Episode 18: Innovation and DoD Replicator Initiative

In this episode we discuss defense innovation and DoD’s announcement of the “Replicator” initiative. We explore the history of the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and how its success has sparked the creation of similar offices throughout DoD. We explain efforts to overcome the “valley of death” between developing an idea and deploying a capability to the warfighter. We also touch on In-Q-Tel and other government seed capital programs, incubators, technology accelerators, challenge programs, and the Defense Innovation Marketplace.  We review Deputy Secretary of Defense Hicks' announcement of “Replicator” whose goal is to field “attritable” autonomous systems at a scale of multiple thousands, in multiple domains (air, land, sea, space), within the next 18-to-24 months.  Finally we touch on similar efforts in other countries, including the NATO DIANA initiative to bring together personnel and tech startups and scientific research to solve critical defense challenges among the alliance countries.

Read Hicks' speech here.

Access the DoD innovation site for industry here.