Desert Disruptors and Acquisition Truths

Welcome to the latest edition of Defense Tech and Acquisition. The big stories this week include:

• Acquisition Transformation requires courage, tools, and resolve.

• EXIM is fueling a new source of capital for the defense industry.

• Army is flexing AI and autonomy in expanded fires formations.

• Navy sees more autonomous systems & directed energy systems ahead.

• Air Force selects mission autonomy vendor & Accelerates Sentinel missile.

• Space Force moves Custody and Transport Layer from SDA to SSC

• Golden Dome needs software defined architecture and Mod & Sim

• Congress holds Army hearing and CBO issues economic forecast.

We’re a bit late in our usual Saturday post having joined many of you at the Creative Disruptors in the Desert this weekend. The event featured honorary co-hosts HAC-D Chairman Rep. Ken Calvert and Ranking Member Rep. Betty McCollum alongside UnderSecretaries (R&E) Emil Michael and (A&S) Michael Duffey.

It was a weekend packed with insightful discussions, panels, and demonstrations from Defense, Congress, IC, and industry leaders—all centered on advancing interoperable robotics and autonomy. We were honored to hear a keynote address from Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen Dan Caine followed by CIA Deputy Director Michael Ellis. Panels brought together OSW and Service leaders—including the CNO, Under Secretary of the Army, ASWs, SAEs, DRPMs, and the new PAEs—plus traditional and non-traditional industry executives.

Paired with the Warfighting Innovation Summit, the two days delivered stunning drone shows, robotic demonstrations, and pitch competitions. Minutes after closing remarks, Collaboration.ai delivered graphic illustrations and AI summaries of each session, printed and emailed to attendees.

The highlight was engaging with so many subscribers and disruptors from government, industry, and allies focused on strengthening our national security. Escaping DC’s weather for beautiful Palm Springs, CA didn’t hurt either.

To attend or get involved in future events, visit the Creative Defense Foundation.

The Greatest Threat to Acquisition Transformation Is Fear

Bonnie Evangelista

The DoD’s acquisition and sustainment culture is pathologically risk-averse. The greatest threat to acquisition transformation is not the FAR. It is not congressional oversight, statutory constraints, insufficient training, or an absence of strategy. The greatest threat is fear. Not fear as emotion, but fear as architecture.

• For more than three decades, senior leaders have promised reform. And yet the system is getting worse, not better.

• Longer program timelines. More reviews. Fear is the operating logic of the system.

• We built a rapid acquisition construct designed to