A medida que la tecnolog\u00eda avanza a un ritmo vertiginoso, tambi\u00e9n lo hacen los m\u00e9todos novedosos de dise\u00f1o de armas, desde la impresi\u00f3n 3D sobre la marcha hasta copias virtuales de sistemas reales que pueden probarse en el ciberespacio. Apodada la cuarta revoluci\u00f3n industrial , la transformaci\u00f3n digital est\u00e1 remodelando las industrias. Permite iteraciones de dise\u00f1o m\u00e1s r\u00e1pidas y flexibles, acortando el proceso y mejorando el ajuste con las necesidades de la misi\u00f3n, mediante el uso de un “gemelo digital”. Esta representaci\u00f3n virtual del producto permite una simulaci\u00f3n r\u00e1pida para “construir antes de construir” y “volar antes de comprar” para reducir el riesgo y acelerar el tiempo desde el dise\u00f1o hasta el campo. Se busca agilizar procedimientos para responder mas r\u00e1pido y mejor.<\/p>\n
After two decades of counterterrorism warfare, the US is playing catchup as it refocuses on near-peer adversaries. China and Russia have been investing and modernizing to erode US overmatch, and their increasing aggression\u2014on vivid display now as Russia invades Ukraine\u2014has made acceleration of our defense modernization a national security imperative.<\/p>\n
The defense enterprise is responding. The recent overhaul of defense acquisition is now being followed by a reform commission on Defense Department\u2019s resource management process: the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) Commission. These process reforms are valuable steps removing obstacles, but they don\u2019t accelerate modernization by themselves.<\/p>\n
To stay ahead of our adversaries, DoD must use these more flexible processes to adopt innovative business practices like digital transformation and as-a-service purchasing of capability \u2014 valuable strategies that must be a priority for the PPBE Commission and that DoD itself must incentivize when working with industry.<\/p>\n
Dubbed the\u00a0fourth industrial revolution<\/a>, digital transformation is reshaping industries. In development, it allows faster and more flexible design iterations \u2014 shortening the process while improving alignment to mission need \u2014 by the use of a \u201cdigital twin.\u201d This virtual representation of the product allows rapid simulation for \u201cbuilding before you build\u201d and \u201cflying before you buy\u201d to reduce risk and accelerate time from design to fielding.<\/p>\n This is the first element of what Deloitte calls the physical-to-digital-to-physical (PDP) [PDF<\/a>] loop. Creating a digital record from physical data allows development activities to be performed virtually\u2014saving time while increasing the range of possibilities to reduce risk. This digitalization can even be started in the\u00a0planning and requirements<\/a>\u00a0stages of DoD gap analysis.<\/p>\n These digitally engineered designs can then move more quickly through prototyping, testing, and production as the digital twin provides the data for printing initial parts, incorporating modifications, and feeding robotic and additive manufacturing processes. This \u201cdigital thread\u201d completes the PDP loop as the digital representation guides physical production. Testing can be enhanced and risk reduced as thousands of \u201cdigital tests\u201d are conducted to complement physical tests.<\/p>\n An updated digital twin matching the physical product then supports operations and sustainment. Formula One racing provides a vivid example \u2014 a digital twin integrated with extensive sensors on the car facilitates continuous management during a race to optimize performance [PDF<\/a>]. Digitalization can improve uptime and readiness, operational performance, predict failures,\u00a0reduce sustainment costs<\/a>\u00a0and support synthetic training environments.<\/p>\n The defense industry is bringing this transformation to DoD. For example,\u00a0Lockheed Martin\u00a0is using<\/a>\u00a0digital design to solve integration challenges with the CH-53K, and as the backbone of its\u00a0Future Vertical Lift<\/a>\u00a0efforts. Last year,\u00a0General Electric\u00a0used skills honed in commercial\u00a0additive manufacturing<\/a>\u00a0to win the first airworthiness certification from DoD for a printed aircraft engine part.<\/p>\n Parts of DoD are also climbing on board. The\u00a0Air Force\u2019s Research Lab is seeking to do more with digital manufacturing, while its\u00a0ICBM-replacement effort already\u00a0relies extensively<\/a>\u00a0on digital engineering.\u00a0The Army is making digital twins to improve Black Hawk\u00a0maintenance<\/a>, working on\u00a0battlefield 3D-printing<\/a>\u00a0of parts, and plans to choose among bidders for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft based on a digital design.<\/p>\n To accelerate modernization, DoD needs to harness digitalization\u2019s benefits in reducing time, cost, and risk throughout a product\u2019s life cycle. The question becomes: How can DoD leaders encourage faster transformation within DoD and the industrial base?<\/p>\n First, DoD should expand digitalization into more capability and technology areas, including new development efforts and sustainment of current forces. Office of the Secretary of Defense organizations like Research and Engineering, Acquisition and Sustainment, and Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation could provide priorities for expansion while the Military Departments identify specific programs. The PPBE Commission could focus on expanding business practice innovation like digital transformation in its reform recommendations.<\/p>\n Second, DOD should incentivize industry by valuing advanced practices when writing proposal requests, making award selections, and issuing contracts. Program offices will need more experts in evaluating and using digital twins and the digital thread from development through sustainment. The cost-estimating community should look at commercial industry to learn what is possible, and how this might realistically change defense programs.<\/p>\n Third, DOD should also smooth industry\u2019s path by standardizing material requirements and accelerating\u00a0certification [PDF<\/a>] of printed parts. It should also establish intellectual property policies [PDF<\/a>] that protect DoD while incentivizing industry investment.<\/p>\n This will be a learning process with missteps along the way. But today\u2019s world requires DoD to implement digital transformation at scale and the only way to accomplish that is to do it.<\/p>\n