There's a new US Army office 'getting in the dirt' with soldiers and trying to quickly turn their ideas into real battlefield tech

"Number one is speed takes priority over perfection. We can iterate to get to operational capability. And the second is that early soldier feedback is critical in order to make sure we're getting the right technology for the future fight, and then we want to be able to prove the demand signal before we spend big dollars on programs."

"The Pathway for Innovation and Technology office, about 100 days old, is designed to bridge the gap between invention happening across the service and the money and authority to turn ideas into real programs of record."

"The speed at which weapons technology is evolving in conflicts like the ongoing war in Ukraine has driven a growing interest in revamping the way the military buys weapons and how it makes sure it's relevant for troops."

The US Army created the Pathway for Innovation and Technology office to accelerate weapons development by prioritizing speed over perfection and incorporating early soldier feedback. The office bridges the gap between innovations occurring across the service and the resources needed to transform them into official programs. Key principles include iterative development to achieve operational capability and validating demand signals before major funding commitments. The Army aims to overcome bureaucratic delays that historically slowed progress by testing frequently, gathering repeated soldier input, and working with a broader range of companies. This approach reflects lessons from modern conflicts like Ukraine's war, where rapid technological evolution demands faster military acquisition processes.

Read at Business Insider