Seminar - The United States Navy: 250 Years of Innovation - Apr. 10
Michelle Howard
U.S. Navy Admiral (Ret.)
Former Vice Chief of Naval Operations
Friday, Apr. 10 • 10:40 a.m. • AERO 114
Seven Seas and Air Space Ìý| ÌýSpace Ìý| ÌýCyber Space Ìý| ÌýSeabed to Space
Abstract: From wooden hulls crossing the Delaware River in 1775 to directed-energy weapons, satellite intercepts, and cyber operations today, the United States Navy has continuously reinvented itself to meet the demands of an evolving strategic environment.Ìý
This presentation traces 250 years of naval innovation across four domains — the Seven Seas and airspace, space, cyberspace, and the seabed-to-space continuum — exploring how the Navy has adapted its warfighting capabilities to each new frontier.
Drawing on landmark moments such as Operation Burnt Frost, the emergence of cyber warfare, and the rise of unmanned systems, Admiral Howard examines the forces that have driven naval transformation and the challenges that lie ahead as competitors contest every domain from the ocean floor to orbit.Ìý
As Yogi Berra famously noted, "It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future" — yet understanding how the Navy has innovated over two and a half centuries offers the clearest possible guide to what comes next.
Bio: Admiral Michelle J. Howard served over 35 years in the United States Navy, commanding a ship, an Expeditionary Strike Group, a Task Force, and a Naval theater. In 1999 she became the first African American woman to command a ship in the Navy. In 2014 she became the first woman to achieve the rank of four-star Admiral in the U.S. Navy and the first woman appointed as Vice Chief of Naval Operations.Ìý
Her career included NATO peacekeeping operations, Indonesia Tsunami Relief, Maritime Security Operations, and the rescue of the Maersk Alabama from Somali pirates. She is a Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran.Ìý
Admiral Howard subsequently served as the Shapiro Visiting Professor at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George 91´ó»ÆѼ University, and is a member of the IBM Board of Directors.