ARMY AL&T
THE
DIVERSIFICATION OF ARMY INNOVATION
The Army’s tech pursuit goes global with xTech prize competitions.
by Anna Volkwine
T
echnology is advancing at a global scale, and the U.S. is no longer the sole leader in defense innovation. More than ever, the U.S. needs its allies and partners to help push the cutting edge of innovation and maintain a competitive technological advantage against adversaries.
In 2024, the Defense Innovation Board (DIB) recommended that the DOD strengthen national security through international engagement. In its publication, “Optimizing Innovation Coopera- tion with Allies and Partners,” the DIB emphasized that integrating allies and partners is crucial for global stability. Tese collaborations can enhance collective strengths and ensure that the U.S. and allied warfighters have the necessary capabilities for a spectrum of conflict scenarios.
Te Army xTech Program, led by the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology (ASA(ALT)), utilizes a prize competition model to foster collaboration between the Army and nontraditional innovators. XTech competitions offer non-dilutive cash prizes, along with feed- back, mentorship and networking opportunities with Army customers. Since its inception in 2018, xTech has launched nearly 40 competitions.
While these competitions primarily focus on U.S.-based nontraditional innovators, xTech also fosters collaboration with international innovators through a successful global competition series launched in 2021.
Trough its international tech-discovery competition series, the program addresses a critical barrier highlighted by the DIB, which is that “key allies and partners are kept at bay and lack formal path- ways toward integration with U.S. capabilities.”
https://asc.ar my.mil 35
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