The Air Force America Needs: Innovation, Spark Tank, and Ideas to Sustain Air Force Dominance
By Evan Hanson & James Eimers
November 16, 2020
U.S. Air Force
In a speech at the 2018 Air Warfare Symposium, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Kaleth Wright described the long line of airmen who had ideas, but a “longer line of folks waiting to tell them no.†But the National Defense Strategy prioritizes innovation, and senior Air Force leaders champion it to improve the U.S. military’s competitive advantage. As potential near-peer adversaries steal intellectual property and increase investment in their own capabilities, the Air Force can leverage the creative capacity of American airmen to increase capability per dollar. Given that innovation is featured so prominently in the speeches of senior leaders and incorporated in the capstone American military strategy document, how effective is the Air Force in translating good ideas into solutions?
In recent years, the U.S. Air Force established over 50 innovation hubs around the world, distributed $64 million in Squadron Innovation Funds, and created an annual Air Force Spark Tank competition to recognize airmen with “the most game changing ideas.†After substantial investment, is the United States Air Force delivering innovation?
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2020/11/16/the_air_force_america_needs_innovation_spark_tank_and_ideas_to_sustain_air_force_dominance_649649.html
