WEST 2025: Shaping the Future of Naval Warfare

Presented by AFCEA International and Carahsoft

At WEST 2025 in San Diego, top military and industry leaders explored the evolving landscape of naval technology, cybersecurity, and workforce readiness. In exclusive interviews, Lt. Gen. Susan Lawrence, USA (Ret.), President & CEO of AFCEA International, Barry Tanner, Deputy CIO of the U.S. Navy, and Vice Adm. Karl Thomas shared insights on modernizing defense infrastructure, harnessing AI for decision advantage, and strengthening partnerships between government and industry. Their discussions highlight the urgent need for readiness, innovation, and collaboration to maintain superiority in an increasingly contested global environment. Watch the full show and dive into key takeaways from these thought leaders.

The Navy’s Digital Transformation: Modernization, Security, and Workforce Empowerment

At WEST 2025, Barry Tanner, Deputy CIO at the U.S. Navy, discussed the evolution of the Navy’s Information Superiority Vision (ISV) 2.0, emphasizing the need to optimize, secure, and make data-driven decisions. He highlighted efforts to retire outdated technologies and reinvest in modern solutions while ensuring cybersecurity is built into systems from the start. Tanner also stressed the importance of AI, low-code platforms, and workforce empowerment, particularly through the Navy Champions Network, which fosters innovation and technological adoption across the force.

Key Takeaways:

1. Modernization through ISV 2.0: The Navy is transitioning from a "defend" mindset to a proactive "secure by design" approach while optimizing its technology infrastructure by retiring legacy systems​.
2. Data-Driven Decision Making: AI, natural language processing, and analytics are critical to leveraging data for operational advantage, ensuring better decision-making across the force​.
3. Empowering the Workforce: Programs like the Navy Champions Network enable personnel to adopt and innovate with new technologies, ensuring smoother transitions and greater digital readiness​.

Preparing for the Future: Readiness, Technology, and Industry Collaboration

At WEST 2025 in San Diego, Lt. Gen. Susan Lawrence, USA (Ret.), President and CEO of AFCEA International, emphasized the urgency of military readiness in the face of evolving global threats, particularly the 2027 timeline set by China regarding Taiwan. She highlighted the critical need to train and equip service members with cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning to maintain a strategic advantage. Additionally, she underscored the importance of retaining skilled personnel through quality-of-life improvements and career incentives. Lawrence also noted the strengthening relationship between government, industry, and academia, emphasizing that collaboration is more essential than ever to address emerging security challenges.

Key Takeaways:

1. Readiness is Paramount: The military must prepare today—not wait until 2027—to ensure personnel are trained and equipped to counter global threats effectively.
2. Technology is Key, but Training is Crucial: Advancements in AI, machine learning, and other defense technologies are vital, but their effectiveness depends on properly trained personnel.
3. Stronger Industry Partnerships: The dialogue between government, industry, and academia is at an all-time high, as collaboration is essential to addressing evolving security threats.

Harnessing Data and Speed for Naval Superiority in a Contested Future

At WEST 2025, Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare, N2N6 and Director of Naval Intelligence, emphasized the critical role of data, AI, and edge computing in maintaining decision advantage in modern warfare. He underscored the urgency of securing data against cyber threats and leveraging autonomous systems to enhance fleet maneuverability. Thomas also highlighted the need for rapid iteration and learning, as demonstrated in conflicts like Ukraine and the Red Sea, and the importance of industry collaboration in achieving these goals. The Navy’s future success, he noted, depends on a joint force approach, integrating long-range fires, contested logistics, and non-traditional sea denial to prepare for evolving threats.

Key Takeaways:

1. Data is the Battlefield Advantage: The Navy must secure and harness data at speed to drive decision-making, fleet maneuver, and long-range targeting​.
2. Edge Computing and Autonomous Systems: The ability to process data at the tactical edge is critical to maintaining situational awareness and enabling real-time responses​.
3. Joint Warfighting Approach: Future naval operations will integrate space, undersea, and cyber domains to counter peer adversaries like China, requiring a whole-of-force strategy​.