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of that seems to have happened; well, not yet, anyway. As an old Danish proverb says, “Predic- tion is difficult, especially when dealing with the future,” and such is the case with predicting the future for Army Acquisition.


I


CORRECTIONS An article in the January– March 2014 issue of Army AL&T, “Historical Perspective,” incorrectly identified the Arsenal Act (Title 10 U.S. Code, Section 4532) and the source of “United States Army Organic Industrial Base Strategic Plan 2012–2022.” The plan was produced by HQDA.


The “Critical Thinking” column in the January-March issue of Army AL&T incorrectly identified one of the 10 contributors: Michelle Lohmeier, vice president, Land Warfare Systems, Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, AZ.


If you want to understand just how hard it is to prophesy, consider the future contemplated by the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR): “Future conflicts could range from hybrid contingencies against proxy groups using asymmetric approaches, to a high-end conflict against a state power armed with WMD [weapons of mass destruction] or technologically advanced anti-access and area-denial capabilities.” So, how do you plan for that wide range of possible futures? In a word, incrementally.


According to Mr. Dale A. Ormond, director of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engi- neering Command (RDECOM), “… research and development [R&D], especially in the early stages, often has no defined goal. If research is limited to only areas of interest, we virtually guarantee that we will miss important innovations.” So, based on the QDR’s vision of future combat needs, Army Acquisition may need to produce an unmanned hovercraft with mounted laser cannons (a la the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Com- mand’s recent call to industry for a truck-mounted 50-kilowatt laser), or a Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit, the so-called “Iron Man suit,” for every Soldier (now in the beginning stages of devel- opment at U.S. Special Operations Command).


But you don’t necessarily set out to build a laser cannon or an Iron Man suit. You follow the trend of technology, explore the realm of the possible and continually reinvent the future through agile


From the Editor-in-Chief


f the prognosticators when I was a child had been right, by now there should be flying cars, mile-high skyscrapers, utopian cities on the moon and ray guns! Hmm. None


acquisition procedures. To foster this rapid turn- over of technology, the Hon. Heidi Shyu, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology (ASA(ALT)), is focused on a strate- gic modernization planning process combining a detailed analysis of current and planned invest- ments in science and technology (S&T) and materiel development, linked to emerging threats and capability gaps across a 30-year period.


Te key to maintaining flexibility and making the plan work is collaboration to solve difficult prob- lems—collaboration with anyone and everyone you can think of: industry, academia, federally funded R&D centers and other government orga- nizations. Initiatives such as RDECOM’s Virtual Lab, which erases boundaries by allowing research- ers and engineers to come together anywhere, anytime, and the U.S. Army Research Labora- tory’s open-campus concept that encourages partners in academia, industry and government to set up research facilities alongside the military’s are breaking down barriers and spurring innovation to ensure that we maintain the decisive edge on the battlefield of the future.


But there’s still more to this new focus on long- range planning. In this issue, see how the Joint Acquisition


Sustainment Review (JASR, or


“jazzer”) brings U.S. Army Materiel Command and ASA(ALT) together to create a better future, in “ ‘Jazzing’ It Down.” Learn about what individual PEOs are doing to make 30-year planning work. Read about how the Army is cultivating revolution- ary and disruptive capabilities through early-stage S&T investments in “Evolving Innovation.”


So, did we accurately predict the future? Check back in 30 years and see if we got it right! Until then, if you have story ideas, comments or cri- tiques to help make the magazine better, please contact me at armyalt@gmail.com.


Nelson McCouch III Editor-in-Chief


ii Army AL&T Magazine April–June 2014

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