FAST FOLLOWING SINCE 2016
The threat matrix the United States faces today is significantly more diverse than in previous eras. While DoD continues to develop offensive and defensive capabilities around conventional military platforms, dual-use emerging technologies are changing the nature of warfare. This is evident today in Ukraine where commercial satellite imagery, autonomous drones, communication tools, and social media are being democratized and used in new ways.
The U.S. military will enjoy neither a time nor a technology advantage if our adversaries achieve more agility in adopting and integrating commercial technology into their warfare tactics. To modernize faster, the Department of Defense (DoD) requires an order of magnitude increase in its adoption of commercial technologies. To this end, DoD must act as a fast follower, as stated in the 2022 National Defense Strategy. The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is the only DoD organization focused on accelerating the adoption of commercial technology. Since 2016, DIU has shown the ability to prototype, scale, and connect the DoD to best-of-breed ideas and capabilities for tomorrow’s defense needs.
We will be a fast follower where market forces are driving commercialization of military-relevant capabilities in trusted artificial intelligence and autonomy, integrated network system of systems, microelectronics, space, renewable energy generation and storage, and human-machine interfaces. - 2022 National Defense Strategy
Our mission: Accelerate DoD adoption of commercial technology, transform military capabilities and capacity and strengthen the national security innovation base.
Download our FY22 year-in-review teaser for additional stats and info, and be on the lookout for our full annual report, releasing in January 2023. Contact media@diu.mil for more information.