As MARTAC Chief Technology Officer, Jim Harvey leads technology strategy and business development for the company’s market-leading unmanned surface vessels. He focuses on identifying, prioritizing, and guiding research, development, test, and evaluation (RDTE) efforts to drive innovation, scalability, and operational efficiency. Bridging executive vision and technical execution, he ensures emerging technologies are evaluated, integrated, and delivered responsibly to support growth, performance, and future readiness.
Mr. Harvey is a retired U.S. Navy Senior Chief and national security innovator with over two decades of service as a cryptologist at the National Security Agency and USSOCOM. As a founding member and head of the Naval Special Warfare Command Innovation Directorate (N9), he built a technology portfolio from scratch — coordinating over $400 million in funding from ONR, DARPA, SOCOM, and other resource sponsors — and co-authored maritime autonomy concepts that generated over $800 million in RDTE funding in the FY24 defense plan. His work during this period culminated in fielding the first AI-powered drone deployed in combat.
Following his Navy career, Mr. Harvey continued shaping the defense technology landscape as a Global Fires Integration Manager for the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office, leading Palantir and Anduril teams in building interoperable battle management software in support of CJADC2 — driving fires coordination at machine speed across INDOPACOM, SOCOM, and USSPACECOM. He also served as a Senior Program Manager at AeroVironment, overseeing a $50 million autonomous robotics portfolio spanning computer vision, loitering munitions, and unmanned systems development for the Office of Naval Research.
Mr. Harvey is also an award-winning independently-published author of technothrillers under the pen name J.L. Hancock, and volunteers as a National Security Entrepreneur in Residence in UC San Diego’s Start Blue and i4NS innovation programs.