Justin Finelli•Chief Technology Officer, Department of the Navy
Executive Summary
The Department of the Navy is shifting from traditional input-based metrics (cost, schedule, performance) to outcome-driven metrics like "user time saved" to more effectively evaluate and prioritize new technologies.
To overcome funding shortfalls and the "valley of death," the Navy is accelerating "Operation Cattle Drive," a structured divestment initiative to terminate underperforming legacy programs and reallocate resources to innovative solutions.
The Navy is aggressively adopting commercial technologies, such as satellite communications, which have yielded 100x improvements in shipboard bandwidth, demonstrating the power of a "commercial-first" approach.
A key strategy for innovation involves identifying and empowering internal "mavericks" with tools like an "innovation adoption kit" and authorities like OTAs to break through bureaucratic inertia and accelerate capability delivery.
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Concerns Raised
Slow procurement cycles stifling innovation
Legacy programs consuming all available funding, creating a 'valley of death'
Poorly defined metrics of success (e.g., inputs vs. outcomes)
Cultural resistance to risk and change within the bureaucracy
Opportunities Identified
Leveraging commercial technology for exponential performance gains (e.g., 100x bandwidth)
Freeing up significant funding for new programs through structured divestment (Operation Cattle Drive)
Improving warfighter effectiveness and quality of life with better enterprise services
Accelerating acquisition using existing authorities like Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs)