Leveraging Innovation

Understanding the new global innovation ecosystem and its implications for national security, DIIG fosters critical dialogue on how to leverage technology in support of national security

While the United States still holds the leading position in military technology innovation, the gap with the rest of the world is shrinking. Globalization and privatization have expanded supply and information networks, bringing technology to new players while also expanding the part of the global innovation base outside of the Department of Defense’s direct influence. The growing commercial role in military-relevant technology and the speed at which that technology is advancing challenges DoD’s capacity to keep up with the flood of technologies both for its own adoption, and to counter the technologies adopted by adversaries. Pressure on international supply chains and the strategic challenge represented by China has also increased the importance of understanding a range of foundational and emerging technologies. In ongoing speaker series and research reports, DIIG researches new technology areas and seeks to find ways for DoD to look beyond traditional industrial and geographic boundaries and harness cutting-edge technology in a world where innovation is increasingly occurring beyond the scope of government investment.

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Pausing Proliferation: Facing China's Military Engine Development

A panel discussion on Chinese military engine development between the Director of the Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group (DIIG) at CSIS, Dr. Cynthia R. Cook, former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Brigadier General Dave Stilwell, and Director of The Defense Concepts Organization and former Specialist in Military Aviation at the Congressional Research Service, Mr. J.J. Gertler.

Event — April 18, 2023

Pathways to Implementing Comprehensive and Collaborative JADC2

This CSIS brief identifies and examines strategic level challenges in pursuing enhanced command and control infrastructure and makes recommendations to help the U.S. military as it operates as a joint force and deploys with allies and partners.

Report by Cynthia Cook, Rose Butchart, Gregory Sanders, and Alexander Holderness — September 27, 2022

Battle Networks and the Future Force

This third brief in the series focuses on the importance of integrating allies and partners into future battle networks, the technical and policy challenges involved, and the potential for combined battle networks with allies and partners to enable a new offset strategy.

Brief by Todd Harrison and Christopher Reid — March 4, 2022

Commercial Space Remote Sensing and Its Role in National Security

This CSIS brief explores the ways commercial space remote sensing can support national security and the changes in acquisition approaches and government policies needed to fully leverage the innovation, capabilities, and additional capacity commercial systems can provide.

Brief by Todd Harrison and Matthew Strohmeyer — February 2, 2022

Leveraging Networks in Future Operations: DISA's Changing Role in Battle Networks

As the Department of Defense adapts to the challenges of a changing world, it has important choices to make about the future mission and organization of the Defense Information Systems Agency, the organization created in the Cold War to unify its top-level communications.

Report by Gregory Sanders and Rhys McCormick — January 31, 2022