On 9 January, the Department issued three complementary memoranda that together signal a decisive shift in how innovation, data, and artificial intelligence are governed and delivered. Read together, they establish a clear expectation: speed, accountability, and operational impact now define success. Transforming the Defense Innovation Ecosystem to Accelerate Warfighting Advantage restructures the Department’s innovation enterprise around outcomes that matter to the warfighter. It designates the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering as the single, empowered Chief Technology Officer, streamlines governance, and aligns innovation efforts to three results—differentiated technology, scalable products, and new ways of fighting. Program offices and acquisition portfolios retain ownership of delivery, supported by an integrated ecosystem focused… Read More