Acquisition
The Delta IV Heavy NROL-44 rocket launches from Space Launch Complex-37 on Dec. 10, 2020, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla. The NROL-44 mission is the first mission to launch from the Eastern Range after the historic range's name change to Cape Canaveral SFS on Dec. 9, 2020. (U.S. Space Force photo by Senior Airman Zoe Thacker)
Bridging Speed and Scale—Integrating Commercial Space Advances Into Defense Capabilities
Lt. Col. Allen J. Varghese, Defense Acquisition
The commercial space industry is rapidly advancing, but integrating these technologies into the U.S. Space Force (USSF) is slowed by bureaucratic processes. Adaptive integration techniques, such as those promoted by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), offer a way to incorporate commercial solutions into acquisition pathways more efficiently.
- Adaptive integration: Adaptive integration techniques involve making intentional decisions during a program’s life cycle to integrate commercial solutions, demonstrating their operational utility while minimizing disruption to the program.
- DIU's role: The DIU can provide market research to inform the USSF program offices' AoA process. If the USSF prioritizes resilient communications via interoperable space-based lasercom, the DIU can fund a prototype project to further inform future USSF acquisition strategies.
INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE: Transforming Acquisitions With Digital Electronic Systems Engineering
James Chew, Defense Magazine
The defense acquisition process is plagued by cost and schedule overruns, but adopting digital electronic systems engineering practices, particularly using hardware-accurate digital twins, can help the defense ecosystem develop and maintain cutting-edge technologies more efficiently.
- Augustine's Law: Defense systems rely on sophisticated electronic designs, leading to exponential increases in development, operations, and sustainment costs. Norm Augustine's Law 16 humorously predicts that by 2054, the defense budget will only be able to afford a single aircraft.
- Digital twins: Commercial companies use emulation systems to test and evaluate designs before fabrication, and the GAO has confirmed digital electronic systems engineering practices using hardware-accurate digital twins are commercial best practices.
- AFRL facility: The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is transitioning digital twinning practices to acquisition programs with a new facility at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, funded by the F-35 Joint Program Office. This facility will extend digital twin capabilities to all defense acquisition programs.
- GAO Report: Leading Practices: Iterative Cycles Enable Rapid Delivery of Complex, Innovative Products
Generative AI Used to Speed Up Defense Acquisitions
Stew Magnuson, Defense News
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can accelerate defense acquisition systems, which are often criticized for being too slow, by organizing unstructured information, accelerating prototyping, and streamlining regulatory compliance
- Acquisition personnel: Acquisition professionals are exploring generative AI to alleviate pain points by automating cumbersome tasks, optimizing workflows, and improving processes.
- Information organization: Generative AI can organize unstructured information such as after-action reports, research, white papers, rules, regulations, and contracts, making knowledge more accessible.
- Prototyping acceleration: Generative AI can expedite the creation of software prototypes and models, verifying software functionality and its connectivity to other systems.
Conflict of Interest Rule Changes Likely to Impact Contractors
Jay Carey, Homer La Rue and Ethan Syster, National Defense
The Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council issued a proposed rule updating the government's approach to organizational conflicts of interest (OCIs), which could significantly affect defense contractors. The proposed rule seeks to update definitions, provide illustrative examples, and standardize solicitation provisions and contract clauses, and it is subject to change based on forthcoming comments.
Innovation
Jordan Dross, senior product manager at Primordial Labs, instructs a team of drones through their mission via a simple headset and push-to-talk radio. (Photo courtesy of Primordial Labs).
Voice-controlled drones a military game-changer, Primordial Labs says
Jen Judson, Defense News
Primordial Labs has developed Anura, a software that enables voice control of drones using natural language, potentially reducing cognitive overload and manpower requirements on the battlefield. The software is designed to be integrated into various drone platforms and has been tested with the U.S. Army and Special Operations Command.
- Natural language: The system understands the intent behind spoken commands and provides real-time feedback, adapting to changes on the fly.
- Broad integration: Anura can be integrated into different drone platforms, including those competing for the Short-Range Reconnaissance program, and has been demonstrated on the Black Hornet micro-drone.
- No AI reliance: Anura operates locally without using large language models or open AI servers, ensuring that it owns its pipeline.
RoQS for a hard place: DARPA seeks radically more ‘robust’ quantum sensors for ‘inhospitable’ fieldwork
Sydney J. Freedberg Jr., Breaking Defense
DARPA's Robust Quantum Sensors (RoQS) program aims to develop quantum sensors that are resilient to interference and can operate effectively in harsh field conditions, moving beyond current lab-based technology.
- Fundamental change: RoQS aims for a foundational shift in quantum sensor design to inherently address interference, rather than seeking new ways to shield quantum sensors from interference.
- Procurement experiment: RoQS aims to bridge the gap between R&D and practical deployment.
A 3D-printed submarine? Not likely, but maybe something close
Lauren C. Williams, Defense One
The Navy is increasing its use of additive manufacturing, or 3D-printing, to produce submarine parts, aiming to address critical delays and supply chain issues, though a fully 3D-printed submarine remains unlikely.
- Critical parts: The Navy is focusing on using additive manufacturing to create critical submarine parts, including "really hard material combinations". One boat is using 3D-printing for over 100 critical parts.
- Investment surge: The Navy has invested over $200 million in additive manufacturing to accelerate its use. From 2014 to 2023, the Pentagon spent nearly $6 billion on the shipbuilding industrial base. That number is expected to double through fiscal year 2028.
- AUKUS agreement: Additive manufacturing is crucial to the AUKUS agreement; one Australian company produced prototype tailpiece components for Virginia-class submarines in five weeks, compared to the average of 17 months.
Tech bros to the rescue? Reagan Institute 2025 scorecard dings Pentagon on ‘scaling’ innovation
Sydney J. Freedberg Jr., Breaking Defense
The Reagan Institute's 2025 report card assesses the "national security innovation base," noting progress in the Pentagon's engagement with defense startups, but also highlighting challenges such as bureaucratic hurdles, anemic manufacturing capacity, and competition with China. The report emphasizes the importance of private-sector innovators and venture capital in maintaining America's high-tech edge, while also pointing out the need for improvements in manufacturing and streamlined processes within the Pentagon.
Full Report: National Security Innovation Base (NSIB) Report Card
Defense & Strategy
Shipyard operations at General Dynamics NASSCO in February 2025 in San Diego, California. Bradley Peniston / Defense One
Weld, baby, weld: White House to create an ‘office of shipbuilding’
Lauren C. Williams and Bradley Peniston, Defense One
President Trump announced the creation of a new White House office focused on shipbuilding to revitalize the American shipbuilding industry and enhance national security. This initiative aims to counter the growing shipbuilding capabilities of countries like China and address the current challenges facing U.S. shipbuilding programs.
The Tech Revolution and Irregular Warfare: Leveraging Commercial Innovation for Great Power Competition
Seth G. Jones, Center for Strategic and International Studies
The United States is not adequately prepared for the evolving landscape of irregular warfare and must better leverage commercial sector innovation to compete with adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran. To enhance its capabilities in areas such as battlefield awareness, intelligence, and unmanned systems, the U.S. military and intelligence communities need to streamline acquisitions, minimize risk aversion, and foster stronger partnerships with the commercial sector.
Space Force: Vive la difference, advises a new AEI policy paper
Theresa Hitchens, Breaking Defense
A new policy paper from American Enterprise Institute (AEI) advocates for the Space Force to embrace its unique position and aggressively pursue innovative approaches in operations, acquisitions, and personnel management. The paper emphasizes that the Space Force should capitalize on its exceptional nature by restructuring its organization around mission areas and pushing for reforms in personnel systems and budget allocation.
Policy Paper: Embracing Space Force Exceptionalism
Industry
The factory floor at Lockheed Martin's F-35 factory in Fort Worth, Texas. Lockheed Martin courtesy photo
Defense Industry: Want Surge Capacity? Pay For It.
John Tirpak, Air & Space Forces Magazine
In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, defense industry leaders urged the Pentagon to include surge capacity requirements in contracts and provide appropriate compensation to enhance the defense industrial base's ability to increase production during crises.
- Efficiency shift: The Pentagon should move away from prioritizing efficiency at all costs to ensure surge capability.
- Inventory Importance: Moving away from "just in time" inventory practices is a national strategic interest to allow for large parts storage and accelerated production.
- Streamline processes: Congress provides authorities to expedite contracting, but the federal workforce needs incentives to use them.
- Avoid delays: Continuing resolutions and funding delays should be avoided to prevent supply chain stress and discourage small businesses from working with the DoD.
Pentagon needs further industry collaboration on O-RAN development for 5G interoperability
Carley Welch, Breaking Defense
The DoD aims to enhance flexibility, cost efficiency, interoperability, and security in 5G networks through open radio access network (O-RAN) capability, but needs industry's help to expedite the process and educate warfighters on implementation.
- O-RAN architecture: O-RAN allows users to mix and match hardware and software components from various vendors when creating 5G networks. This extensibility is a significant advantage, with 5G network components working with legacy systems and having built-in capability for future use cases like 6G.
- Warfighter education: DOD needs help from industry to educate warfighters on how to implement 5G technologies and ensure devices from different vendors can work together.
Congress & Government
Photo by Elijah Mears on Unsplash
House defense modernization caucus eyes ‘constructively disruptive’ reforms at DOD
Brandi Vincent, DefenseScoop
A new House Defense Modernization Caucus (HDMC) is aiming to bring constructive disruption to the Department of Defense (DOD) by addressing bureaucratic inefficiencies, acquisition processes, and funding mechanisms to better integrate modern software and technology. The caucus intends to work in a bipartisan way to drive legislative changes and reforms within the DOD.
Navy’s ‘Risk Averse’ Culture Hampering Shipbuilding, Ship Repair, Says Panel to HASC
John Grady, USNI News
The Navy's risk-averse culture and bureaucratic processes are hindering its ability to efficiently build and repair ships, according to the president of the Shipbuilding Council of America. To improve shipbuilding and repair, a partnership between the Navy and shipyards is needed, along with a reduction in oversight and fewer design changes.
GAO Report: Shipbuilding and Repair: Navy Needs a Strategic Approach for Private Sector Industrial Base Investments
Continuing Resolution Proposal Includes $1B in Anomalies for Columbia Sub, Shipbuilding Programs
Sam LaGrone, USNI News
A proposed funding deal includes $1.06 billion in anomalies to cover the costs to complete 22 ships and incremental funding for the Columbia-class ballistic missile nuclear submarine program. The proposal seeks to provide necessary funding to complete ships under construction and support the Columbia-class submarine program while also addressing pay increases for junior enlisted service members.
- Stopgap measure: The current continuing resolution keeps the government running through March 14, with Congress working on a new temporary funding bill.
- Clean CR: There is intent to pass a clean continuing resolution (CR) to freeze funding at current levels to keep the government open.
Research
An F-35 breaks the sound barrier while practicing air show maneuvers at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, in December. Lockheed-Martin has built more than 1,000 F-35s, and the Air Force inventory will top 500 this year. USAF plans continue to call for a force of 1,763 F-35s, but getting to that goal remains elusive. The Air Force once envisioned buying up to 110 F-35s per year, but only requested 42 for 2025. At that rate, it will take into the 2040s to build all the jets still planned. Senior Airman Nicholas Rupiper/USAF
New Report: A $45B ‘Recovery Plan’ for the Department of the Air Force
Greg Hadley, Air & Space Forces Magazine
A new report from the Mitchell Institute advocates for a $45 billion "recovery plan" for the Air Force and Space Force. The report argues that increased funding is crucial to modernize the Air Force, which is currently the smallest and oldest it has ever been, and to allow the Space Force to adequately develop its capabilities. Authors argue that underfunding these forces risks losing a future conflict, making the proposed investments essential for national security.
Full Report: Air Force and Space Force Vectors for the Incoming Trump Defense Team
BREAKING: Space Development Agency Developing Satellites with Unproven Tech, GAO Says
Joanna Ye, National Defense
The Space Development Agency (SDA) is investing billions in satellite technology that uses lasers for communication, despite the technology being unproven.
Looking to cut Pentagon costs? Start here, watchdog says
Patrick Tucker, Defense One
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the Pentagon is losing ground in weapons acquisition despite reducing waste in most "high-risk" areas. The report suggests that the Defense Department should carefully consider legacy weapon systems and programs for potential cuts, while also modernizing the defense acquisition process.
GAO Report: High-Risk Series: Heightened Attention Could Save Billions More and Improve Government Efficiency and Effectiveness
Events
2025 Human Systems Conference
11-12 March 2025
Arlington, VA
Manifest: Demo Day
17 March 2025
Washington DC
2025 Undersea Warfare Spring Conference
17-19 March 2025
San Diego, CA
McAleese Defense Programs Conference
18 March 2025
Washington DC
2025 Munitions Executive Summit
18-19 March 2025
Parsippany, NJ
DoD Modernization Exchange 2025
25-26 March 2025
Virtual
Building Critical Mineral Security for a Sustainable Future
30 April 2025
Washington, DC or Virtual
Creating Synergy for Informed Change: Transitioning Technology to the Warfighter
22nd Annual Acquisition Research Symposium & Innovation Summit
7-8 May 2025
Virtual
2025 ASNE Intelligent Ships Symposium
12-14 May 2025
Philadelphia, PA
DLA Supply Chain Alliance Conference & Exhibition
11-12 June 2025
Richmond, VA
Training & Simulation Industry Symposium (TSIS) 2025
17-18 June 2025
Orlando, FL
MODSIM World 2025
18-20 August 2025
Norfolk, VA
I/ITSEC 2025: Optimizing Training: Ensuring Operational Dominance
1-4 December 2025
Orlando, FL
One more thing...
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Gracelyn Oldham, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operator with the Battalion Landing Team 1/6, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)) poses for a picture alongside multiple UAV systems while on the flight deck aboard the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), Mediterranean Sea, Nov. 10, 2023. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Michele Clarke)
The Marine Corps aims to prove its chops in drone operation
Tom Temin, Federal News Network
The Marine Corps is taking a leading role in integrating drone technology into its operations by establishing a competitive drone team to participate in the Military Drone Crucible Championship.
- First to fight: The Marine Corps is the first service to announce its team for the Military Drone Crucible Championship. The Corps has established its competitive drone team under the training command and Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory.
- Competition Goals: The competition aims to foster innovation in drone tactics and technology, especially focusing on smaller, squad-level drones, by enabling operators and industry to collaborate and experiment.
- Skill emphasis: The Marine Corps is emphasizing that operators need to be part operator and part engineer, requiring agility at the squad level to integrate drones effectively.
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