Defense leaders agree that collaboration and innovation are key factors that will influence the future of the battlefield.
Speaking at a multi-stakeholder forum organized by the Defense Innovation Unit in collaboration with NATO, Poland and Ukraine, Liz Young McNally, deputy director of commercial operations at DIU, said the agency fosters innovation through collaborations with businesses based in the United States and with international partners.
Air Force Maj. Gen. Edward “Hertz” Vaughan, executive director of the Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell at the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, echoed Young McNally’s statement, highlighting the importance of partnerships and constant enhancements in “people, ideas and things.”
Held at AGH University in Krakow in early June, the forum also focused on military systems such as drones. Discussions centered on lessons from the Ukraine-Russia conflict, including ways to enable systems to remain operational amid adversaries’ countermeasure efforts.
The forum is part of DIU’s commitment to work with commercial partners as it innovates and deploys emerging technologies. In December, the agency disclosed plans to convene industry stakeholders to gather feedback on its Replicator program before deploying the first tranche of drones.