Rapid Prototyping Program

Abstract

The Rapid Prototyping Program (RPP) accelerates innovation through prototyping efforts in partnership with the Services and Defense Agencies that reduce risk, establish affordable and realistic requirements, and support timely development of fieldable prototypes demonstrated in an operational environment. RPP addresses priorities identified by the National Defense Strategy, modernization focus areas of the Department of Defense (DoD), the Chairman’s Capability Gap Assessment, and Service-identified capability gaps and needs. Overarching program goals include enhanced warfighter lethality, modernization of cross-cutting technology areas, and delivering capabilities more quickly than traditional acquisition. RPP develops prototypes that deliver needed capabilities to address Service gaps, reduce technical and integration risk, and enable warfighter feedback to define and improve requirements for Service and Agency programs of record. RPP project selection is guided by the National Defense Strategy, USD(R&E) priorities, and key technology modernization areas including machine learning; directed energy, networked command, control, and communications, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), advanced autonomous systems, and, joint lethality. RPP is also guided by the Chairman’s Capability Gap Assessment, and Service-identified gaps and needs. RPP rapidly develops and fields cross-cutting, multi-Service prototype capabilities that can be demonstrated in an operational environment to inform Department of Defense and Service leadership.

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Document Details

Document Type
R2 Budgetary Justification
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2020
Source ID
0604331D8Z_4_0400_PB_2020
Change Summary Explanation
The Congressional reduction in FY 2018 recognizes that the Rapid Prototyping Program was a new initiative starting in late FY 2017.
Service Agency Name
Office of the Secretary Of Defense

Entities

Organizations

  • Office of the Secretary of Defense

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • C4I
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Human Systems
  • Sensors
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Anti-Tank Missiles
  • Autonomous Systems
  • Control Systems
  • Department Of Defense
  • Detection
  • Directed Energy Weapons
  • Electronic Warfare
  • Engineering
  • Hypervelocity Projectiles
  • Machine Learning
  • National Security
  • Product Prototyping
  • Software Prototyping
  • Surveillance
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.
  • Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

  • AI & ML
  • AI & ML - DoD AI Strategy
  • Autonomy
  • Directed Energy

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