From the Editor-in-Chief O
ur theme this issue is Emerging Technology and Modernizing the Army. So, how exactly do you capture useful emerging technology, then fold it into modernization? If you said care-
fully, you’d be right. Te Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology (ASA(ALT)) and its approximately 33,000-strong Army Acquisition Workforce, along with our industry partners, have been actively working to streamline processes and remove barriers to quickly field new capabilities. Tis effort is part of a broader initiative to modernize the U.S. Army and ensure it remains competitive and effective in various operational environments.
One of ASA(ALT)’s key modernization strategies involves leveraging programs such as the xTech Program prize compe- titions and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs to find and scale solutions across the Army. Te xTech competitions are designed to connect small businesses with the Army and DOD experts to develop innovative solutions for the Army’s most pressing challenges including artificial intelligence (AI), Soldier lethality, advanced materi- als and autonomous systems. Tese competitions are part of the Army’s broader effort to foster innovation and ensure that cutting-edge technologies are rapidly integrated into military operations. Learn about the xTech Scalable AI finalists and AI 2 finalists in the sidebar “XTech Finalists Make Scalable AI An Army Reality” on Page 71.
XTech competition winners find themselves well-positioned to compete for follow-on contracts, such as Army SBIR awards. Te SBIR, along with the Small Business Technol- ogy Transfer programs collaborate with small businesses and Army customers to align innovative solutions with Army priorities. It awards more than $350 million annu- ally to reinvigorate the Army’s technology ecosystem, and
is prioritizing and funding cutting- edge AI solutions. Most recently, the SBIR program is requesting small businesses to submit proposals tack- ling key Army priorities, such as high-energy lasers, better explosives and lighter, stronger armor.
Speaking of SBIR and xTech, in this issue learn how competitions are partnering with Project Linchpin— an operational pipeline of trusted AI solutions that aims to deliver a coherent approach to AI across the Army—to scale AI solutions in “Accelerating the Army’s AI Strategy,” on Page 66.
Email Nelson McCouch III @
armyalt@army.mil
Haven’t heard enough about AI yet? Find out how the medi- cal community is pacing biological threats and supporting preparedness using artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) in “Te Known Unknowns,” on Page 14. But wait, there’s more … in “Te Calculus of Caution,” we’re not going to let AI run amuck and become a sequel in the Termina- tor series. Te development of AI capabilities comes with unique risks that require deliberate and appropriately scaled mitigations. Find out what guardrails are being created for AI on Page 8.
By focusing on rapid development and deployment, ASA(ALT) aims to ensure that the Army can quickly adapt to emerging threats and technological advancements. As always, if you have comments, questions or an actual story you would like to work in to a future issue, please contact us at
armyalt@army.mil. We look forward to hearing from you!
Nelson McCouch III Editor-in-Chief
https://
asc.ar my.mil
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