Profile: Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office
One in a series, ASA(ALT) at Work, which looks into ASA(ALT) organizations, what they do and where they do it.
In a dynamic world where technology is evolving at an ever- increasing pace, the Army needs options and needs them fast. The Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO) can deliver just that. Uniquely chartered to continuously reevaluate the threat environment, pivot if needed, and find rapid solutions to the nation’s highest- priority capability gaps, RCCTO delivers prototypes at a speed that can inform decisions and make an immediate difference.
Led by Lt. Gen. L. Neil Thurgood and headquartered at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, RCCTO is chartered to develop rapid experimental prototypes and field residual combat capabilities to Soldiers. Reporting to a board of directors composed of Army senior leadership, RCCTO works closely with other Army organizations such as the U.S. Army Futures Command and the program executive offices (PEOs) to deliver critical capabilities that meet the Army’s moderniza- tion priorities. Currently, the RCCTO focus is on the areas of hypersonics and directed energy, while it continues to execute existing missions and explore disruptive tech- nologies.
“Our potential adversaries are demonstrating the rapid development, and in some cases deployment, of hyperson- ics and directed energy weapons,” Thurgood said. “RCCTO is now executing a strategy that will deliver new prototypes in both hypersonics and directed energy to operational units. In developing these prototypes for the U.S. Army, we are changing the outcome for our nation.”
WHAT SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT THE ARMY RCCTO?
We are a uniquely chartered organiza- tion, with built-in contracting authority, reporting to the Army board of direc- tors, led by the secretary of the Army and including the Army chief of staff, the undersecretary of the Army, the vice chief of staff of the Army, the Army acquisition executive and the commanding general of Army Futures Command.
We develop rapid experimental proto- types and deliver residual combat capabilities, aiming to avoid what is known as the “valley of death” by fusing what the science and technol- ogy community can do with what the program-of-record community can do.
While hypersonics and directed energy are our top priorities, we are also execut- ing existing missions and exploring disruptive technologies in such areas as the Bradley electric vehicle, counter- small unmanned aerial systems, weapon system cyber resiliency and adaptable unmanned aerial systems.
18
Army AL&T Magazine
Spring 2020
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