Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has urged the Defense Department to harness innovation approaches of the technology sector in order to keep pace with a changing security environment, DoD News reported Thursday.
Jim Garamone writes Carter told members of the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee during a meeting held Wednesday in Santa Clarita, that DoD aims to invest as much as $72 billion on research and development programs in fiscal year 2017.
“I’ve been pushing the Pentagon to think outside our five-sided box, and invest aggressively in innovation — from innovative people, to innovative technologies, to innovative practices,” he added.
The report said DoD works with companies, universities and laboratories to develop advanced materials, three-dimensional printing technology, digital manufacturing methods and integrated photonic systems.
Carter also told the NSTAC forum he created Defense Innovation Board to help him and future DoD secretaries identify new ways for the department to collaborate with the technology sector.
