Tech Transition Program

Abstract

The Tech Transition Program addresses the gap between initial system-level technology or concept development and demonstration, and successful acquisition and operational capability implementation. This program utilizes multiple approaches and integrated activities to field technology for the warfighter. First, the Tech Transition Program reduces risk in emerging technology markets by partnering with industries through Prime investments and providing access to Government analysis, testing and certification capabilities. Prime investments focus on Government-Industry partnerships to influence and militarize emerging commercial capabilities to ensure US competitive advantage in key technology areas. The Tech Transition Program also matures new warfighting concepts, to rapidly develop fieldable prototypes, and for experimentation to assess military utility of transition-ready weapon systems. Following the guidance laid out in the National Defense Strategy the Department of the Air Force has institutionalized Experimentation and Prototyping to achieve smarter, faster, and more efficient acquisitions that move technologies rapidly into the most critical warfighting capabilities. Experimentation explores new concepts and their applications in potential future operating environments within a system-of-systems context taking risks early in the acquisition process to drive a more optimized and efficient acquisition process significantly reducing overall acquisitions costs. Prototyping enables integration and demonstration of emerging technologies to quickly move them into warfighting capability. The Tech Transition Program allows acquisition program managers (the capability developers) and warfighters (the capability recipients and end users) to prototype, integrate, and demonstrate candidate technologies and assess them in an operational system of systems environment in partnership with Combatant Commanders, Major and Field Commands, Program Executive Officers, schoolhouses, simulation facilities, and development planning organizations. This program element may include necessary emergent or unanticipated civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver Technology Transition for emergent or unanticipated weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program element 0605831F. This effort is in Budget Activity 4, Advanced Component Development and Prototypes (ACD&P), because efforts are necessary to evaluate integrated technologies, representative modes or prototype systems in a high fidelity and realistic operating environment.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2022
• Source ID: 0604858F_4_3600_PB_2022
• Change Summary Explanation: FY 2022 funding increased compared to FY 2021 by 84.417M. Funding increased due to the addition of AFWERX Prime effort, and increased requirements for system prototyping including Base Defense, Palletized Munitions, Operational Energy efforts, Regional Operating Picture, and Watchtower Initiatives.
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• Autonomy
• Electronic Warfare
• Energy and Power Technologies
• Engineered Resilient Systems
• Space
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Additive Manufacturing
• Artificial Intelligence
• Autonomous Weapons
• Cargo Aircraft
• Command And Control Systems
• Control Systems
• Digital Engineering
• Directed Energy Weapons
• Employment
• National Security
• Navigation
• Procurement
• Product Development
• Software Prototyping
• Test And Evaluation
• Warfare
• Weapon Systems

Readers

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