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NATO needs a strategy for emerging and disruptive technologies
By: Lauren Speranza and Nicholas Nelson
The incoming Biden administration is expected to reassert ties with Europe, hoping to leverage America's allies and partners at NATO in the great power competition with China and Russia. As U.S. and European leaders set their collective agenda at the next NATO summit, a top priority should be establishing a NATO framework for emerging and disruptive technologies (EDT).
For the United States, it is important that the alliance adapt together to defend against algorithms and bots, as much as bullets and bombs. Europe shares this mindset but differs from the United States on key defense tech issues, such as regulation, data, and stakes in national champion companies. To avoid the dangerous transatlantic rifts of the last four years, Brussels and Washington must bridge that gap and forge an alliance approach to EDT.
NATO has acknowledged the need to harness the power of such technologies, but current efforts have produced innovation theater, as opposed to fundamental organizational change. NATO lags behind in critical areas such as 5G, hypersonics, artificial intelligence (AI), unmanned systems, and quantum science.
In the past, NATO has used frameworks to get member states to agree on priorities, dedicate resources, and empower authorities to act. Looking to the next NATO summit, transatlantic leaders should champion an EDT framework built around four practical pillars:
Establishing an organic assessment and coordination capacity at the strategic level. To fulfill its potential as the transatlantic coordinating tool on the security dimensions of EDT, the alliance needs an in-house capability to assess challenges driven by rapidly evolving technologies. It must examine the advantages and vulnerabilities of adversaries and competitors, as well as gaps in NATO's approach and capabilities. NATO must explore how EDT can be applied to tackle below-threshold threats, enhance defense planning, boost exercises, and support decision-making. Building on ongoing efforts, this should occur at the strategic level of the alliance, fusing civil and military perspectives and data to inform the development and introduction of cutting-edge EDT. It must also include a more robust mechanism for aligning capabilities and gaps across members, key partners, and the European Union. As defense budgets contract amidst the Covid-19 crisis, this approach will maximize return on investment and improve NATO's strategic edge.
Seeding the market by improving engagement with industry. A strategic assessment function will not be valuable unless industry leaders are engaged and incentivized. NATO needs to connect to the private sector early and often, clearly communicating its priorities and requirements while providing accessible opportunities for industry, including non-traditionals, to readily sell into the alliance. Too often national and international defense organizations do not provide discernable paths to revenue for these companies, artificially limiting their industrial bases. The long lead times for these projects are often unattractive or unfeasible, especially for small companies and start-ups where radical innovation takes place. To remedy this, the alliance should look to the U.S. Department of Defense, which has succeeded in attracting startups and non-traditionals to its ecosystem through rapid awards, proof-of-concept contracts, and matching venture capital funds that start-ups receive.
Enhancing standardization and interoperability by creating a system of systems. To meet the challenges of future warfare, the alliance must be able communicate and operate across militaries, capabilities, and domains. This requires more standardized, secure, and resilient platforms, systems, and infrastructure. NATO needs an EDT strategy for integration, not just innovation. Leading candidates for Biden's Pentagon team have emphasized this priority, supporting a CJADC2 concept – a “network of networks” to ensure reliable command and control. The alliance should leverage CJADC2 as a better framework for standardization and interoperability, paving the way for more complex joint operations. This requires a change in doctrine and a shift away from platforms to create a system of systems. Going forward, NATO needs this same approach to rapidly develop and deploy emerging defense and dual-use technologies for conventional and hybrid conflicts. This involves placing big, transformative bets on critical technologies, such as unmanned air and maritime systems, artificial intelligence (AI), and hypersonics.
Coordinate with the EU. NATO should better leverage its ability to assign capability and spending targets to encourage its members to innovate. For instance, to complement the 2 percent of GDP defense spending benchmark, NATO could mandate that allies invest a certain portion of that into emerging technologies. It should also rework the 2 percent metric to include civilian investment in dual-use technologies that may fall outside of traditional defense budgets. Where NATO lacks the capacity to enforce these standards, the European Union brings the legislative and budgetary authority to promote them. NATO and the EU should coordinate research and development, provide seed funding toward these targets, and reinforce them with legal tools where possible. NATO and the EU should also initiate a strategic dialogue to address fundamental issues of tech governance and data sharing.
The ability to employ emerging and disruptive technologies more effectively than competitors such as China and Russia will shape the global role of the United States and the transatlantic alliance in the coming decades. NATO has begun to talk the talk, but now it must walk the walk.
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Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - May 11, 2020
AIR FORCE Unisys Corp., Reston, Virginia, has been awarded a $630,000,000 single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for technology application development and sustainment (TADS) supporting the Air Force weather enterprise. Orders under the TADS contract will support development, delivery and sustainment of an integrated system of weather enterprise hardware and software dedicated to providing accurate, consistent, relevant and timely environmental intelligence. Work will be performed at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska; and Omaha, Nebraska, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 15, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and six proposals were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $2,182,983 are being obligated at the time of award. The 55th Contracting Squadron, Offutt AFB, Nebraska, is the contracting activity (FA4600-20-D-0002). ApiJECT Systems America Inc., Stamford, Connecticut, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $138,000,000 firm-fixed-price, undefinitized contract action (UCA) for COVID-19 response “Project Jumpstart” and “Project Rapid,” which will dramatically expand production capability for domestically manufactured blow-fill-seal injection devices. Work will be performed throughout the U.S. and is expected to be completed by May 8, 2022. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 Air Force other procurement funds in the amount of $69,000,000 are being obligated at the time of UCA issuance and remaining funding will be added at definitization. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity (FA8726-20-C-0022). (Awarded May 8, 2020) Raytheon Corp., Marlborough, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $20,232,337 firm-fixed-price modification (P00113) to contract FA8705-14-C-0001 to exercise 23 fixed spares for Production Year Two, Option Contract Line Item Number 0008, for a Global Aircrew Strategic Network Terminal. Work will be performed in Largo, Florida, and is expected to be completed by July 2022. Fiscal 2020 other procurement funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. This modification brings the total cumulative value of the contract to $488,205,869. Air Force Materiel Command, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity. ARMY Chemring Sensors and Electronic Systems Inc., Dulles, Virginia, was awarded a $200,218,380 modification (P00009) to contract W909MY-18-D-0014 to develop, integrate and produce and deliver Husky Mounted Detection System kits, spare parts, maintenance and training. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 15, 2022. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity. NAVY BAE Systems Land & Armaments L.P., Minneapolis, Minnesota, is awarded a $42,842,169 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-5380 for MK 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) canister production and ancillary hardware. This modification combines purchases for the Navy (68%); and the governments of Japan (11%); Australia (6%); Norway (6%); Netherlands (6%); and Turkey (3%), under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Minneapolis, Minnesota (10%); and Aberdeen, South Dakota (90%). This option exercise provides for the manufacture and delivery of MK 13 Mod 0, MK 21 (Mod 2 and 3), MK 21 Mod 1 and MK 29 Mod 0 canisters, ancillary hardware and MK 13 Mod 0 canister renews. The VLS canisters serve as the missile shipping containers and launch tubes when loaded into VLS Modules. Work is expected to be complete by July 2023. Fiscal 2020 weapons procurement (Navy); fiscal 2019 and 2020 defense-wide procurement; and FMS funds in the amount of $42,842,169 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. Cape Environmental Management Inc.,* Honolulu, Hawaii, is awarded an $11,674,808 cost-plus-award-fee task order N62473-20-F-4678 under a single-award small business environmental remedial action contract for removal actions and environmental restoration activities at installation restoration and munition response sites at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, San Diego, California. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and provides for site maintenance activities at Installation Restoration Site (IRS) 21, time critical removal action at IRS 20 and non-time critical removal action at Munitions Response Site 5. Work is expected to be complete by May 2023. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $11,674,808 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One proposal was received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62742-16-D-1807). WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS SERVICES General Dynamics Information Technology, Falls Church, Virginia, has been awarded a $7,417,730 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract provides case analysts, defense security officers, and program management support for the Office of Military Commissions hearings. Work performance will take place at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,417,730 are being awarded. The expected completion date is May 10, 2023. Washington Headquarters Services, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0034-20-C-0082). *Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2183554/source/GovDelivery/