“The Minimum Viable Capability for CJADC2 [Combined Joint All Domain Command & Control] is real and ready now,” said Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks. “It's low latency and extremely reliable.” But budget gridlock blocks deployment.
“We can’t do our best work unless we’re involved a lot earlier,” said Mandy Long, CEO of BigBear.ai.
Today, just nine of the Army’s 540 acquisition programs use the streamlined Software Pathway, but senior officials told Breaking Defense in an exclusive interview they aim to "exponentially" increase that number by the end of next year.
Assistant Secretary Doug Bush defended the controversial Middle-Tier Acquisition process and said he wanted to use the streamlined Software Pathway more, arguing speed is life on constantly evolving battlefields.