Lawmakers propose changes to SBIR as program renewal deadline nears

Lawmakers propose changes to SBIR as program renewal deadline nears
Lawmakers propose changes to SBIR as program renewal deadline nears

However the tech-focused small business program proceeds, some lawmakers are calling for change in how SBIR operates, according to documents obtained by Breaking Defense.

Anduril CRO: ‘There is no fair competition’ for non-traditional companies in defense

Anduril CRO: ‘There is no fair competition’ for non-traditional companies in defense
Anduril CRO: ‘There is no fair competition’ for non-traditional companies in defense

“You cannot start a new business right now and reach any kind of scale working with the Department of Defense. Period,” Anduril’s Matthew Steckman told a defense conference of FAR-based contracts, weeks after nearly $1 billion contract win.

Acquisition Reform That Works & No One Has Heard Of

Acquisition Reform That Works & No One Has Heard Of
Acquisition Reform That Works & No One Has Heard Of

Congress and the new Pentagon leadership must act now and expand the program to the Army and Navy, and the defense agencies. Scaling the program up will not cure all the department’s innovation woes but it will send an important message to our next generation of entrepreneurs that the Pentagon really is open for business.

ERCA: Army Contracts To Help New Cannon ‘Fire Faster’

ERCA: Army Contracts To Help New Cannon ‘Fire Faster’
ERCA: Army Contracts To Help New Cannon ‘Fire Faster’

Five small businesses won SBIR Phase II awards to build robotic arms to handle shells, software to manage ammo inventory, and other prototype technologies.

Air Force Boosts Funding Cap for Promising Startups

Air Force Boosts Funding Cap for Promising Startups
Air Force Boosts Funding Cap for Promising Startups

The goal of the matching fund is to support tech startup firms to bridge the ‘valley of death’ and rapidly scale up capability.

Startup Kleos Nabs Air Force NanoSat Ship-Tracking Deal

Startup Kleos Nabs Air Force NanoSat Ship-Tracking Deal
Startup Kleos Nabs Air Force NanoSat Ship-Tracking Deal

Data from Kleos satellites will be able to cue other intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance satellites or aircraft as they spot ships.

SOCOM Tests Sarcos Exoskeleton (No, It Isn’t ‘Iron Man’)

SOCOM Tests Sarcos Exoskeleton (No, It Isn’t ‘Iron Man’)
SOCOM Tests Sarcos Exoskeleton (No, It Isn’t ‘Iron Man’)

Sorry, you won’t be punching aliens in the face. But loading 200-pound missiles onto a helicopter by yourself? That’s plenty useful.

Army Futures Command Wants YOU (To Innovate)

Army Futures Command Wants YOU (To Innovate)
Army Futures Command Wants YOU (To Innovate)

“I get really irritated when I’m in the audience and I hear ‘startup, startup, startup,’” Army Futures Command’s chief innovation officer said this morning at the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA). “Startups are not the only source of ideas.”

Marines, Koreans Test Radio Translator: 15 Lbs Of Interoperability

Marines, Koreans Test Radio Translator: 15 Lbs Of Interoperability
Marines, Koreans Test Radio Translator: 15 Lbs Of Interoperability

At the annual Ssang Yong wargames, US Marines and their South Korean counterparts are testing a small gadget that could solve a big problem: incompatible radios. Getting different networks to connect is hard enough between the Marine Corps and the US Navy, the Army and the Air Force, but multi-national operations are chronically plagued by…

Accelerating Innovation By Breaking Up Contracts: SBIR & Beyond

Accelerating Innovation By Breaking Up Contracts: SBIR & Beyond
Accelerating Innovation By Breaking Up Contracts: SBIR & Beyond

ARLINGTON: Innovation is the buzzword of the year. But how do you actually get it? As Pentagon leaders look anxiously over their shoulders at rapidly advancing threats from Russia, China, and beyond, military middle managers are wrestling with the details of how to accelerate the development of new technology. That includes breaking up big contracts with…