Shahriyar Gourgi’s Post

The Defense Innovation Board Summer 2024 meeting emphasized incentivizing tech adoption, enhancing innovation cooperation with allies, and supporting the warfighter. Overall many of the recommendations appear duplicative of past recommendations that still miss at the heart of the challenge with innovation tied to PPBE and the Large Programs. Recommendations included encouraging risk-taking, establishing career paths for innovators, and prioritizing collaboration between the Department of Defense, industry, and the end-user. Efforts focused on aligning incentives for faster tech adoption and optimizing innovation cooperation with partners and allies, stressing the importance of centralized coordination and regulatory reforms in engagement with NATO, AUKUS, and Ukraine. The DIB also plans future studies on unmanned systems and nontraditional defense industry engagement. JointWerx #DIB #innovation #defense

Great news we have movement - time to accelerate the build allied model. The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is working quickly to determine how and where to spend the nearly $1 billion US Congress provided in March through the fiscal 2024 appropriations act. The $983 million allocation, nearly $800 more than what DIU received last year, will support the growing organization’s mission to help the United States Department of Defense quickly foster and field commercial capabilities in large numbers, according to DIU director Doug Beck. As reported, "due to prolonged budget deliberations in Congress that delayed the release of appropriations, DIU’s funding came more than five months into the fiscal year, presenting Beck’s team with the challenge of using that money in a short period of time". Beck didn’t discuss the specific initiatives DIU will funnel the funding toward — or what additional staff he might need to support these efforts — but said it will fall in four primary buckets: - accelerating existing programs, - launching new ones, - supporting projects housed within other DoD #innovation organizations, and - addressing some of the challenges commercial companies face as they try to work with the DoD. A pretty broad agenda. Hopefully allies and partner nations, particularly in the #indopacific, will not be forgotten as these programs are progressed in a multidomain environment. One that is becoming increasingly contested. #defence #defense U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Armatus.ai Bernice Glenn Kissinger US Army US Navy United States Air Force U.S. Space Command Defence Australia Pacific International Center For High Technology Research - PICHTR Japan - The Government of Japan Japan Ministry of Defense David Anderson #innovation #china #taiwan #technology Jerry McGinn, Ph.D. Tomoki Matsuo Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) https://lnkd.in/g6FWV3YT

"The integration of disruptive technologies into national defense strategies is a pivotal aspect of maintaining a competitive edge in modern warfare and security. Marcantonio Global's collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense exemplifies a proactive approach to innovation, focusing on key technological areas that are vital for national security. The alliance's efforts in scouting and accelerating potential capabilities within these domains underscore the importance of public-private partnerships in advancing the military's technological prowess. The Defense Technology Innovation Program, the Defense Logistics Innovation Forum and the DoD Centurions Program are indicative of the commitment to fostering a culture of innovation that can yield transformative solutions for defense and security challenges. The involvement of senior Pentagon leadership further emphasizes the strategic significance of these initiatives, aiming to create a robust pipeline of advanced technologies that can be integrated into defense strategies effectively." - Co-Pilot, AI

“The US government has in past years grown increasingly concerned about what it calls China’s military-civil fusion strategy, describing that concept as regular civilian companies aiding the People’s Liberation Army in some fashion. The role of AI in military use has also been a concern. Apart from Megvii, the Pentagon also added Yitu — another Chinese company that’s already been sanctioned — to its 1260H list. Three Gorges Corp. operates clean energy projects — primarily known for its system of megadams in central China — is the third-biggest power producer in Brazil and has invested in wind and solar in countries including Mexico, Egypt and Pakistan. It’s the largest single shareholder of Energias de Portugal SA. “ #china #military #artificialintelligence #sanctions https://lnkd.in/geTUnC5y

The NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) Innovation Challenge harnesses innovative technology to address security challenges. By fostering collaboration among startups, academics, and industry experts, it accelerates technological advancements and enhances NATO's operational capabilities. The challenge promotes agility, supports defense industry growth, and encourages best practices across member countries. It boosts interoperability among allies, ensuring seamless joint operations, and fosters a culture of continuous improvement within NATO. Ultimately, the challenge keeps NATO at the forefront of technological advancements, maintaining its readiness for evolving global threats.

#AUKUS - Congrats to DIU for this endeavor! In the recent FY25 NDAA bill expected to be sent to POTUS this week, Japan's potential integration into AUKUS Pillar II was outlined in Sections 1331 - 1334. These provisions require DOD engagement with #Japan to include discussions on export control and a report back to Congress in 6 months to include perspectives from AUKUS officials from #Australia and the #UnitedKingdom.

My Field Report: NATO- Ukraine Defense Innovators Forum (June 4 -6, 2024, Krakow, Poland) is out by the Emerging Threats Group, Oxford Changing Character of War Centre. https://lnkd.in/d9dk7DDt The report higlights key points such as - Allied Interoperability, Procurement Innovation - Agile Capabilities: NATO DIANA, NIF Ecosystem - Lessons for Beyond the Ukraine War This forum reinforced the importance of accelerating work in the private sector -with government support- on critical defense tech innovations in Europe and beyond!

Week reading... NATO’s Digital Transformation Implementation Strategy provides a roadmap that outlines how, by 2030, NATO will leverage digital technologies in all its areas of operations to foster its technological edge in executing its core tasks of deterrence and defence. The strategy highlights four key outcomes for the Alliance: = Strength across all domains – maritime, land, air, cyberspace and space. = Elevated digital standards to ensure NATO remains future-proof. = A more advanced data picture using real-time analytics. = Enhanced decision-making supported by more effective data sharing. #NATO

The future of defense innovation hinges on a swift transformation of how the military approaches technology and talent. By leveraging commercial technologies and fostering collaboration with the private sector, the Pentagon can unlock immense potential for national security and economic growth. Read more: #Modernization #NationalSecurity

#ACQUISITION #TECHNOLOGY REA Massive competition, also from around the world, forces innovation [and] forces investment in that innovation, because if you don't do that, you lose. And in our more traditional approach to defense procurement, we really have neither of those two things. … Instead, we’ve got something that looks a lot more like the traditional five-year plans from the old Soviet system, which the Chinese have actually spent a whole lot of time themselves trying to get away from, because it doesn't work #L3HARRIS INNOVATE MISSION FOR NEXT 🪐 🌍 Robot reality check: Crewed warplanes will remain vital for years, USAF general says #ARMIS See, Protect, and Manage All Assets