Jaspreet Gill covers defense networks, C4ISR and emerging technologies for Breaking Defense. She previously worked as the senior technology reporter and an associate editor for Inside Defense, where she reported on emerging technologies, cybersecurity and the US Army, focusing on the service’s modernization priorities and acquisition programs. Jaspreet, an upstate New York native, is an alumna of Syracuse University’s renown S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, where she received a master’s degree in journalism.
The first tranche will come from both large and small companies that DIU works with frequently, Doug Beck said, and include systems that are ready to be scaled and have been tested and validated in appropriate environments.
Young Bang, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, said the effectiveness of high- and low-tech fighting was “pushing into our guiding principles.”
“Future combat employment is about kill chains and kill webs, it’s about systems of systems warfare,” and pilot training has to reflect that, Col. Matt Ryan told Breaking Defense.
“You can have a terrific piece of gear, but if it’s very difficult to train, it’s just not going to be as effective or if it’s too expensive to train on, it’s not going to be as affordable for the Army to do at scale and everything the Army does is at vast scale,” Doug Bush said.
“We’ve hit our milestones and you’ll start seeing as we look to the next few months a lot more activity from the Maven office in terms of contracting,” Rachel Martin said.
“The goal is to create a complete and efficient AI and ML development and delivery operational pipeline (AI/MLOps) with supporting services for sensor programs within PEO IEW&S while managing cost, schedule, risk and performance,” according to a request for information.
While DoD is seeing adoption of AI across the department, Steven Wallace added that DISA is trying to better understand the ethical use of the technology.
“Meanwhile, as commercial tech companies and others continue to push forward the frontiers of AI, we’re making sure we stay at the cutting edge with foresight, responsibility and a deep understanding of the broader implications for our nation,” Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said.
“What’s really going to matter is how these various departments and agencies actually start building the rules and interpreting the guidance that they received in the executive order,” Klon Kitchen of Beacon Global Strategies told Breaking Defense.
“Logistics really matters, sustaining really matters and we are doing that right now with Ukrainians and learning a lot because it’s interesting what you have to do when you can’t send your own US citizens into the country to keep the equipment going,” William LaPlante said.
At the same time, two industry groups write lawmakers to support proposed $1 billion “hedge fund” for DIU to aid US in “era of techno-security competition.”
There are four key areas the strategy focuses on: having resilient supply chains, workforce readiness, flexible acquisitions and a focus on economic deterrence and economic security.
