The other week I visited the Yankee Air Museum at Willow Run just outside of Detroit. I was disappointed to hear that a piece of history where B25 Liberators were built during WWII will be torn down this fall. What bothered me more was being reminded of today’s lack of urgency amidst war with changing enemy tactics.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates is obviously sensing the same thing. He is repeatedly calling for new thinking. So what’s our problem? — as Jake concepts stare down bureaucracy, stopping this transformation in ground maneuver and protection for our footsoldier. It is not that we can’t see the opportunities the Jake opens.
At a demo of an updated Jake a couple months ago, former Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen Richard Cody, again stated what he said in 2005 in terming this 3,000 lb unit “the warrior transformer”. He now defined Jake as the “smart horse” or “Dragoon”, referring to its mix of traits coming from Humvees, Robo-Cops, and tractors — innovations integrating soldier movement tactics and robotics. He clearly articulated the problem of our young warriors being severely overloaded and how this affects their survivability and their long term health.
Can you imagine how absurd this face of lethargy is as this program is yet to achieve a development home with funding? I know. There is a problem. This program requires funding that allows tactical innovation as a systems-based program — not something tried for a couple million as an incremental improvement on existing requirements. Regardless, the amount to flesh out the concept with our young warfighter is “budget dust”.
In 2006 Pascal Zachary wrote a Wall Street article in which he posed the question: “Where is the big idea in national defense?” “Where is the Manhattan Project?” What if it is standing right in front of us? Operation American Agility presents the situation that it is.
A designer who supports the Jake program called today to read several passages from a book on Andrew Higgins, on how the boat builder had to fund and build the landing crafts used on D-Day by himself. I can picture Higgins talking with “renegade” military visionaries who shared what he saw as the need. I have been there. I could picture his other meetings where he hit what the book quotes as unending resistance and extreme bureaucracy. Higgins continued because he believed his gut from what he heard. Actually, it was just common sense… My friend commented on the Jake’s path being almost an exact replication of what was behind both Higgin’s frustration and determination.
I know the dynamics of breakthrough programs from my work with New Holland, Caterpillar and John Deere. I’ve now experienced the dynamics within today’s military acquisition and R&D. Just as Pascal Zachary explained the challenge of getting the brightest minds in America to participate with defense programs, I am only reassured by Andrew Higgins — his determined efforts mading D-Day possible — that there is reason to fight the fight. We must break the counterproductive processes and “friction” blocking our achieving breakthroughs today for our young soldiers and Marines. As in Higgins’ time, change to meet changing warfare demands true and gutsy leadership. And as with “Rosie the Riveter”, I believe it asks a bit from all of us.
Standing in that hanger at Willow Run, I recalled how Japan’s Emperor was warned they might wake a sleeping giant at the opening of WWII. It happened. America was forced out of “normal process”. The response was the almost immediate advance and production of planes, ships and Jeeps, and the Manhattan Project. These are advances that would not have happened otherwise. So, what does it take for us to wake up and truly respond to today’s war? (America, please remember that we are in one) Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, is calling for this wake up — and Jake provides an opportunity already staged — with a team of technology partners standing ready from across the nation.
It is time to break through the protective layers of staffers that “protect” such a leader from disruptive technology. Wouldn’t it be good if we are the ones at the forefront of being disruptive? (view Gerry Peter’s video on the homepage of American Agility) Note: To those who smile while dissing the Jake, recall IBM’s famed statement in 1982 that there wasn’t a market for a home computer. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and others saw the advance of technologies differently. These talented geeks applied themselves to applications, exploited the shrinking packaging size of technologies and proved IBM wrong. Today, it is hard to imagine how these “experts” were not able to anticipate what occurred. So, what is jamming our brains today?! — while the Jake presents the opportunity for the move “from the mainframes to the laptops” for our young Soldiers and Marines.
Let’s Power ‘Em Up!
Russ Strong