Harnessing the Power of Digital Platforms to Accelerate Adoption Rates of Emerging Technologies and Innovations

Abstract

The recent Overmatch championed Artificial Intelligence and Networks (AINet) Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX) demonstrated an alternative all-digital ANTX format enabled by integrated Rapid Innovation Labs (iRILs). This resulted in shortened ANTX planning and execution timelines, increased focus on technologies of interest, earlier integration into naval architectures, sharing of relevant operational data with participants, and meaningful feedback to developers throughout integration phases, informing research and development (R&D) and program acquisitions. An iRIL is a digital environment and an acquisition tool used to address priority Fleet needs, evaluate technologies and prototypes, and inform and influence external partner R&D investments. An all-digital iRIL can facilitate faster, smaller cycles of iterative experimentation of component technologies of interest within representative Fleet architectures and simulated operational environments. Future applications of iRILs could fundamentally change the way we acquire systems. The use of open competitive events such as an ANTX Prize Challenge could yield component level, containerized technologies of interest that are matured throughout the event process and can be assessed as well-behaved. Such well-behaved software containers or component technologies may enter the Overmatch Software Armory (OSA) or Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) pipelines, achieving rapid authorities to operate (ATO), cycling to a ship within days.