As commercial marine platforms integrate more autonomous technology and complex sensor systems, the vulnerability of the modern workboat is expanding beyond the hull — down to the microchip. Vessel components increasingly come from global supply chains that introduce real risks: counterfeit parts, compromised microelectronics, and vendor networks that are difficult to vet at scale. This session examines how defense-grade supply chain frameworks can be applied by commercial shipbuilders to secure their procurement pipelines and protect the integrity of their builds. 

Speakers will discuss the Department of Defense’s strategic shift toward commercial-derivative platforms, reliance on commercial-off-the-shelf technology, and a new, urgent mandate for secure, traceable supply chains. Drawing on lessons from rapidly fielding autonomous commercial platforms for defense applications, attendees will learn how manufacturers can build a reliable digital thread across their entire production portfolio, eliminate procurement silos within the shipyard, and get ahead of component obsolescence before it becomes a problem. 

Attendees will:

• Understand how the DoD’s pivot toward autonomous systems is creating new supply chain security requirements for commercial shipyards
• Learn how establishing a single, authoritative source of parts data prevents counterfeit or compromised components from entering vessel supply chains
• Explore how aggregating parts data across vessel variants and programs enables shipyards to identify cross-platform commonalities, vet component provenance at scale, and standardize strategic parts selection
• Leave with a framework for anticipating parts shortages before it forces last-minute sourcing from unverified suppliers
• Hear how defense logistics can reduce engineering rework, secure the procurement pipeline, and help lean shipyard workforces manage complex system integrations safely