The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD), in collaboration with the Program Executive Office for Tactical Aircraft, has launched an exciting initiative to ignite the imaginations of students across Southern Maryland. The Navy’s Next Jet Competition, a pioneering STEM education program, challenges young minds to design the next-generation jet aircraft for the United States Navy. This competition not only promotes creativity and engineering skills but also offers a rare glimpse into the world of Naval Aviation.
The Navy’s Next Jet Competition is open to students from elementary, middle, and high schools in Southern Maryland’s tri-county area—St. Mary’s, Calvert, and Charles Counties. Participants can enter as individuals or as part of a team, with up to five students per team. Supervision by educators or organizational leaders is required for all submissions, ensuring that the designs are developed within an educational framework.
Submissions must be made electronically to NAWCAD’s Strategic Education Office by October 15, with specific details such as participant names, grade levels, school names, and contact information included. Late entries will not be considered, emphasizing the importance of meeting deadlines in this real-world engineering challenge.
A panel of Naval Aviation experts will evaluate the submissions based on four key criteria: creativity, feasibility, innovation, and adherence to the competition theme. This rigorous evaluation process ensures that the designs are not only imaginative but also grounded in practical aviation principles.
Winners will be selected from three categories: elementary school, middle school, and high school. The prize for the winning participants or teams is an exclusive tour of NAWCAD’s squadron(s) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. This unique opportunity includes a guided tour where students can see aircraft up close, meet test pilots, and even experience a flight simulator. Additionally, the winning designs will be featured on Naval Aviation’s official channels and recognized as honorary concepts for future Naval Aviation development.
The timeline for the competition is as follows: The announcement of the competition is on September 4, the submission period is from September 4 to October 15, the judging period is from October 16 to October 30, and the winner announcement is on October 31.
The competition is structured to ensure fairness and encourage widespread participation. Participants must adhere to the submission guidelines, which include presenting original designs that have not been previously published or entered in other competitions. Furthermore, by submitting an entry, participants grant the Navy the right to use their designs for promotional and educational purposes, while retaining ownership of their intellectual property.
The Navy’s Next Jet Competition represents a significant effort to engage the next generation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. By challenging students to think creatively about the future of aviation, the competition not only fosters a deeper understanding of engineering principles but also inspires a lifelong interest in the field of aviation.
This competition is more than just a contest; it’s an invitation for students to envision the future of naval aviation, to explore the boundaries of their creativity, and to potentially see their ideas take flight. As the next generation of aviation engineers and innovators step forward, the Navy stands ready to support and inspire their journey.
For more information or to participate in the competition, students and educators are encouraged to contact NAWCAD’s Strategic Education Office via email at [email protected].
