Rapid Prototyping Program

Abstract

In partnership with the Services and Defense Agencies, the Rapid Prototyping Program (RPP) encourages joint Service development through prototyping efforts that reduce risk, establish affordable and realistic requirements, and support timely development of fieldable capabilities demonstrated in an operational environment. RPP addresses priorities identified by the National Defense Strategy, the Department of Defense (DoD) modernization priorities, the Chairman’s Capability Gap Assessment, and Service or Agency identified capability gaps and needs. Service and Agency senior executives participate in the project selection process to reduce duplication, synchronize prototyping efforts, and target projects with the widest benefit to the Joint Service. 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 reduce technical and integration risk to define and improve requirements for programs of record. RPP project selection aligns to DoD modernization priorities including autonomous systems; hypersonics; fully networked command, control, and communications; electronic warfare; sensors for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); and fire control. RPP rapidly develops and fields cross-cutting, prototype capabilities that demonstrate in an operational environment to inform the DoD and Service leadership. Individual projects generally receive one year of funding, typically at a cost of less than $10.000 million.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2021
• Source ID: 0604331D8Z_4_0400_PB_2021
• Change Summary Explanation: The Fiscal Year 2020 reduction of $28.606M is directed by Congress to reduce duplication of efforts. The Fiscal Year 2021 net reduction of $0.941M is to support other DoD priorities and economic assumptions.
• 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
• Ground and Sea Platforms
• Human Systems
• Sensors
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Acquisition
• Air Force
• Artificial Intelligence
• Autonomous Systems
• Control Systems
• Department Of Defense
• Electronic Warfare
• Fire Control Systems
• Hypervelocity Projectiles
• Information Warfare
• Intelligence Surveillance And Reconnaissance
• Military Research
• Software Prototyping
• Surveillance
• Target Recognition
• Unmanned Aerial Systems
• Warfare

Readers

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

Technology Areas

• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Hypersonics
• Microelectronics