Association Launches Emerging Technologies Institute.

• Position: NDIA News

With the aim of maintaining the U.S. military's advantage on the battlefield, the National Defense Industrial Association officially kicked off its new Emerging Technologies Institute in July.

"In terms of the threats we face as a nation and as we emerge from the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, our economy and our national security are at an inflection point," said Arnold Punaro, chair of the association's board and CEO of The Punaro Group.

"As an independent affiliate of NDIA, ETI will identify and promote the technological advances most essential to our country's economic competitive needs and success," he said.

The association is putting the full force of its nationwide network of chapters, divisions and corporate members behind the effort, Punaro said during a kickoff event at NDIA's headquarters in Arlington, Virginia.

ETI--which is being led by Executive Director Dr. Mark Lewis, the former acting deputy undersecretary of defense for research and engineering and director of defense research and engineering for modernization--will focus on key technology areas including: artificial intelligence; autonomy; biotechnology; cyber; directed energy; command, control and communications; hypersonics; microelectronics; quantum science; space; and "5G to Next G."

Ellen Lord, former undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment and a member of ETI's advisory board, praised NDIA for standing up the institute.

"NDIA has leaned forward to do something that is truly at the nexus here of national security and economic security, making sure that we are implementing critical technologies to close gaps that we have in warfighting today," she said during a meeting with reporters.

Speaking during the event, Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stressed the need for an organization such as ETI.

"How do we get to the point where we need an Emerging Technologies Institute?" he asked. "Holy cow, when I joined the Air Force, the Air Force was about modernization. It was about technology. That's what we did."

Now, facing threats from a resurgent Russia and aggressive China, the military must pick up the pace and move quickly as it procures new equipment, he noted. Beijing is already bolstering its military with new capabilities in nuclear weapons, cyber and hypersonic missiles, he added.

"They're doing all of this to challenge the United States," he said...