In the last decade, Warfighters have grown reliant on commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment to meet their operational needs rather than use traditional U.S. Department of Defense acquisition paths. Although COTS systems may offer a responsive and rapid procurement, they carry a substantial risk to front-line Warfighters due to lack of objective test and evaluation in realistic, relevant conditions. Most importantly, there is a lack of operational feedback on the design and performance of the systems intended to meet current and future threats.
The Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head (NSWC IHD) Battle Lab Division was established in 2020 to test, evaluate, demonstrate, and assess military utility of emerging COTS/government-off-the-shelf solutions to feed capability gap assessment, equipment-buying decisions, and inform requirements development and technology implementation at the speed of relevance. Battle Lab events can leverage existing testing locations/facilities at NSWC IHD and throughout the United States.
This webinar will provide a background on the creation of the Battle Lab Division, covering the following topics:
- Overview of the Battle Lab Mission
- Details of the Identify, Scout, Evaluate, & Assess Model
- Valuable Stakeholder Feedback: Where It Goes, How It Drives
- Engagement Opportunities
- Capabilities From Each Mission Area Within the Battle Lab