Pentagon Revs Up Small Business Innovation to Counter China, Russia

Video Above: China’s Growing Nuclear Arsenal

By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

China may have operational hypersonic weapons, advanced quantum computing, next-generation anti-satellite weapons and paradigm-changing AI-enabled data networks designed to push ahead of US innovations and become the dominant global power. The Pentagon’s annual China report estimates that the country plans to be the dominant global power by 2049, if not before. The PRC already has a larger Navy than the US Navy and is moving quickly to try to close the gap with 5th-generation aircraft and aircraft carriers.

Russia claims to operate 5th-generation stealth aircraft such as its Su-57, and while they have far fewer planes than US F-35s, they are planning to build 70 more in coming months. Russia also claims to possess and be able to demonstrate nuclear-capable hypersonic weapons, and has already fired a hypersonic weapon in Ukraine as of earlier this year.

These well known circumstances are a large part of why the Pentagon is pushing intensely to rev up its science and technology efforts, research initiatives and collaboration with industry innovators aimed at finding disruptive or “breakthrough” technologies capable of propelling and sustaining US military technological superiority.

In order to accelerate this, the Pentagon is taking a number of ambitious steps to include reforming the traditional acquisition process to “fast-track” promising technologies into operational status, providing large R&D budgets for continued basic and near term research, and massively revving up partnerships with industry and academia to strengthen innovation. Much of this includes outreach and coordination regarding small businesses less likely to connect with the DoD or be on their radar.

National Security Innovation Network

One particular entity, called the The National Security Innovation Network, is specifically designed to accomplish this by setting up a series of initiatives and programs intended to support, inspire and fast-track innovation.