The U.S. military’s long-comfortable technological edge is steadily eroding. To address that challenge, the Department of Defense seeks to leverage emerging technology, focusing heavily on autonomy, man-machine teaming and machine learning, and innovative ways to harness new technologies with tactics, techniques, and strategies to maintain a pacing edge over adversaries. How should the Sea Services meld technology and innovation to maintain our nation’s advantages?

The Challenge

Predict the next emerging and disruptive technologies

Describe how those technologies will be used by the U.S. military or against it

Discuss practical approaches for fielding and wielding emerging and disruptive technologies rapidly and getting them into the hands of warfighters

Submission Guidelines

Word Count: 2,500 words maximum (excludes endnotes/sources).

(excludes endnotes/sources). Include word count on the title page but do not include your name on title page or within the essay.

Note: Your essay must be original and not previously published (online or in print) or being considered for publication elsewhere.

First Prize: $5,000

Second Prize: $2,500

Third Prize: $1,500

Selection Process

The Proceedings staff members will evaluate every essay and screen the top essays to a special Essay Selection Committee of at least six members who will include two members of the Naval Institute’s Editorial Board and four subject experts. All essays will be judged in the blind—i.e., the Proceedings staff members and judges will not know the authors of the essays.

Announcement of the Winners

Winners will be published in a future issue of Proceedings.