The U.S. Navy is looking beyond traditional defense contractors to discover new technologies, creating opportunities for Rhode Island manufacturers and emerging technology companies. With its established maritime infrastructure and growing network of industry partners, the state is well positioned to help bring new innovations to the fleet.
According to Christian Cowan, executive director of Polaris, Rhode Island has been building the foundation for this kind of collaboration for years.
“The things that make Rhode Island poised to really have tremendous success are physical assets that AI is not going to replace,” Cowan said, pointing to the state’s established research, testing and manufacturing resources.
Those resources include the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport, the Naval War College, the University of Rhode Island’s Bay Campus and Quonset Business Park. Together, they help create an environment where companies can develop, demonstrate and advance technologies for maritime and defense applications.
One example of this collaboration is BlueTIDE, the annual maritime technology demonstration hosted by Polaris Tech Bridge in collaboration with the Navy and NUWC. The event connects companies developing innovative technologies with military leaders, industry partners and other stakeholders.
Among this year’s participants was Solid State Power Corp., a Pawtucket-based battery and power systems manufacturer. Founded by CEO Tom Calef, the company develops power solutions for applications ranging from boats and drones to mining equipment and data centers, while also supporting defense-related work.
Calef sees greater collaboration between the Navy and smaller companies as an opportunity to bring more innovation into the defense sector.
“They’re going to be working with more industry partners,” Calef said. “And the innovation coming from smaller companies is really gaining traction.”
For companies like Solid State Power, events such as BlueTIDE offer an opportunity to showcase their capabilities and become part of conversations about emerging military needs.
Despite the opportunities, demonstrating a promising technology is only one step toward securing defense business. Cowan noted that contracting requirements and cybersecurity regulations can create significant hurdles for smaller companies seeking to work with the military.
The Navy is working to address these challenges through initiatives designed to engage industry earlier in the development and acquisition process. NUWC has expanded its outreach through biweekly industry office hours, a long-range acquisition forecast and a public-facing website designed to make information more accessible.
The broader approach, described by NUWC Technical Director Marie Bussiere as “radical collaboration,” aims to identify promising technologies sooner and move them into service more quickly.
Dual-use technologies — products with both commercial and military applications — are also becoming increasingly important. By developing technologies for commercial markets alongside defense applications, companies can attract private investment to support product development. The Navy can then potentially purchase or adapt more mature solutions rather than fund the entire development process.
Rhode Island’s established maritime and manufacturing ecosystem gives companies a foundation for participating in this evolving defense landscape. Polaris Tech Bridge helps strengthen those connections by bringing together technology developers, military stakeholders and industry partners.
As Cowan explained, expanding collaboration creates opportunities for companies to contribute new ideas and capabilities to the state’s undersea technology sector.
For Solid State Power and other Rhode Island businesses, the growing interest in nontraditional defense suppliers could open new paths to market. BlueTIDE helps make those connections possible by giving companies a place to demonstrate what they can do and engage with the people working to address the Navy’s technology needs.
As participation continues to grow, Rhode Island is well positioned to help shape the future of undersea technology — one collaboration at a time.
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