Andrew Whiskeyman, PhD

What is the best type of data analysis needed by a Colombian Marine Corps battalion? First, the commander must define what the battalion's objective is and what tools are available to achieve it. Data analysis allows you to know how the battalion is performing on a day-to-day basis, to identify problems, focus effort, make decisions and evaluate results. The Military Commander, nowadays, must permanently analyze the unit, generally we only give them orders and expect positive results but we do not analyze the process. Times have changed, and command processes must innovate as well.

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Appreciate the great collaboration between PEO IEW&S , Army Futures Command (ACM-IS), Mass Virtual and the ISR Task Force to discuss virtualized training options that will enhance human performance in an affordable and scalable way. The Intelligence enterprise is faced with a unique challenge in support of the US Army. We employ low density systems, we maintain them with low density military specialties, and we are expected to integrate cutting edge technology faster than our institutional training processes can keep pace. So how do we conduct relevant training quickly, effectively and affordably in the 21st century? We virtualize the training. Yesterday I asked the team to get a little uncomfortable and find a way to demonstrate this capability during our flagship intelligence experiment in September. I want our senior leaders to immerse themselves in a virtual world to see how a 35-series Soldier will interact with component-level parts without ever touching the system. Imagine the possibilities we create if we can certify our back-shop support without ever pulling capital assets out of the fight.

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Today the ISR Task Force partnered with WTOP News, the Federal News Network, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, United States Space Force, and Planet Federal to discuss the critical topic of Broad Area Management and its impact on the safety and security of our nation. In the round table discussion, we touched on the imperative of #teamwork in Integrated Deterrence while also discussing some of the more tangible ways the services are investing in solutions to deliver enhanced situational understanding around the world. The US Army Intelligence enterprise, under the direction of Lieutenant General Tony Hale, is working hard to deliver horizontally integrated capabilities at a pace and scale that matches the tempo of the modern operational environment. To optimize these systems, we’ve been directed to develop strategies for wide-adoption and implementation of Artificial Intelligence capabilities into human-centric workflows. Soon the world currency will be measured in TPUs and GPUs. #Data centricity is a thing, and embracing it is what separates visionary leaders from everyone else. We wrap up this week with a conversation with Congressman Ken Calvert (R-CA) - a partner on Capitol Hill who is “all in” on AI investments.

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Superb article in CIMSEC by R. Robinson Harris, containing the following quote by Dmitry Filipoff, “…no other service needs to be more invested in tactical superiority and solid warfighting doctrine than navies. If a carrier strike group falls prey to a single missile salvo, that’s about seven thousand lives and $20 billion dollars that is lost in a matter of minutes. By comparison, those numbers would get you about 2,000 tanks, but there is no plausible combat scenario where two thousand tanks are destroyed in a couple minutes. Modern naval warfare is an absolutely brutal form of combat, and because of that, nobody stands to lose so much so quickly from their tactical shortfalls than navies. In naval warfare especially, tactical shortfalls can rapidly escalate into strategic liabilities…” Solid thinking (very unusual in naval circles), cogently argued and well evidenced. Instead of regurgitating 19th and 20th Century naval fallacies, perhaps naval leaders should take heed and spend a little more time on their warfighting doctrine.

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Defense Tech and Acquisition: Pivot or Perish Edition Many executives across Washington are 🚨 sounding the alarm 🚨 that bold change is needed to address the critical national security threats. This week Matt MacGregor and I cover top stories like: • CNAS Defense Task Force Report by Michael A. Brown, Ellen Lord, Andrew Metrick, and Robert Work • Op-eds by Robert Gates, David Petraeus and Andy Yakulis • DoD scales production of munitions • Hudson Institute panels on Defense Innovation • Army Awards Robot Contracts • Marines get new C-UAS systems by Epirus • Navy needs to shipyards • Air Force reoptimizes and disaggregates • Space Force gets more software vendors • Congress punts on a defense budget with a CR https://lnkd.in/ePag2XE8

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📣 Potential for some good changes in Army procurement. [Industry Article] Young Bang Details Army Efforts to Modernize Acquisition Processes To take advantage of the capabilities industry has to offer, the Army is embracing more flexible acquisition methods and moving away from strict adherence to traditional approaches. The Army recently released a directive calling for the adoption of a hybrid model, which he said “encourages all different types of things, encourages creativity, but doesn’t want us to default to firm-fixed-price.” https://lnkd.in/e_HQDZy6 #GovCon #SmallBusiness #Accounting #GovernmentContracting #GovernmentContractor #FederalContracting #FederalGovernment #DoD #Army #Procurement #Acquisition

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*The Great Pager Detonation: The End of Phones and Computers on Airplanes?* *By Michael Rubin* National Security Journal September 17, 2024 Is “Operation Below the Belt” the End of Phones and Computers on Airplanes?: Earlier today, some entity—presumably Israel—caused 3,000 pagers used by Hezbollah to detonate simultaneously. It was a unique operation and demonstrated both Israel’s technological capabilities as well as its penetration of Hezbollah and Iranian networks. After all, Iran supplied the pagers to Hezbollah just a few months ago. The ramifications of the attack, however warranted it was, go far beyond the Middle East, however. Wifi has become the norm on passenger planes. Whereas airlines once banned Samsung phones due to questions about their safety after reports that they overheated and still do not allow shipment of lithium batteries in the cargo hold, most passengers today bring laptops, cell phones, and tablets onboard flights. Indeed, on most American aircraft, access to the entertainment system requires the passenger to use his phone, tablet, or computer. The question for security experts—and certainly one on which Al Qaeda now works—is whether the operation presumably carried out against Hezbollah pagers could be replicated on American or European cell phones or other electronic equipment. Put another way, who needs box cutters or an underwear bomb to bring down an aircraft if a signal could overheat, if not detonate a couple hundred tablets or phones at 30,000 feet above the Atlantic? For 23 years, air travelers have had to limit their liquids and submit to vigorous pat-downs as the Transportation Security Agency or its European corollaries sought to protect travelers against the tactics of a past attack. Today’s demonstration in Lebanon should raise red flags: Are water bottles or computers the greater threat? Do computers or phones have to be on to receive the signal that causes detonation? If not, will airlines ever accept such electronics in carry-on or cargo? If Wi-Fi is necessary to transmit the signal, is that the end of Wi-Fi on flights? And if passengers cannot do work on an aircraft, will they even fly or turn to video conferencing? *Hezbollah might have been today’s target, but today’s events may have the most profound impact on the aviation industry since 9/11.* #AviationSecurity #ThreatAnalysis

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"Beyond strategies, policy, and investment, the US military needs to create a command to develop national contingency plans to mobilize and sustain the materiel required by the joint force and, in the event of conflict, interdict adversary supply chains through partnerships across the government." Thanks to the Modern War Institute at West Point for running 𝑰𝒇 𝑯𝒆𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒔 𝑫𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒓, my personal take on the need for a more active approach to defense supply chains. This article and the ideas within have been years in the making. There are many who walked alongside me and I'm grateful! Special thanks to Greg Boschert, Matt Evers, CLTD, Joseph Whittington, David Sanford, David Martin, Sean W., John Barrett, Cody Retherford, Lyle Drew, Jason Okumura, Jon Millard, Peter Guinto, Margaret Sankey, and Chip Litchfield for their thoughtful inputs. As always, these views and any weaknesses related are mine alone! #weaponizedinterdependence #supplychains #warfare #logistics

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SAE International, 2024 DoD Maintenance Symposium in Salt Lake City. Engage with the DoD Maintenance and Sustainment Communities.   https://lnkd.in/eC5SQQJX U.S. Army Materiel Command will see some of the most significant benefits and utility from ubiquitous autonomy. Autonomous maintenance and sustainment of our military bases, saving billions of dollars and keeping systems operational. The gains in efficiency and safety for resupply are enormous, especially with degraded environments in the theater. The nation that deploys INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE, enabling Industry 4.0 transformations, will gain global economic dominance and defense overmatch. INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE will provide operational resilience, accelerate our innovation OODA loop with autonomous robotics, and radically reduce operational and sustainment costs. US Army organizations like U.S. Army Installation Management Command and US Army Corps of Engineers will be the bridge between the civilian effort and the DOD and lead the nation with Intelligent Infrastructure.  Autonomy Institute INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE, CONTINUUM of Innovation Capital, AUTONOMY PRIME, ATLAS PROGRAM, SKYHATTAN, Autonomous Nation #infrastructure #leadership #northstar #future #commerce #mission #arpai #nextg #apnt #transportation #edgeai #i2infrastructure #robotics #technology #automation #digital #productivity #autonomy

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There are many challenges our homeland faces internally. However, we cannot ignore external threats. The DoD continues to prioritize weapon systems to engage threats but continues to ignore the systems that are essential to early warning for proper C2’ing of said weapon systems. If we get the positioning and battle management wrong, there are grave consequences. Every second counts when responding; the earlier we can detect, the better. Over and over, the demand signal for air domain awareness is high. When will we finally understand the investment required for a proper sensing grid?

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🔥🔥🔥🔥 To remain relevant and competitive, the DoD must change from a requirements-based acquisition system to a problem-based acquisition system. Today, requirements documents and operational needs statements mandate that the warfighter propose the solution to a given problem. If this occurs, the proposed solution goes through tens of levels of consideration and validation before it even becomes a requirement. The requirement must then go through years of planning, budgeting, and staffing before a solution can be delivered to the warfighter. Sometimes this can take three years, other times it can take 20, just to get a faster horse. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

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“That is why this digital transformation must be identified as a top national security priority, on par with other major challenges the Department has so effectively met. Such a designation, accompanied by sustained leadership and oversight at the highest levels of the Department, is necessary to ensure all Components of the Department are working at speed and in unison to the same common vision. It is also an essential element for ensuring all Components receive the appropriate and necessary resources to support efforts, as well as the kind of “risk absorption” leaders must provide in any innovative and forward-leaning organization. And, in the end, a well-executed digital transformation strategy will also catalyze a wide range of impacts and benefits to the Department, including but not limited to the kind of transformational culture change to stand the Department in good stead for the unknown challenges of the future. The landscape within the Department and outside of it is already rich with the learnings and lessons of an array of pilots and experimentation as well as real-world applications. The global realities dictate time is not on the United States’ side. Fortunately, utilizing the lessons learned, DoD is in a position to dramatically accelerate this foundational shift. There is no time to waste.” https://lnkd.in/ezfvAwUV

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🚨 Stay Ahead in Government Contracting! 🚨 We’re excited to announce the launch of our NVS Strategic Solutions Newsletter, your go-to resource for everything government contracting! By signing up, you’ll gain access to: ✅ Free Trainings – Learn the ins and outs of government contracting ✅ Upcoming Webinars – Stay updated with live sessions and expert insights ✅ Free Resources & Tools – Access templates, guides, and more to help your business succeed ✅ Event & Opportunity Updates – Never miss a key event or contracting opportunity Whether you're just starting out or looking to sharpen your skills, this newsletter will keep you informed and equipped for success! 👉 Sign up now to stay ahead of the game! 👈 https://wkf.ms/3NCGkAE Don't miss out on these valuable resources – let’s grow your contracting knowledge together! #GovCon #FreeTraining #Webinars #ContractingOpportunities #businesssuccess

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A Saturday edition of Laowai.... Solving hard problems. DIU 3.0 "While much has been written on the innovation valley of death across the US government, or the inability to access detailed problem sets in classified environments, or the bloated defense budgets and bureaucracy, little has been written on product-market fit which is key for speed and scale. Maybe DIU 3.0 aims to address this. Technology companies have been doing this for decades. The free market allows this to flourish. If there is no fit, there is no revenue. No revenue, no lights!"  #duause #defensetech #innovation #southflorida #economicgrowth #usa Laowai Enterprises Stony Lonesome Group LLC Grayline Group eMerge Americas Freedom First RTB Ventures FedLearn Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Aditi Kumar

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The U.S. has a federal law in place since 1994, the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (FASA), which requires the Government to buy commercial solutions instead of building something custom. Unfortunately, DoD -- as well as the intel community -- often ignores this law. "When the Department of Defense ignores existing commercial solutions that satisfy requirements, the US military is less competitive and warfighters get worse products." Excellent overview of the problem by Madeline Zimmerman at Palantir Technologies. #defenseinnovation #defensetech #defenseindustry https://lnkd.in/eZD_627E 

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Interesting piece about the importance of nuclear deterrence in the U.S. "The bipartisan Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States recently recommended that the United States plan for its first strategic forces buildup since the end of the Cold War," reports Matthew Kroenig and Mark J. Massa. The article strongly critiques House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) for his views on specifically cutting the most reliable and affordable leg of the Nuclear Triad. I am supportive of the Commission's recommendations, and commend those who served on the Commission. The fact that the Commission's report was penned and endorsed by both Parties speaks volumes to the importance of a healthy, safe and reliable nuclear deterrence force. Diminishing it's value only serves to lessen its deterrent effect. #NuclearDeterrance #DefenseIndustry #DefenseNews #thinkdeterrence

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