HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- "Innovation, innovation, innovation" is the key for science and technology in order to win in a complex world, said the Army Materiel Command's Chief Technology Officer Patrick O'Neill at the AUSA Global Force Symposium here, Wednesday, Apr. 1.
The Army and industries' top science and technology experts met as panelists to discuss "S&T Driving Innovation for the Force 2025 and Beyond."
"Science and technology is a key enabler in order to win in a complex world, but all across S&T there is no silver bullet," said O'Neill. "AMC and [Training and Doctrine Command] are working together to enable the warfighter but the key is innovation and understanding what future needs will be."
Panelists emphasized the importance of collaboration across Army commands and industry in order to solve problems, reduce costs and increase reliability and sustainability.
"It all goes back to collaboration," said the commanding general of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, Maj. Gen. John Wharton. "The collaboration between the AMC depots, the lifecycle management commands, PEOs and others at the Joint Acquisition Sustainment Review brings everyone together so we collectively look at end-to-end capabilities and the lifecycle of a system."
Fellow panelist, TRADOC's commanding general for the Brigade Modernization Command, Fort Bliss, Texas, Brig. Gen. John Charlton added to Wharton's comments that prototyping technology allows for collaboration with Soldiers, receiving immediate feedback about equipment.
"There are several definitions on what innovation is; from our perspective it is the art of taking imagination, ingenuity and common sense and applying that to a problem," said Charlton. "Going through this evolutionary process leads to a better outcome. That's what rapid prototyping gives us. It gives you a chance to take feedback from the Soldier, apply it to a prototype, put it back in their hands to see how it works in an operational environment, to evaluate if you really do get a valued outcome."
Other panelists included Mary Miller, deputy assistant secretary of the Army (Research and Technology); Brian Keller, Army strategic account executive, Leidos, Inc.; Patrick O'Neill, Army Materiel Command's chief technology officer; and Retired Col. Donald Kotchman, vice president, Tracked Combat Vehicles, General Dynamics Land Systems. Retired Lt. Gen. Jeffery Sorenson, president, A.T. Kearney Public Sector and Defense Services, LLC served as panel moderator.
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