Accelerating Innovation From S&T Labs to Acquisition Programs

Abstract

The current emphasis on innovation in the DoD and the imperative to maintain our technology edge in DoD weapons and vehicle systems requires that all avenues to meet this objective be reviewed. In this paper, we look in the DoD research labs and, specifically, the Tank Automotive Research, Development Engineering Center (TARDEC), to understand the challenges and successes of integrating and transitioning promising technologies into fielded programs. The paper examines several core activities and TARDEC's role in bringing new technologies into programs. The paper describes the successes and challenges of technology integration and transition, and abstracts the systemic issues in the process. The objective is to identify process changes to address these issues, thus providing another path to maintaining, and in some cases, establishing the DoD advantage in various performance aspects of weapon and vehicle systems.