US defense modernization gets a ‘D’ grade in new report as tech roadblocks persist
“We're still looking for the ability to translate and transition those innovation priorities into capabilities, into programs of record, into budget priorities,” said Rachel Hoff, Reagan Institute’s policy director and one of the authors of a new scorecard evaluating progress in defense innovation.
By VALERIE INSINNA
on March 19, 2024 at 12:43 PM
The Pentagon has spent years making many overt outreach efforts to Silicon Valley, a place where it has direct ties going back decades. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Scarlett Trujillo)
WASHINGTON — A new report released today gives the United States a “D” in defense modernization, the result of the Defense Department showing little improvement in transitioning the innovative gear from fledgling defense tech firms into mass-produced equipment available for battlefield use.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute today released its second annual National Security Innovation Base report card, which assigns grades to key metrics tied to the Pentagon’s ability to leverage the work of the defense companies, start ups and research laboratories it depends on to develop leap-ahead technologies.
Top Pentagon acquisition officials have upped engagement with Silicon Valley and championed investments in small defense startups in recent years, as the department looks to bring the speed and innovation seen in Big Tech into the defense industry.
https://breakingdefense.com/2024/03/us-defense-modernization-gets-a-d-grade-in-new-report-as-tech-roadblocks-persist/
