Army officials are looking to a new acquisition approach for its battlefield network modernization effort built around experimenting with technologies first and then developing requirements as its looks to more rapidly deliver near-term capabilities.
Maj. Gen. David Bassett, program executive officer for Army command, control, communications-tactical (PEO C3T), and Maj. Gen. Peter Gallagher, leader of the Army’s network cross functional team (CFT), described working to break away from ‘self-limiting’ acquisition practices and moving toward an aggressive industry outreach approach to meet immediate tactical network demands.
“In the past what we would have done is spend two years writing the requirement, another year or two doing the engineering and then another year or two testing it. Then we would be six years into a program and the technology would have all changed on us. It might even be four years before we got it into a unit,” Bassett told Defense Daily. “So this approach turns it on its head. It says ‘what’s out there.’ Let’s get into the hands of users sooner rather than later. Then use feedback to shape the requirement.”
Gallagher described his approach with Bassett as experimenting with new technologies, demonstrating their potential use on the tactical network and then adjusting requirements as needed.
The tactical network modernization effort included halting future development of the Army’s Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) program, which faced overspecified, ‘self-limiting’ requirements according to Gallagher.
“We don’t want to box ourselves in, and not be able to exploit technology to our advantage,” Gallagher said.
Officials have previously demonstrated a need for innovative, short-term programs of record driven innovative industry solutions, such as the Transportable Tactical Command Communications and Android Tactical Assault, as a key piece of its network modernization approach (Defense Daily, March 20).
Bassett pointed to non-developmental, fixed-price contracts as a key component to quickly experimenting with industry slutions to determine what technology is most ready for use with the network.
“[Fixed-price contracts help us get to an honest place about how much work is left to do,” Bassett said.
Cost-plus contracts may be a factor as the Army moves forward with network modernization, but fixed-price deals will give officials a better understanding of the level of risk, according to Bassett.
Army officials are expected to to propose a plan for a baseline package of deployable technologies for its tactical to senior DoD leadership this fall (Defense Daily, May 11).