovation from within. Many of the service’s advancements are born from the creative ideas of its own workforce. Coast Guard members are encouraged to submit their ideas and solutions through the CG Ideas@Work platform, a crowdsourcing tool that empowers every member to help shape the future of the service. 

For more information on CG-RAPTOR, please visit the official page here. Additional details on Force Design 2028 can be found here.