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Acquisition Research Program Newsletter

March 28, 2025       —       Issue 236

DIU's Doug Beck to speak at
Creating Synergy for Change: Transitioning Technology to the Warfighter
NPS 22nd Annual Acquisition Research Symposium and Innovation Summit
May 7-8, 2025 | 0800 - 1600 Central Time

We’re pleased to announce that Doug Beck, Director of Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Defense, will be speaking at our virtual, interactive Research Symposium and Innovation Summit in May.

As head of DIU, Mr. Beck oversees efforts to accelerate DOD’s adoption of commercial technology throughout the military. Under his leadership, DIU has moved into the next phase of development — scaling innovation throughout the DOD, accelerating adoption of commercial technology, and aligning and building a national innovation force.

We look forward to hearing Mr. Beck’s recommendations for bringing innovative technology and unmatched capability to the warfighter with the focus, scale, and speed necessary for strategic superiority.

Mr. Beck will join NPS president Ann Rondeau, Ed.D., Vice Admiral, USN (Ret), for a fireside chat on “Innovating Defense,” during which virtual audience members will be invited to submit questions.

This fireside chat will take place Thursday, May 8, at 1150 - 1250 Central Time.

This Week's Top Stories 

Pentagon Press Briefing Room. (DoD photo by Lisa Ferdinando)

How to Prioritize DOD’s Budget: Experts Try It—and So Can You
Greg Hadley, Air & Space Forces Magazine

In a recent workshop from American Enterprise Institute, defense analysts and experts simulated possible outcomes of the 8% budget reallocation ordered by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

• AI-Powered Reallocation: Participants utilized AEI's new AI-powered Defense Futures Simulator to make program-by-program adjustments.
• Challenging Tradeoffs: Making cuts involved balancing force structure, readiness, and modernization -- all within the confines of Hegseth's stated priorities and exemptions.
• Army Cuts, Navy Gains: All eight teams reduced the Army's overall budget and increased the Navy's.
• Surface Ship Concerns: Multiple participants would have cut Navy surface ships if allowed due to survivability concerns against China.
• AI Simulator: Try the Defense Futures Simulator for yourself.
• Event Recording: The Defense Department’s 8 Percent Challenge: What to Cut and Where to Invest

Audit at the Speed of War: Why the DoD Must Automate Audit and Business Operations
Greg Little, Kim Lynch, Gregory Pejic, and Jonathan Moak

DOD has repeatedly failed its financial audits despite significant expenditures, highlighting a critical need to shift from inefficient manual processes to automated, software-driven systems to achieve both audit success and enhanced warfighting readiness.

• Force Multiplier: An effective audit should be a force multiplier, enhancing warfighting readiness, financial transparency, and cost efficiency. Knowing asset locations and conditions is vital for combat effectiveness.
• Financial Opacity: Lack of financial visibility leads to delays, lost purchasing power, and trapped funds.
• Flawed Audit Incentives: The current labor-based audit industry, driven by cost-plus and time-and-materials contracts, incentivizes prolonged remediation rather than solutions.
• Beyond Dashboards: DOD's Advana software is intended to integrate data streams from many sources, but, to be effective, it must evolve beyond dashboards into a central system for real-time analytics, workflows, and AI-driven reconciliation.

GSA to ‘quadruple' in size to centralize procurement across the government
Natalie Alms, NextGov

A new executive order is set to significantly expand the General Services Administration (GSA) by centralizing procurement across the government, aiming for greater efficiency and cost savings. This expansion, which could quadruple the agency's size, coincides with internal changes at the GSA, including workforce reductions and the adoption of artificial intelligence.

SecDef’s software memo causing ‘angst,' defense official says
Lauren C. Williams, Defense One

Defense Secretary's new memo aims to accelerate software acquisition within the Pentagon by urging the use of rapid procurement methods as standard practice. This shift is causing some initial anxiety among the defense contracting workforce but is largely viewed by leadership and industry as crucial for maintaining technological superiority.

• Faster Buying Needed: The Pentagon's acting weapons chief, Steven Morani, stated that this anxiety underscores the necessity of the "buy-it-faster directive."

DOD cuts $580M in programs, contracts and grants
Edward Graham, NextGov

The Department of Defense (DOD) is making budget cuts totaling over $580 million across various programs, contracts, and grants deemed "wasteful spending".

• HR Software Axed: A delayed HR software modernization program accounts for almost half the cuts. The program is 6 years late with budget overruns of 780%.
• Consultant Contracts Ended: $30 million in contracts with external consultants like McKinsey & Company and Gartner were terminated.
• DEI Initiatives Slashed: $360 million in grants tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion are being cut.

Closeup of a uncrewed autonomous system (UAS) that employs Gambit Defense control and networking technology. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Andrew Langholf).

Lasers Destroy Drones as Additive Manufacturing Builds Them
Dan Linehan, NPS

The February 2025 Joint Interagency Field Experimentation (JIFX) event showcased cutting-edge military technologies such as laser drone destruction and mobile additive manufacturing, providing a crucial platform for collaboration and real-world evaluation.

• Counter-Drone Advancement: The successful demonstration of laser weapon systems (LWS) engaging and destroying drones signifies a crucial step forward in developing effective counter-uncrewed systems (C-UAS) capabilities.
• Expeditionary Logistics: Firestorm Labs demonstrated its xCell mobile additive manufacturing station, which enables on-demand production of drone components and spare parts in forward operating locations or contested environments.
• Operational Insights: Students had the opportunity to offer their operational insights to technologists, influencing the development of solutions to real-world military challenges.
• Technology Evaluation: Participation in JIFX allowed students, particularly those in programs like Bold Machina (BOMA), to learn about the processes of rapidly evaluating and accelerating technologies for adoption by the fleet.
• Transition to Operational Use: By witnessing the experimentation and evaluation of nascent technologies, students gain insight into how emerging technologies can be transitioned into operational capabilities.

Non-Military Foreign Assistance is Now DoD’s Problem
Seth Middleton, Small Wars Journal

The significant downsizing of USAID by the Trump administration will likely force the Department of Defense (DoD) to take a leading role in non-military foreign assistance, potentially detracting from its core missions of lethality and war fighting.

• Doctrinal Emphasis: Joint doctrine (JP 3-29 and JP 3-0) highlights USAID's vital role in national security, foreign policy, and its extensive international network.
• LSCO Burden: The humanitarian aspects of Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) will now fall more heavily on the DoD.
• Policy Tool: Despite criticisms, non-military aid is expected to continue, albeit reduced, as a tool for US economic leverage.
• DoD Readiness: The DoD must consider the posture, size, and readiness of its non-lethal capabilities and adapt joint doctrine and training.

ARP and NPS News

A U.S. Navy helicopter delivers pallets of dry stores to the ships of the USS Theodore Roosevelt. Photo by Sarah Cannon, DVIDS.

NPS Professor Engineers New Risk Assessment for Navy Supply Routes

Naval Postgraduate School Senior Lecturer Harrison Schramm has developed a groundbreaking, patent-pending approach that helps military logisticians integrate risk, including from adversaries, into supply route planning – a capability that's increasingly critical in all theaters.

Traditional logistics approaches are extremely efficient at finding the shortest or most efficient routes between two points. But in an environment where adversaries like China can threaten cargo ships from increasingly long distances, the shortest route isn't always the safest choice.

A former Navy logistics helicopter pilot with a focus both on AI and logistics, Schramm created a lightweight program that layers threat assessment capabilities onto existing tools. His solution, which can run on a computer no bigger than a pack of gum, helps planners balance efficiency with risk when routing supplies and munitions through a contested theater.

Schramm’s time as a pilot has made him keenly aware that no defense solution “works” unless it works for the service members who use it. So he built for speed and adoptability. His algorithm can run in mere seconds and is intended to seamlessly augment existing logistics planning.

”Everything I'm doing right now is focused on getting the best performance from the smallest possible computer," said Schramm, who is collaborating with industry partners and INDOPACOM's J4 Logistics and Engineering Directorate.

Mr. Schramm will share more details about his patent-pending innovation at this year’s Creating Synergy for Change: Transitioning Technology to the Warfighter, NPS 22nd Annual Acquisition Research Symposium and Innovation Summit. He will also discuss the logistical challenges facing INDOPACOM and how NPS and its industry partners leveraged their unique capabilities to develop a solution.

The Symposium and Innovation Summit is an interactive, virtual event taking place on May 7 and 8, from 0800 to 1600 Central time.

Go here to view the full program and complete your registration.

Acquisition

amgun/Getty Images

Buckle up: The acquisition ride is only going to get bumpier
Stan Soloway, NextGov

The federal contracting and acquisition landscape is facing significant turbulence, marked by unprecedented actions and policy shifts that necessitate adaptability for contractors. Major changes so far include challenges to core tenets of federal contracting, significant changes in procurement processes, and potential shifts in contract requirements.

DoD shepherds CMMC through Trump deregulatory initiative
Justin Doubleday, Federal News Network

Despite facing hurdles from the Trump administration's deregulatory policies, the Department of Defense (DoD) is actively working to finalize and implement the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) acquisition rule to better protect controlled unclassified information within the defense industrial base. Key DoD officials remain optimistic about the rule's eventual implementation, citing national security imperatives.

GSA issues major changes to Multiple Awards Schedule program
Frank Konkel, Next Gov

The General Services Administration (GSA) has initiated major changes to its Multiple Awards Schedule (MAS) program, a significant commercial acquisition program responsible for over $51 billion in sales last year.

• Sales Thresholds: MAS contracts not meeting sales thresholds will be allowed to expire.
• Process Streamlining: The changes aim to simplify processes and eliminate inefficiencies.

Here are 10 ways DOGE can remake our outdated Defense Department
Elaine McCusker, Todd Harrison and John Ferrari, The Hill

The consolidation of the defense industry in the post-Cold War era, driven by a reduction in spending and encouraged consolidation, has resulted in an inefficient and uncompetitive sector, mirroring the failed industrial policies of post-war Britain. To reverse this trend and foster a more innovative and efficient defense sector, the authors propose ten key actions focused on eliminating bureaucracy, promoting competition and innovation, better aligning acquisition with warfighter needs, and streamlining financial and contracting processes.

Working Paper: How DOGE Can Retake the Commanding Heights: Overhauling How America Equips Its Warfighter

GSA launches FedRAMP revamp
Natalie Alms, NextGov

The General Services Administration (GSA) has launched FedRAMP 20x, a significant overhaul of the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program. They intend to dramatically speed up the process for government agencies to adopt new cloud technologies by increasing automation and reducing bureaucratic hurdles.

• Zero Trust Focus: FedRAMP 20x will emphasize maximizing zero trust security principles.
• Drive for Efficiency: Streamlining the program is expected to expedite the adoption of secure, innovative technologies.
• Private Innovation: FedRAMP will set standards to enable private innovation in security solutions.
• Decentralized Approach: The program will move away from centralized authority within the FedRAMP PMO.

Innovation

U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. 1st Class Shane Smith

Can this GPS alternative keep a drone from crashing?
Lauren C. Williams, Defense One

A new software offers a resilient alternative to GPS for drone navigation. The system uses 3D maps created from satellite imagery, enabling unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to operate effectively even when GPS is unavailable due to jamming or spoofing.

• GPS Alternative Navigation: The software utilizes a 3D map built from high-resolution satellite imagery. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) determine their absolute position by matching what their onboard camera sees to the detailed 3D map.
• Enhanced Positional Awareness: The software can be integrated with other drone sensors such as inertial measurement units (IMU) and visual odometry (VO), as well as existing GPS. By fusing data from the best available sources, the navigation system ensures the most accurate positioning.

CBD, DIU Strengthen National Security with AI-Driven Biosurveillance
Defense Innovation Unit

The Department of Defense (DOD)'s Chemical and Biological Defense (CBD) program and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) are jointly spearheading an initiative to bolster national security by developing AI-driven biosurveillance capabilities for the swift identification and mitigation of emerging biological threats.

• Modernized Approach: Current biosurveillance relies on predefined lists and manual processing, which limits the ability to identify novel threats. This initiative seeks a more adaptive approach.
• Predictive Capability: Leveraging AI and big data will transform biosurveillance into a predictive and responsive capability for various scenarios.
• Commercial Tech: The initiative leverages commercial technology to create a real-time, data-driven intelligence capability.

DOD turns its focus to 6G with concept that could help sense drones
Billy Mitchell, DefenseScoop

The Department of Defense (DOD) is actively pursuing the development of 6G wireless technologies as the primary focus of its future warfighting network research.

• Innovative Sensing: Integrated Sensing and Communication is a key 6G concept that uses radio frequencies to create situational awareness by sensing objects, including non-transmitting ones, connected to a network.
• Drone Awareness: A significant early use case for this technology is to improve awareness and management of drones, including detection, deconfliction, and control, addressing growing national security concerns related to weaponized commercial drones.

Defense & Strategy

A US Navy Sailor launches an F/A-18E Super Hornet from the “Blue Diamonds” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 146 from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joseph Calabrese)

Clarity is power: The Trump administration needs a new US Navy Navigation Plan
Bruce Stubbs, Atlantic Council

The 2024 US Navy Navigation Plan (NAVPLAN) has become outdated with the inauguration of President Trump, whose focus on building a larger Navy contrasts with the previous plan's prioritization of readiness and capability over capacity. This Atlantic Council issue brief argues that the new 2025 NAVPLAN must embrace the president's direction and address critical deficiencies in the 2024 version, particularly in clarity, focus, frankness, and strategic depth.

EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon memo lays out push for Advana to become formal program of record
Carley Welch, Breaking Defense

The Pentagon is considering formalizing its Advana data analytics platform as a program of record, signaling a potential shift in its development and management.

• Data Interoperability: Originally intended to integrate DOD financial systems, Advana is a massive data environment that brings together data flows from more than 400 DOD business systems.

What will the Army’s Next-Gen C2 contract look like?
Mark Pomerleau, DefenseScoop

The Army is adopting a novel and iterative strategy for its Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) program, prioritizing collaboration with industry and flexible requirements to rapidly modernize its command and control capabilities.

• Iterative Development: The Army is pursuing a minimal viable product approach with continuous iteration and learning, integrating technological improvements as they become available.
• Avoiding "Valley of Death": Officials believe this novel approach will prevent the "valley of death", the failure to transition promising technologies from R&D to procurement.
• Unconventional Contracting: The contracting strategy is unconventional, enabling multiple iterative and competitive opportunities for contractors, as no single company can provide a total solution.
• First Article in This Series: How the Army built Next-Gen Command and Control

Industry

United States of America and EU Flags. Shutterstock.com

A Transatlantic Defense Industrial Base? Two Contrasting Views
Jonathan Caverley, Ethan B. Kapstein, Élie Tenenbaum, and Léo Péria-Peigné, French Institute of International Relations (Ifri)

This report offers two distinct perspectives on the defense industrial relationship between the United States and Europe amidst a complex global security landscape. One view posits Europe's continued dependence on US technological superiority, while the other champions Europe's potential for greater strategic autonomy and a more balanced transatlantic partnership.

Military prototypes work great if you know how to use them
Tom Temin, Federal News Network

This interview with the Baroni Center's Stephanie Halcrow explores the key findings of a recent report on prototyping.

• Differing Success Metrics: While the government might value learning from failed prototypes, industry and warfighters primarily see success in prototypes that are integrated into systems or become programs of record.
• Critical Best Practices Identified: The study emphasizes several best practices, including clearly defining the problem, securing customer commitment and resources, preparing for the "end game" (production/integration), utilizing digital and open systems with international standards, and the re-evaluation of legacy requirements. Collaboration on requirements is highly valued by industry.
• Importance of Measuring Outcomes: Given the significant increase in prototyping expenditure, clearly defining and measuring the success of these efforts is crucial for improvement and achieving desired transitions or integrations.

Congress & Government

U.S. President Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of the U.S. Navy John Phelan arrives to a Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on February 27, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Senate confirms Trump’s pick to lead Navy and Marine Corps
Jon Harper, DefenseScoop

John Phelan has been confirmed by the Senate as the new Secretary of the Navy.

• Leadership Transition: Phelan, a businessman with no prior military experience, takes charge during a period of Pentagon reviews and hiring adjustments.
• Priorities: Phelan plans to emphasize increased investment in uncrewed systems and related technologies for a "hybrid fleet" to counter threats like China. This includes the Marine Corps' initiatives with autonomous collaborative aircraft.

Trump taps ‘The DoddFather’ to oversee critical technologies at the Pentagon
Jon Harper, DefenseScoop

President Trump has nominated Michael Dodd to the position of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies. Established in 2023, a role designed to steer the technological advancements within the Department of Defense's research and engineering sector. Dodd's extensive background in defense innovation and technology positions him as a significant figure in shaping the future of U.S. military capabilities, pending Senate confirmation.

• "DoddFather" Insights: Dodd authors a newsletter, “The DoddFather Diaries,” focused on defense technology and innovation.
• DIU Principal: Dodd currently serves as principal for energy at the National Security Innovation Capital (NSIC), a component of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU).

Research

McKinsey

Creating a modernized defense technology frontier
Dale Swartz and Ryan Brukardt with Karl Hujsak, McKinsey

This article argues that while public and private investment in defense innovation is significant, achieving a modernized defense frontier requires addressing fragmentation and barriers to technology adoption through better collaboration, funding efficiency, talent development, and infrastructure upgrades.

Navy Shipbuilding: Enduring Challenges Call for Systemic Change
Government Accountability Office

This GAO report highlights that, despite a near doubling of its budget over the past two decades, the Navy has failed to increase its fleet size as planned. Shipbuilding acquisition practices have been marked by cost growth and delivery delays, necessitating a systemic shift towards adopting leading commercial ship design and product development approaches.

Cloud Computing: Private Sector Leading Practices in Acquisition, Cybersecurity, and Workforce Development
Government Accountability Office

This GAO report identifies 19 leading practices used by private sector companies in adopting and implementing cloud computing solutions across three key management areas, providing valuable insights for federal policymakers and program managers navigating their own cloud transitions.

DOD Contracting: Opportunities Exist to Improve Pilot Program for Employee-Owned Businesses
Government Accountability Office

The GAO examines a DOD pilot program that allows awarding certain contracts without competition to companies organized as employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). The report concludes that while ESOPs can offer benefits, the DOD's initial and updated guidance for the pilot program has been insufficient, leading to issues with implementation and alignment with best practices for pilot program design.

Events

Hypersonic Weapons & Emerging Technologies Summit
1–2 April 2025
Huntsville, AL

TEVCON: Technology, Energy, Vehicle Conference
2-4 April 2025
San Diego, CA

Technology & National Security Conference
4-5 April 2025
Cambridge, MA

Building Critical Mineral Security for a Sustainable Future
30 April 2025
Washington, DC or Virtual

Sea Air Space
6-9 April 2025
National Harbor, Maryland

APEX
23-24 April 2025
National Harbor, Maryland

2025 State of the Space Industrial Base Conference and SSIB Workshops
29 April - 2 May 2025
Albuquerque, NM

Creating Synergy for Informed Change: Transitioning Technology to the Warfighter
NPS 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

MTO Spark Tank
24-25 July 2025
Aurora, CO

MODSIM World 2025
18-20 August 2025
Norfolk, VA

2025 Emerging Technologies for Defense
27-29 August 2025
Washington, DC

I/ITSEC 2025: Optimizing Training: Ensuring Operational Dominance
1-4 December 2025
Orlando, FL

One more thing...

President Calvin Coolidge decorating Henry Breault of the submarine 0-5 with the Congressional Medal of Honor. (Source: Library of Congress)

Petition seeks to name submarine after ‘The Silent Service’s First Hero’
Alison Cross, Stars and Stripes

A nationwide coalition is petitioning the U.S. Navy to name a Virginia-class submarine after Henry Breault, the only enlisted submariner to ever receive the Medal of Honor.

• Selfless Sacrifice: In 1923, Breault chose to remain in a sinking submarine to save a trapped shipmate. Rather than exiting the submarine, Breault closed the hatch and went to the torpedo room, sealing the watertight door to preventing further flooding.
• Dual Survival: Breault and his shipmate had about 48 hours of oxygen available. They were rescued after a 31-hour operation, although not before a battery explosion caused an electrical fire in an adjacent chamber.
• Historical Significance: Breault’s actions highlight the core values of the submarine force. A petition with over 2,000 signatures urges the Navy to name a Virginia-class submarine after Breault.

Maureen Lauder, PhD, Communications Manager
Karey Shaffer, MBA, Program Manager
Acquisition Research Program
Naval Postgraduate School
e: ARPEditor@nps.edu 

Note: Article summaries were generated with the help of AI tools.

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