Defense Modernization and Prototyping

Abstract

In alignment with the National Defense Strategy, the Defense Modernization and Prototyping (DM&P) Program Element (PE) supports the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)) with innovation-focused prototyping from non-traditional sources that are applicable to Great Power Competition (GPC). Activities focus on early exploration of potentially game-changing emerging technologies and concepts; harnessing small and non-traditional business innovation to address Department of Defense (DoD) challenges; and, mid-term, mission-focused capability development of advanced systems to address DoD modernization needs. DM&P places an emphasis on fully transitioning these innovations and emerging technologies as capabilities to the Services, Combatant Commands (CCMDs), and other end users, with a target transition rate of 80 percent. Executed in partnership with the Services, Joint Staff, and CCMDs, DM&P programs increase the speed of innovation through the use of an uncharacteristic RDT&E execution model that disburses funding across the four fiscal quarters following receipt of the appropriation. With funds available throughout the year of execution, DM&P enables the USD(R&E) to nurture innovation from small businesses and non-traditional performers, and to accelerate emerging and disruptive technologies. Accordingly, DM&P programs can be responsive and flexible to the DoD and warfighter needs, supporting rapid prototyping to meet immediate capability needs or prototyping game-changing technology for the purposes of GPC. Since program inception in 2006, this atypical execution model has enabled Quick Reaction Special Projects (QRSP) and Emerging Capabilities Technology Development (ECTD) to successfully act as innovation engines for the DoD. This execution model causes the DM&P PE to lag traditional RDT&E PE obligation and execution benchmarks; however, since inception both the QRSP and ECTD programs have achieved an unbroken 100 percent obligation rate. With an emphasis on joint and interagency partnerships, DM&P project selection is guided by Department-level strategies and priorities, such as the Joint Warfighting Concept, the National Defense Strategy, DoD modernization, and the Combatant Commands’ Integrated Priority Lists (IPLs). New projects are selected with inputs from the Services and Agencies, the Joint Staff, the CCMDs, the Strategic Capabilities Office, the Defense Innovation Unit, and other organizations within the DoD innovation ecosystem to deliver capabilities with the widest benefit to the joint warfighter; synchronize prototyping efforts across the DoD; and reduce duplication. Leveraging innovative ideas from small business and non-traditional performers, academia, government labs, and the industrial base, DM&P funding supports development of risk-reducing joint prototypes to test and validate innovative technologies and concepts. ECTD prototyping projects increase the speed of technology innovation by reducing technology risk for emerging capabilities, enabling innovative developers to showcase new and maturing technologies. By exploring vulnerabilities in emerging technologies, ECTD red teaming activities enable the Department to make informed decisions early in the capability development cycle when design changes are cost effective and programs can be re-directed if developmental dead ends are discovered. QRSP prototypes quickly explore new, higher-risk technology areas, by partnering with small and non-traditional businesses that have the potential for immediate, game-changing impacts. Due to the relatively low average cost of projects, QRSP is able to explore higher-risk opportunities with potentially higher reward. Completed DM&P projects transition to joint programs and joint warfighters through early operationally relevant prototypes; technology adoption into programs of record; integration into system level, multi-year joint demonstrations; multi-Service joint experiments like the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve; and, the Warfighting Lab Incentive Fund for further development of tactics, techniques, procedures (TTPs), and concepts of operation (CONOPs). DM&P targets a transition rate of about 80 percent to strike the optimal balance between pushing technical boundaries, and delivering prototypes with enduring value to the Department.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2023
• Source ID: 0603338D8Z_3_0400_PB_2023
• Change Summary Explanation: FY 2023 funding increase reflects the fact that the FY 2022 President’s Budget request did not include out-year funding. $4.883 million FY 2023 Program Adjustment is an economic assumption inflation increase. $34.100 million Congressional Directed Transfer in FY 2022 realigns funds from Project 721 to Program Element 0604331D8Z Rapid Prototyping Program (RPP) for execution of the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER).
• Service Agency Name: Office of the Secretary Of Defense

Entities

Organizations

• Office of the Secretary of Defense

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Advanced Electronics
• Autonomy
• C4I
• Cyber
• Electronic Warfare
• Engineered Resilient Systems
• Ground and Sea Platforms
• Human Systems
• Sensors
• Space
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Air Force
• Aircrafts
• Artificial Intelligence
• Autonomous Systems
• Combatant Commanders
• Command And Control
• Microelectromechanical Systems
• Military Science
• Space Force
• Test And Evaluation
• Time Sensitive Targets
• Unified Combatant Commands
• United States European Command
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
• Unmanned Underwater Vehicles
• Virtual Reality
• Warfare

Readers

• Defense Technology Research and Development.
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.