Military Review English Edition November December 2016 | Page 68

Another useful practice for vetting technologies
and operational concepts is capturing technical and
operational data from early concept prototyping,
systems integration, war-gaming, and other efforts.
Currently, prototyping, systems integration, and
war-gaming are discrete activities and are not guided
by a consistent future vision. The outputs, therefore,
do not provide guidance to the Army as a whole.

plans that fall within budgetary constraints. Those
plans can apply realistic return-on-investment
metrics, and they can drive a streamlined acquisition
process that is responsive to the CSA’s priorities.

Moreover, the results of these activities are often disconnected from the JCIDS process, and they tend to
be biased by organizational interests. A more unified
approach is needed.
For that approach to work, the CSA needs a
network of trusted agents to provide objective and
unbiased information and data. These trusted agents
must be disinterested with regard to branch, lab, and
PMs. Making the best investment decisions to meet
the Army’s needs will require a clear, robust, and
objective process for analyzing and vetting potential
solutions. Organizations such as RDECOM and the
Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for
Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology (ASA[ALT])
can develop analysis-driven S&T and R&D strategic

Soldiers remove ammunition and supplies from the autonomous,
unmanned Squad Mission Support System during a robotics demonstration 7 August 2014 at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Photo courtesy of
U.S. Army)

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Conclusion
The improvements guided by the FY 16 NDAA
provide senior leadership an opportunity to drive

effective changes in Army acquisition. The CSA
can influence S&T and R&D investments to meet
near- and far-term priorities by leveraging successful
practices now in use at RDECOM, ASA(ALT), and
in the other military services. The CSA can identify
and eliminate wasteful practices that have outlived
their usefulness and that no longer support operations effectively.
With this approach, the CSA can influence today’s
capabilities and systems and prepare for the Army’s
November-December 2016  MILITARY REVIEW