For the next round of participants in a pilot program to Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT), the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) recently announced 13 projects will receive funding.
Helmed by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), this program is meant to hasten the transitioning of technologies into production, and subsequently field them for soldiers in the field. Priorities were given to technologies developed by small businesses and nontraditional defense contractors, to buck the trend of military industrial consolidation.
“Thanks to congressional support for APFIT in this year’s defense appropriation bill, R&E is accelerating the fielding of crucial capabilities to our warfighters,” Heidi Shyu, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, said.
APFIT was established under the Secretary of Defense as a competitive, merit-based program by the National Defense Authorization Act of fiscal year 2022. Original and mature technologies, and products meant to fill gaps in soldiers’ needs are the focus of support, to help them rapidly achieve the production phase.
Congress awarded APFIT $100 million for its first operations in 2022, but that figure has rapidly increased over the years – from $150 million in 2023 to $300 million this year. Over the past two years, 21 programs were selected for funding, including four awarded this February.
DOD said the latest round of projects included:
A Department of Defense (DoD) 2040 Task Force (D2T) challenge on talent management innovation drew…
For the first time since its creation in 2004, the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Flight…
The 2024 Hurricane Season Campaign began for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) this week,…
As a way to support veterans, U.S. Reps. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Dale Strong (R-AL),…
Mere days after the Department of Homeland Security formed a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety…
KBR will continue to provide life support, equipment readiness, training and supply chain solutions for…
This website uses cookies.