Navy Jet Design Contest Accepting Entries
The US Navy calls on students across Southern Maryland to draw on their innovation and creativity to design naval aviation’s next jet in a competition hosted by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division at NAS Patuxent River.
“America’s naval air superiority is forged in Southern Maryland thanks to the aviation pros who call this region home,” said NAWCAD commander RADM Todd Evans. “The Navy’s Next Jet Competition is our commitment to helping its next generation of talent take flight.”
The competition launches today, Feb. 16, and invites K-12th graders across St. Mary’s, Charles, and Calvert counties to submit their futuristic jet designs for a chance to win a tour of a NAWCAD squadron, meet the pilots, and experience naval aviation up close. The competition’s top designs will be featured in an exhibit at the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum and showcase during Naval Air Station Pax River’s 2026 air show.
Naval aviation leaders will judge student designs across the competition’s three submission categories – kindergarten-5th, 6th-8th, and 9th-12th grades – based on creativity, feasibility, and innovation.
The competition details, including design and judging criteria, submission requirements, and more can be found here.
The jet designs are due by March 13.
NAWCAD employs military, civilian, and contract personnel. It operates test ranges, laboratories, and aircraft in support of test, evaluation, research, development, and sustainment for all Navy and Marine Corps aviation platforms. Based at Pax River, NAWCAD also has sites in St. Inigoes in southern St. Mary’s County, MD; Lakehurst, NJ; and Orlando, FL.
