Navy Joins the Innovation 'Flotilla'.

AuthorMagnuson, Stew
PositionEditor's Notes

* Rare is the defense industry conference nowadays that doesn't have at least one panel discussion with the word "innovation" in its title. If innovation can just be achieved or harnessed, then all the military's technology problems will be solved.

The Navy League's recent Sea-Air-Space conference was no exception to this truism, hosting no less than four such discussions: "Logistics Innovation," "Innovation in the Use of Gaming for Training," "Rapid Innovation" and finally, "Innovation in Shipbuilding."

"The panel's title amused me. I don't often see 'innovation' and 'shipbuilding' in the same title," quipped Allison Stiller, principal civilian deputy in the office of the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, and the moderator of the latter of the four panels.

Stiller set the tone with the notion that the Navy might be behind in the innovation game.

It wants to join the innovation bandwagon--or perhaps "innovation flotilla" is better, so not to mix metaphors. But the term innovation is squishy, with many definitions and ideas on how to achieve it. Here are just a few of the thoughts put forth at the symposium.

"In the world we are operating in today, innovation isn't just about stuff. It covers our command and control, tactics or strategy, our acquisition--and stuff. It's all connected together," said Vice Adm. William R. Merz, deputy chief of naval operations for warfare systems.

Stiller found innovation in the ordinary. "Stable plans, healthy supplier base and training our workforce may not sound super exciting, but it does enable innovation in shipbuilding," she said. All this derives from stable funding from Congress to enable its 30-year shipbuilding plan, she said.

Vice Adm. Thomas J. Moore, Naval Sea Systems Command commander, said: "We are in a digital age. And as we go into an era of innovation in shipbuilding, you have got to be able to embrace the digital age as we start building the ships."

Rear Adm. John R Neagley, program executive officer for unmanned and small combatants, finds innovation in competitive prototyping. "Take our prototypes, get them out to the fleet and start developing [concepts of operation] and learn quickly to inform the designs and start delivering those at speed and scale," he said.

Rear Adm. William J. Galinis, program executive officer for ships, said: "Competition is really one of the key drivers to help us drive down costs and foster innovation across the...

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