US Navy warship power systems to get zero-trust shield to protect fleet from cyberattacks

The US Navy awarded a $23.13 million contract to South Carolina-based Integer Technologies to develop cybersecurity defenses for warship electrical power systems, helping naval platforms withstand cyberattacks without disrupting critical operations. The Department of War announced the contract on October 28, funding research into the Threat Resilient Integrated Defense for Enhanced Naval Technologies (TRIDENT) program. Integer Technologies will work with Florida State University and its Center for Advanced Power Systems to develop zero-trust security frameworks tailored to shipboard power networks. The six-year contract has a 36-month base period and a 36-month option period that begins 12 months after execution, with work expected to finish in October 2030. The Navy has obligated $10.13 million to fund the base period. Why shipboard power systems need cyber defenses Warship electrical networks do more than supply lights and routine onboard equipment. They distribute power to machinery, control systems, sensors, and other mission-critical equipment. On ships with integrated power systems, electricity can also support advanced weapons and high-power sensors. The Navy’s Office of Naval Research identifies secure control methods and resilient electrical distribution as important requirements for future naval power systems. A cyberattack targeting these networks could potentially interfere with monitoring or control functions, making it harder for crews to understand the system’s condition or respond to faults. Defending them requires more than protecting conventional IT networks because the digital systems involved interact directly with physical equipment. The challenge is maintaining cybersecurity without slowing the time-sensitive control processes needed to distribute electricity safely. Zero trust designed for warship power grids TRIDENT will investigate threat-informed zero-trust architecture (ZTA), a security model that does not automatically trust users, devices, or connections simply because they are already inside a network. Instead, access must be verified, permissions restricted, and system behavior monitored. Security controls can also separate connected systems so that a compromised component has fewer opportunities to affect other parts of the network. For shipboard power systems, however, these measures must account for low-latency requirements and the coexistence of legacy equipment with newer technologies. Some older systems may have limited security features or may not support modern authentication methods without substantial modification. The Navy’s research aims to help ships maintain awareness of their cyber and physical operating conditions, dynamically adjust their defenses, and continue functioning during adversarial attacks. In April 2026, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and other federal agencies published guidance on adapting zero trust to operational technology. The guidance emphasizes that security measures must account for the reliability and safety requirements of systems that control physical processes. Research could help keep ships operating under attack Integer Technologies and its research partners will investigate ways to apply these principles to naval electrical networks while preserving system performance. The contract announcement does not identify specific ship classes scheduled to receive the technology or confirm that a deployable system has already been developed. The work is part of a bigger project to make naval systems more resilient to cyber interference. The Office of Naval Research’s cyber-resiliency program also focuses on protecting complex naval systems that combine legacy hardware, software, and interconnected controls. If the TRIDENT research produces effective solutions, the Navy could gain new methods for detecting suspicious activity, restricting unauthorized access, and preserving electrical-system performance during cyber incidents. In a time when warships are increasingly dependent on interconnected electrical and digital systems, the goal is to ensure that a cyberattack does not translate into a loss of critical ship functions. Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox.Kaif Shaikh is a journalist and writer passionate about turning complex information into clear, impactful stories. His writing covers technology, sustainability, geopolitics, and occasionally fiction. A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, his work has appeared in the Times of India and beyond. After a near-fatal experience, Kaif began seeing both stories and silences differently. Outside work, he juggles far too many projects and passions, but always makes time to read, reflect, and hold onto the thread of wonder.