By Petty Officer 1st Class Anderson Branch, Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic

NORFOLK, Va. – Five Sailors across the Atlantic submarine fleet and shore commands were recognized as winners of the inaugural Project Silent Edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) Challenge during an awards presentation at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, August 26, 2026.

The competition challenged Sailors to leverage generative AI platforms to engineer mission-ready workflows that eliminate routine administrative burdens, automate technical tracking and sharpen undersea warfighting readiness.

Senior Chief Machinist’s Mate (Nuclear) Jonathan D. Ashton, assigned to the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine PCU Oklahoma (SSN 802), earned top honors in the afloat senior enlisted category. Ashton developed an AI workflow that cross-references the Reactor Plant Preventive Maintenance Schedule with real-time plant conditions, preventing scheduling conflicts and boosting propulsion readiness.

In the shore officer category, Lt. Matthew J. Dwyer, assigned to Trident Training Facility Kings Bay, Georgia, developed an automated instructor qualification audit tool that reduced a multi-hour manual review to minutes while improving compliance accuracy.

Two Sailors tied for the afloat junior enlisted award. Sonar Technician (Submarines) 2nd Class Mathew M. Perez, assigned to the Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS West Virginia (SSBN 736) (Blue), engineered a predictive model that analyzes naval weather messages to forecast Regional Submarine Signal Noise. Electronics Technician (Nuclear) 2nd Class Richard J. Abbuhl, also assigned to Oklahoma, built an automated tool to identify, categorize and route Advanced Change Checklists, significantly streamlining technical review timelines.

Robotics Warfare Specialist 1st Class James M. Coleman, assigned to Commander, Submarine Group Two, took first place in the shore junior enlisted category. Coleman created an AI-driven workflow to analyze the Enlisted Unit Consolidated Financial Report, allowing leadership to proactively identify financial risk factors and support Sailor readiness.

Capt. Carl Trask, Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic Chief of Staff, presented each recipient with a Navy Flag letter of commendation on behalf of Vice Adm. Rick Seif, commander, Submarine Force Atlantic. In a message announcing the winners, Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic noted the challenge highlighted how artificial intelligence can drastically increase force readiness, adding that upcoming joint guidance with Commander, Submarine Force Pacific will further direct future fleet AI adoption.