Navy CTO Urges Focused Innovation for Modernization
As the U.S. Navy confronts a rapidly changing technological and geopolitical landscape, its top tech official is calling for a sharper focus on innovation priorities to accelerate the service’s modernization efforts. In a recent interview titled “Navy CTO Justin Fanelli on why clearer tech priorities speed naval modernization,” published by DefenseScoop, Chief Technology Officer Justin Fanelli emphasized the need for a more structured approach to technology development to ensure the Navy remains agile and competitive.
Fanelli, who leads emerging technology strategy for the Department of the Navy’s digital enterprise, said that one of the central challenges impeding modernization is too often a proliferation of disconnected initiatives. “One of the difficulties in a large enterprise is everybody is clever,” he noted, referring to the numerous projects born from well-intentioned innovation but lacking alignment with overarching mission goals.
To correct this, Fanelli advocates for clearly defined priorities and disciplined execution. He emphasized that innovation only accelerates modernization when it is organized around common objectives. By unifying efforts through shared frameworks like the Navy’s Information Superiority Vision and aligning with Department of Defense initiatives such as the Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) strategy, the Navy can both streamline development and more rapidly deploy new capabilities.
Fanelli pointed to digital engineering and data-centric operations as critical enablers for this transformation. He stressed the importance of moving away from legacy IT systems and toward agile, secure software-driven platforms that can support modern warfighting needs. Integral to this vision is adopting cloud-native designs, embracing data sharing across organizational boundaries, and implementing strong cybersecurity protocols from the outset of technology development cycles.
As the Navy embraces digital transformation, Fanelli also acknowledged cultural barriers that hinder adoption. He argued that fostering a culture of experimentation and collaboration—while still maintaining discipline around objectives—is essential for successful modernization. “We need to get comfortable with failing quickly, learning, adapting, and moving forward, all while keeping our eye clearly on the strategic impact,” he said.
Fanelli’s remarks underscore rising urgency within the Department of the Navy to keep pace with strategic rivals such as China, which has rapidly advanced integrated military technologies within its own naval forces. To do so, the Navy must not only innovate, but do so with purpose and cohesion.
The interview published by DefenseScoop presents a candid look at the internal reforms underway within the Navy’s technology ecosystem. It illustrates a growing recognition at senior leadership levels that innovation for innovation’s sake is no longer sufficient. Instead, Fanelli contends, the Navy must channel its technical ingenuity through a more disciplined, mission-driven framework—one that enables it to outpace adversaries in an era defined by speed, complexity, and digital warfare.
