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02 May 24. Pentagon technology hub sees lower transition rate, higher value deals. The Defense Innovation Unit transitioned 10 projects from commercial prototypes to military capabilities in fiscal 2023 — down from 17 the prior year and led by drones and autonomous technology projects, according to its annual report.
The Pentagon technology hub said in the May 2 report that a smaller transition number doesn’t necessarily equal a lessened impact. In fact, one of the efforts — the Small-Class Unmanned Underwater Vehicle — led to a contract worth up to $350 million, which is the largest DIU-enabled award since its inception in 2015.
“The number of transitions per fiscal year depends on multiple factors, including how long it takes to prototype a solution and what the result of prototyping activities are and whether a DOD/U.S. government partners is ready and has funds to purchase a solution,” the organization said.
Along with the underwater drone, projects transitioned last year include three other autonomy-related efforts. Two of those projects were for small drones qualified through DIU’s Blue UAS program and purchased by the U.S. military services. The other was for an effort known as Collaborative Tactical Autonomy for Networked Aircraft, a partnership with the Air Force focused on providing algorithms that can command large numbers of airborne weapons and sensors.
DIU also transitioned two cyber projects — both focused on threat monitoring — and two aimed at improving air logistics and defense through AI and machine learning. A final space-oriented effort provided U.S. Special Operations Command with advanced tactical communications support.
DIU was created to push these types of technologies to the services, and over the last 9 years has demonstrated a proven process for doing so. The organization is now preparing to take on a greater role in helping the military field those capabilities in larger numbers.
In a letter introducing the report, Beck wrote that as DIU moves into 2024, its focus is not only on the number of projects it transitions, but on the impact those projects have on the most urgent strategic needs within the department.
“We find ourselves at a tipping point,” he said. “The Department of Defense (DOD), Congress, the interagency, and the commercial sector all recognize that the time to accelerate the application of commercial technology for strategic impact is upon us.”
To position itself for that growing role, the organization has made several organizational shifts to better engage with the users and buyers throughout DOD. It built out its network of embedded personnel that extends across combatant commands. It also established liaisons within the military services’ innovation organizations, known as the Defense Department’s Innovation Community of Entities, or DICE.
“By simultaneously leading a consortium of representatives from across the DICE, allies and academia, DIU is able to cull the innovation landscape for readily available technology solutions,” the agency said.
In light of the organization’s increased influence, DIU Director Doug Beck now reports directly to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. He also sits on the Deputy’s Innovation Steering Group, which oversees DOD efforts to rapidly field technology to address high-need operational problems.
Beck also chairs a separate Defense Innovation Working Group and DIU is playing a key role in Replicator an effort to field thousands of drones in two years and develop a process for quickly delivering capabilities to military users.
Along with increasing its presence in and support to DOD organizations, DIU is deepening partnerships with other countries. In 2023, it forged agreements with India, Singapore, Japan and Ukraine as well as with NATO and AUKUS partners. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
02 May 24. US-Japan-Australia Trilateral Defense Ministers’ Meeting (TDMM) 2024 Joint Statement. Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, Japanese Minister of Defense Kihara Minoru, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III convened a Trilateral Defense Ministerial Meeting in Hawaii on May 2, 2024. This was the thirteenth meeting among the defense leaders of the three nations and highlighted the landmark achievements made in implementing activities and practical areas of cooperation set forth in the 2023 Joint Statement.
The Ministers are united by our shared values and determination to deepen cooperation to promote the security, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
The Ministers welcomed and acknowledged the significance of each country’s recently implemented strategic documents, underscoring their deep strategic alignment and shared values. They affirmed the important role that the trilateral partnership contributes to realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific and the significant progress over the past year demonstrating their growing trilateral coordination at all levels and across all domains.
The Ministers reiterated their strong opposition to any attempts by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion in the South and East China Seas. This includes concerning and destabilizing actions in the South China Sea, such as unsafe encounters at sea and in the air, the militarization of disputed features, and the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, including interference with routine maritime operations, and efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploration. They strongly objected to China’s claims and actions that are inconsistent with international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and which undermine international rules, standards, and norms. They resolved to work together to support states being able to exercise their rights and freedoms in the maritime domain, including the freedoms of navigation and overflight, consistent with UNCLOS.
The Ministers emphasized the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. They called for the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues.
The Ministers reaffirmed their enduring commitment to a peaceful, secure, and prosperous Southeast Asia, where sovereignty is respected, international law is followed, and nations can make decisions free from coercion. They reaffirmed their commitment to ASEAN centrality and unity as well as ASEAN-led regional architecture. They recognized the importance of strengthening cooperation with Southeast Asian partners including the Philippines and welcomed the second meeting of Australia, Japan, Philippines, and United States Defense Ministers and Secretary also being held in Hawaii.
The Ministers committed to deepening cooperation with Pacific island countries, by supporting their needs and efforts in the implementation of the Pacific Islands Forum’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. The Ministers affirmed they will continue expanding regional engagement with Pacific counterparts, particularly through the Pacific Islands Forum of which Australia is a member, and other inclusive Pacific architectures.
The Ministers welcomed the U.S. Coast Guard’s deployment of the Harriet Lane Cutter in its inaugural Operation Blue Pacific patrol in Oceania in early 2024. This deployment offered opportunities for the U.S. Coast Guard to work alongside Pacific island countries to share best practices on maritime domain awareness and support efforts led regionally by the Forum Fisheries Agency to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing activities.
The Ministers are deeply concerned about North Korea’s nuclear and missile development. They strongly condemn North Korea’s repeated launches of missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles and other launches using ballistic missile technology, which are serious violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions. The Ministers strongly condemn the increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia, including North Korea’s export and Russia’s procurement of North Korean ballistic missiles in violation of UNSC resolutions, as well as Russia’s use of these missiles against Ukraine. The Ministers remain committed to working with the international community to address North Korea’s serious threat to the region. They reiterate their call on North Korea to immediately resolve the abductions issue and cease its human rights violations.
The Ministers noted the progress on the introduction of counterstrike capabilities by Japan and investment in long-range strike capabilities by Australia. They confirmed that Australia and Japan would work closely together, and with the United States as these capabilities are introduced.
The Ministers acknowledge the significant progress made by Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States over the past year to implement AUKUS, and noted the positive contribution the AUKUS partnership has on the security and stability in the region. Recognizing Japan’s strengths and its close bilateral defense partnerships with all three AUKUS countries, the Ministers acknowledged that AUKUS partners are considering cooperation with Japan on AUKUS Pillar II advanced capability projects.
The Ministers welcomed the August 2023 entry into force of the Japan-Australia Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), which will enable deeper trilateral cooperation and enhance interoperability by facilitating Australian Defence Force presence alongside the United States Forces in Japan and Japanese Self-Defense Forces alongside the United States Forces in Australia. They marked the inaugural reciprocal deployments of Japan’s F-35A aircraft to Australia and Australia’s F-35A aircraft to Japan in 2023 as the first cooperative activities under the RAA. Additionally, Ministers welcomed upcoming activities planned for trilateral F-35 joint training in 2025 and 2026. They noted progress on trilateral training using ranges in Australia and the successful conduct of Japan’s first anti-air and anti-ship missile launch in Australia in 2023. The Ministers commit to leveraging the RAA to enable Japan’s participation, alongside the United States Armed Forces, in force posture activities in Australia over the coming year.
The Ministers welcomed the historic inaugural achievements and activities in trilateral work over the past year and reaffirmed their intent to increase the complexity and scope of their work together. Since 2022, the three militaries have conducted multiple coordinated Asset Protection Missions, undertaken trilateral transits in the South China Sea, and increased the complexity of trilateral Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) cooperation including actual operations in the maritime and air domains. They committed to expanding trilateral ISR cooperation.
The Ministers welcomed Australia’s valuable inaugural participation in the U.S.-Japan command post exercise, KEEN EDGE, in February, and the work underway to advance closer operational collaboration.
The Ministers reaffirmed their vision toward a networked air defense architecture among the United States, Japan, and Australia to counter growing air and missile threats in the Indo-Pacific region, including broadening missile defense information sharing and incorporating future capabilities. They announced their intent for the U.S. Armed Forces, Australian Defence Force, and Japan Self-Defense Forces to conduct an inaugural regional air and missile defense live fire exercise in 2027 at Exercise TALISMAN SABRE.
Today Ministers signed the trilateral Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) Projects Arrangement. Science and technology cooperation is vital to maintain their collective edge and deepen their defense cooperation. This landmark arrangement allows the respective defense organizations to pursue areas of interest for operationally-relevant advanced collaboration. Through this arrangement the ministries will further discuss cooperative opportunities in the areas of collaborative combat aircraft and autonomous systems and composite aerospace materials.
Reflecting the critical role the trilateral partnership plays in upholding regional stability, the Ministers committed to enhance our defense cooperation across the following areas:
Trilateral Activities and Exercises:
- Conduct trilateral F-35 Joint Strike Fighter trainings in all three countries in the next two years, including exercises such as:
o Exercise COPE NORTH 2025 – United States
o Exercise BUSHIDO GUARDIAN 2025 – Japan
o Exercise PITCH BLACK 2026 – Australia
- Continue increasing the frequency and complexity of high-end trilateral exercises in northern Australia such as Exercise SOUTHERN JACKAROO.
- Increase opportunities and enhance the complexity of ISR cooperation.
- Regularize Asset Protection Missions for the U.S. Forces and the Australian Defence Force by Japan Self-Defense Forces and transits by Australia, Japan, the United States, and other partners.
- Accelerate and deepen trilateral information-sharing cooperation.
- Continue trilateral policy and strategy dialogues on regional issues.
Expanded Cooperation:
- Pursue trilateral Research Development Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) Arrangement cooperative opportunities in operationally-relevant advanced technologies.
- Boost strategic capabilities cooperation across multiple domains, including the conduct of an inaugural joint and combined live fire air and missile defense exercise in 2027 at Exercise TALISMAN SABRE.
- Increase Japan’s participation in Australia-U.S. force posture cooperation activities.
Inclusive Partnerships:
- Deepen engagement with ASEAN Member States (including through the ADMM-Plus framework), Pacific island countries, India, the Republic of Korea, and like-minded partners and allies to uphold and reinforce free and open international order.
- Coordinate capacity building engagements with regional partners.
The Ministers affirmed that trilateral defense cooperation is essential to maintain regional stability, transparency, and respect for international rules and norms. They reiterated their firm determination to keep the Indo-Pacific free, open, secure, and prosperous while continuing to expand the scope of defense cooperation. (Source: U.S. DoD)
02 May 24. US Army says Congress doubled funds for 155 artillery. The U.S. Army said Congress doubled to $6bn its funding request for buying and building 155 millimeter artillery rounds to replace stocks depleted by shipments to Ukraine and now Israel, an Army official said on Thursday. Demand for 155 mm artillery rounds has soared since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Allies’ supplies for their own defense have been run down as they have rushed shells to Kyiv, which fires thousands of rounds per day.
“By my math, the supplemental, we asked for about $3.1bn related to 155 production and production increases. We appear to have gotten $6bn. So that, I think, is a vote of confidence as we make our way to 100,000 shells a month.” Doug Bush, the chief weapons buyer for the Army, said Tuesday
The U.S. Army included $3.1bn to buy the artillery rounds and expand production in the recently signed $95bn supplemental bill.
The U.S. plans to increase its monthly production rate for 155 millimeter artillery shells to 100,000 in the summer of 2025 Bush told reporters Thursday. (Source: Reuters)
30 Apr 24. DOD’s FY 2025 Budget Focuses on Defense, People, Teamwork. Last month the Defense Department released its fiscal year 2025 budget request, about $849.8bn in all, and now Congress has invited DOD leaders of all stripes to Capitol Hill to discuss what’s in the budget and what the department’s thoughts were when creating that budget.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, as the top Defense Department leader, told lawmakers today at the House Armed Services Committee that the DOD budget request centers, broadly, on defending the nation, taking care of service members and their families, and strengthening relationships with like-minded U.S. partners and allies.
“Our budget request for fiscal year 2025 will advance all three of these priorities,” Austin said during his testimony.
Defending the nation is of course the No. 1 priority for the Defense Department. And the DOD budget for FY 2025 — which runs Oct. 1, 2024 through Sept 30, 2025 — has a lot to make sure the DOD can carry out that No. 1 mission.
“The president’s request will invest in cutting-edge capabilities across all domains,” Austin said. “That includes $48.1bn for naval and shipbuilding capabilities, $61.2bn to reinforce U.S. air dominance, and $13bn to bolster Army and Marine Corps combat capabilities.”
The department’s efforts in space, the secretary said, get about $33.7bn, while cybersecurity tools get about $14.5bn.
Also, a top priority is the modernization of America’s nuclear triad, which involves ground-based missiles — commonly referred to as intercontinental ballistic missiles — submarine-launched ballistic missiles and air-launched cruise missiles, dropped from bomber aircraft.
This year’s budget directs about $49.1bn towards recapitalization of all three legs of the nuclear triad. That includes a focus on both the Columbia-class submarine and the B-21 bomber.
“This budget request will support our outstanding troops and their families,” Austin said. “That includes raising base pay and housing allowances; investing in better housing; making childcare more affordable; and funding vital work to prevent sexual assault and suicide in the military.”
For service members, this year’s budget request includes a 4.5% pay raise, the third such raise over the past three years.
Austin has said America’s long-term security and success requires teamwork, which includes working with Congress, other parts of the U.S. government, the defense industry and especially with American partners and allies.
“This request will help the Department further deepen our teamwork worldwide,” he said. “Our network of allies and partners remains a strategic advantage that no competitor can match. And you can see its power in our strengthening ties across the Indo-Pacific, in today’s expanded and united NATO, and in the 50-country Ukraine Defense Contact Group that I convene.”
As the global security environment grows more complex, with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the conflict between Israel and Hamas, the pacing challenge posed by China, and ongoing threats posed by Iran and North Korea, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., said he’s seen relationships between the U.S. and partners grow stronger.
“What I have seen in the seven months … I’ve been in the job, I’ve engaged about 170 times with counterparts, my counterparts from around the world,” he said. “And what I’ve found is as the world’s gotten more complex, our work with our allies and partners has strengthened.”
NATO, he said, has gotten stronger and larger. But partnerships are not Europe-centric, they are global.
“As I engage with the nations in Europe, they’re focused on the Indo-Pacific, and Indo-Pacific nations are also focused on Europe because all these are a global threat to all of us,” he said. “And you know that dialogue is definitely increased.” (Source: U.S. DoD)
30 Apr 24. U.S. and UAE Conduct Joint Military Dialogue. Department of Defense spokesperson Lt. Col. Dave Herndon provided the following readout: Senior delegations from the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) met April 29-30 in the Pentagon for the annual U.S.-UAE Joint Military Dialogue (JMD).
The JMD is the foremost bilateral defense forum for advancing the U.S.-UAE defense partnership, including reviewing shared security interests as well as discussing a wide range of strategic objectives for the relationship and challenges in the region.
The delegations discussed a broad range of regional and defense issues, including regional threats, current regional security dynamics, counterterrorism, maritime security, air and missile defense, and security cooperation. Specific discussions focused on integrated air and missile defense and cooperation on emerging capabilities. In addition, the U.S. Defense Technology Security Administration (DTSA) Director, Mr. Michael R. Laychak, and the UAE Assistant Undersecretary for Support and Defence Industries, Major General Mubarak Saeed Al Jabri, formalized a bilateral technology security partnership with the signing of the Cooperative Technology Security Program (CTSP) Execution Plan.
The United States and the UAE reaffirmed their commitment to a strong bilateral defense relationship and recognized the UAE as a key partner in addressing regional challenges. Both sides agreed on the importance of the U.S.-UAE strategic partnership as one based on shared interests and shared priorities.
The UAE delegation was led by Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Lt. Gen Eisa Al Mazrouie. The U.S. delegation was led by Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Amanda Dory. (Source: U.S. DoD)
30 Apr 24. Wittman warns of ‘wasting a year’ with Pentagon’s industrial strategy. A top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee said that the Pentagon’s plan to implement a new strategy for the defense industry may not make it into Congress’ defense bill this year due to months of delay.
The Pentagon rolled out the strategy in January, saying the document would help sync its work with the defense industry while facing a surge in demand. The plan was mostly a list of two dozen recommendations — from increasing stockpiles to training more skilled workers.
A detailed plan on how to implement it would come in March, Pentagon officials said.
It hasn’t. And earlier this month, Laura Taylor-Kale, the Defense Department’s head of industrial base policy, said it would arrive in the summer.
That delay is a problem for members of Congress who want to include the plan in their annual defense policy bill.
“I would prefer to have the implementation plan for [the National Defense Industrial Strategy] now,” said Rob Wittman, R-Va, the vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, speaking at an event hosted by George Mason University.
Taylor-Kale was scheduled to speak alongside Wittman but canceled shortly before it began due to a separate commitment.
The House bill will come to the floor in the second week of June, Wittman said, which will be before lawmakers get the plan. That means the only chance the strategy makes it into legislation this year is if the Senate’s bill — arriving later — includes some of the recommended steps and then they make it into the version that both chambers eventually pass, a process known as conference.
Right now, Wittman said, that leaves members of Congress guessing how best to put the plan into action, and risking an approach different from the one the Pentagon wants.
“I would prefer to have had this upfront to inform our process with NDAA,” he said. “Apparently … that’s not going to happen. I think that’s a lost period of time that we need to do this.” (Source: Defense News)
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