ONR Unveils 2026 Strategy: AI-Driven Research, 'FEED at Speed' Framework

The Office of Naval Research released its 2026 Science and Technology Strategy on July 22, establishing a new roadmap for technology development across the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The strategy introduces the 'FEED at Speed' framework, a five-pillar approach designed to prioritize transformational research and compress the timeline from lab to fleet.

FEED at Speed Framework

The framework organizes ONR's portfolio around five principles: Focus on 'Only ONR' problems—challenges too transformational for commercial markets; Explain naval relevance and transition paths; Engage by synchronizing with the broader defense ecosystem; Deploy with measured outcomes and fielded capabilities; and Speed, leveraging AI to accelerate discovery.

The strategy marks a departure from broad prototyping toward a disciplined, outcome-measured approach. ONR will divest from programs that do not align with 'Only ONR' problems, concentrating resources on high-impact research unlikely to be solved elsewhere.

Research by AI

A central pillar is the 'research by AI' initiative, which uses artificial intelligence not merely for naval applications but as a tool to conduct basic and applied research. The approach aims to compress combinatorial search problems and automate routine administrative tasks for program officers.

'The goal is not to replace humans, but to increase our efforts exponentially by having large-scale networks of coordinated performers and agents to achieve asymmetric effects in problem solving and time,' the strategy document states.

Eleven Focus Areas

The strategy identifies 11 S&T focus areas: AI and autonomy; C5ISR and naval space; directed energy and kinetic systems; human and biological systems; manufacturing; materials and electronics; naval aerospace; naval engineering; ocean, atmosphere and space; power and energy; and undersea systems.

Leadership Perspective

'In this important moment in time, we have embarked on a journey to refine how we do every part of our business — to make transparent what we are solving for, what bets we will place across our portfolio, and how we will measure whether and how they have paid off,' said Dr. Rachel Riley, Chief of Naval Research.

The strategy arrives during heightened strategic competition and rapid technological change. It follows a White House Office of Science and Technology Policy report recommending renewal of the federal R&D enterprise to secure U.S. dominance in critical and emerging technologies.

The approach aligns with broader Department of Defense initiatives to adopt AI tools for both warfighting and administrative functions. By integrating AI into the scientific process itself, ONR aims to create an asymmetric advantage in invention speed, potentially shortening the notorious 'Valley of Death' between research and deployment.

The 2026 Navy Summit on August 27 will explore digital engineering, autonomous systems, and other priorities shaping the future maritime force.