{"id":16531,"date":"2017-10-10T21:35:35","date_gmt":"2017-10-10T21:35:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2017\/10\/10\/army-taking-adapt-and-buy-tactic-with-new-network-strategy\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T17:20:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T17:20:43","slug":"army-taking-adapt-and-buy-tactic-with-new-network-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/digital-show-dailies\/ausa-digital-show-dailies\/2017\/10\/10\/army-taking-adapt-and-buy-tactic-with-new-network-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"Army taking ‘adapt and buy’ tactic with new network strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Army, in addressing concerns with their tactical networks and command posts that they assess are not survivable in a high-end fight against a peer adversary, is looking toward what they call an \u201cadapt and buy\u201d tactic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The adapt-and-buy tactic will enable the Army to inject relevant technologies into its programs in a more rapid fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given the rapid proliferation of technology in recent years, \u201cnot only are we not keeping pace with technology, but in our current state, we\u2019re not postured to maximize the technological might of our private sector,\u201d Lt. Gen. Bruce Crawford, CIO\/G6 told reporters Oct. 9 at the Association of the U.S. Army\u2019s annual conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing that is going to be different going forward is the Army will buy less stuff more often, Maj. Gen. James Mingus, director of the Mission Command Center of Excellence, said during a presentation at AUSA on Oct. 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the Army has a good idea of what its future state \u2015 informed by the threat \u2015 will look like, they can start to field equipment to get to that state to a small set of the Army. This might be 30 percent of the Army, Mingus said, and this equipment will be fielded as fast as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen the next future state comes out, you cascade. Either back to that same unit, if it\u2019s a priority issue or some other method in which we cascade the initial future state until you keep going in what we\u2019re calling there to five year sprints,\u201d he said. \u201cWhat we can\u2019t do is continue to buy and acquire things today that actually don\u2019t come to the force for eight years and you keep it for 20 years and it\u2019s outdated before you ever get it out there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the current method, the Army has multi-million dollar programs of record that make it difficult to insert newer technologies or capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[Army looks to refine requirements process in light of network challenges<\/a>]<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This adapt-and-buy tactic is a \u201crapid turn on technology to keep pace as best we can,\u201d Mingus said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really taking advantage of a software-defined environment so we can iteratively spin in new capabilities and then just as importantly spin them out,\u201d Maj. Gen. John Morrison, commander of the Cyber Center of Excellence, said during the same presentation. \u201cOn the joint side, I go back to really the premise of adapt and buy is look what\u2019s already out there in the joint force and with our [special operations forces] partners and if it\u2019s something we can use\u2026then we bring that in right off the bat that\u2019s going to increase joint interoperability on the front end.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t