DOD excels at prototyping. Getting to production is another story.

Source Domain: www.nextgov.com

The Defense One Tech Summit highlighted the current gap between the skill in prototyping innovations within the Defense Department (DOD) and the subsequent lack of efficiency in bringing these prototypes into full production. Jerry McGinn from the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted while DOD has gotten proficient at creating prototypes, a significant challenge persists in what the prototypes translate into for warfighters. Although there have been optimistic changes under the Trump administration focused on rapid acquisition reform and increased funding, execution levels still must improve to facilitate the transition from prototypes to actual production. Veronica Daigle stressed that although the pieces for bringing innovation to DOD are now in place, numerous compliance and operational barriers remain, which inhibit progress. Moreover, DOD’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) plays a crucial role in assisting companies by bridging gaps in technology development to avoid stalling post-prototype. However, there is still no reliable metric to assess if the innovations introduced actually take hold within DOD.

Key Points:
– The Defense Department has advanced its capability in prototyping but faces challenges in transitioning these innovations to production.
– Optimism is high due to the Trump administration’s focus on acquisition reform and increased funding.
– There are still significant barriers such as compliance and operational challenges to be addressed.
– DIU assists companies by providing a path from prototypes to actual deployment, but a lack of metrics persists.
– Changes in acquisition reform are seen as key to achieving the desired outcomes in the market.