Bishop Ascendant Inc. Appoints Vice Admiral William French (USN, Ret.) as Strategic Advisor
Former Commander of Navy Installations Command Brings Decades of Submarine Warfare and Infrastructure Leadership to Support Advanced Maritime Defense Innovations
WEST CALDWELL, N.J. — August 18, 2026 — Bishop Ascendant Inc., a premier advanced engineering and manufacturing firm specializing in modular maritime defense, shoreline protection, and critical infrastructure security, today announced the appointment of Vice Admiral William “Bill” French, USN (Ret.), to its Board of Advisors.
In this strategic advisory role, VADM French will leverage his 35-year naval career—including high-level operational command and shore installation management—to support Bishop Ascendant's expansion across military, defense, and maritime utility sectors. His guidance will focus on strategic growth, government alignment, and the deployment of modular security technologies, including the company's signature unmanned surface vehicle (USV) platforms and subsurface barrier systems like the Kraken.
“Vice Admiral French brings an exceptional breadth of experience, spanning submarine operations to the command of global shore installations across 70 naval bases,” said Justin Bishop, Founder and CEO of Bishop Ascendant Inc. “As maritime threats grow increasingly complex, his strategic insight will be invaluable in scaling our modular physical barrier and autonomous defense technologies for the U.S. Navy, partner agencies, and critical infrastructure operators worldwide.”
VADM French served as the Commander of Navy Installations Command (CNIC) prior to his retirement from active duty in 2014, overseeing global shore infrastructure, port operations, and base resilience. A career submarine warfare officer, his command assignments included an attack submarine, Submarine Squadron 11, Navy Region Southwest, and Navy Region Hawaii, alongside senior staff leadership as Chief of Staff for U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM). Following his military service, French spent over a decade as President and CEO of the Armed Services YMCA and serves as a defense industry consultant.
“Bishop Ascendant is addressing some of the most pressing physical security and environmental challenges facing modern naval and commercial ports today,” said Vice Admiral French. “Their commitment to durable, rapidly deployable engineering solutions—from physical UUV defense to modular life support—aligns directly with the evolving operational needs of our national defense infrastructure. I look forward to working with Justin and the leadership team to advance these capabilities.”
About Bishop Ascendant Inc.
Bishop Ascendant Inc. is a leader in designing and developing modular, scalable solutions for maritime defense, shoreline protection, and critical infrastructure resilience. Headquartered in West Caldwell, New Jersey, the company leverages advanced polymer and composite engineering, sensor integrations, and rapid-deployment architectures to protect military outposts, commercial ports, and energy utility assets worldwide. For more information, visit www.bishopascendant.com.
Media Contact:
Devon Bishop
Ascendant Inc.
Email: info@bishopascendant.com
Phone: (201) 572-7436