The U.S. Defense Industrial Base (DIB) is undergoing rapid transformation driven by innovation, policy shifts, and emerging technologies. This compilation highlights key analyses and resources to help national security technology startups navigate this evolving landscape.

Why This Matters

• The Other Transaction Authority (OTA) is now a default mechanism for defense innovation, streamlining acquisitions for startups and non-traditional contractors. Read more
• The U.S. defense industrial base faces challenges in supply chain resilience, great power competition, and industrial capacity. Understanding these factors is crucial for technology startups entering the sector.
• The Department of Defense (DoD) has launched new programs like the Distributed Bioindustrial Manufacturing Investment Program (DBMIP) to enhance domestic production capabilities and sustain U.S. leadership in biotech.
• Accelerating the procurement and fielding of innovative technologies (APFIT) is a DoD initiative to transition technologies from development to deployment faster.
• Digital transformation is reshaping the Defense Industrial Base (DIB), necessitating new partnerships between startups and the DoD to modernize the defense ecosystem.

Key Points

• OTA Agreements are streamlining government-private sector collaboration, particularly benefiting startups and small businesses.
• The National Defense Industrial Strategy (NDIS) is shaping the modernization of the DIB.
• Military aid and global defense strategies impact U.S. defense contractors and could accelerate disintermediation in the industry.
• The Space Development Agency (SDA) Tracking Layer is advancing space-based missile tracking capabilities.
• Debates on forging a digital-age DIB highlight the importance of integrating commercial technologies into defense strategies.
• DoD’s APFIT program is helping accelerate innovative technologies into practical defense applications.

What Next?

• Startups should leverage OTAs to enter the defense market and secure funding for innovative solutions.
• DIB modernization will continue, creating opportunities for agile, tech-driven companies to provide digital and AI-enabled solutions.
• Policy shifts and procurement reforms will define the future of acquisition cycles, influencing how startups can engage with DoD programs.
• Increased focus on cybersecurity and supply chain resilience will open opportunities for companies specializing in these fields.

OODA Loop Resources for National Security Technology Startups

Defense Industrial Base Innovation and Accelerating Acquisition Cycles

(Grouped by Subtopics with Linked Titles and Summaries)

---

1. Other Transaction Authority (OTA) and Defense Acquisition Acceleration

• The Other Transaction Authority (OTA) is Now a “Default Mechanism” to Accelerate Defense Industrial Base (DIB) Innovation
  Examines how OTAs have become the standard tool for accelerating defense acquisitions and fostering innovation within the DIB.
• USG Projects at Speed and Scale: The Disadvantages of OTA and Securing the Emerging Technology IT Supply Chain
  Analyzes the challenges faced by small companies benefiting from OTAs and highlights security concerns in the emerging tech supply chain.
• DoD Launches the OTA-Funded Distributed Bioindustrial Manufacturing Investment Program; Seeks Industry Proposals
  Explores a new DoD-funded program designed to enhance U.S. biotechnology leadership through OTAs and industry collaboration.
• The Latest DoD “Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies” (APFIT) Pilot Projects
  Highlights the DoD’s initiative to speed up tech transitions from development to production via APFIT pilot projects.

---

2. U.S. Defense Industrial Base (DIB) – Structure, Challenges, and Strategy

• The Future of the U.S. Defense Industrial Base: Challenges and Opportunities
  Provides an overview of the DIB’s structure, importance, and key challenges, such as supply chain resilience and great power competition.
• What is the Defense Industrial Base Consortium?
  Explains the role of the Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) in facilitating collaboration between government and non-traditional contractors.
• The Inaugural U.S. National Defense Industrial Strategy
  Details the DoD’s newly released National Defense Industrial Strategy (NDIS) aimed at modernizing the defense ecosystem.
• Is a Surge in U.S. Defense Industrial Capacity Possible?
  Discusses whether the U.S. can rapidly expand its defense production capabilities in response to modern threats.
• The Disintermediation and/or Self-Cannibalization of the Defense Industrial Base
  Explores how defense organizations must adapt to technological disruption by self-cannibalizing outdated practices.

---

3. Global Military Aid and Defense Industrial Base Impacts

• Will Military Aid Abroad Accelerate the Disintermediation of the U.S. Defense Industrial Base?
  Examines the economic benefits and risks posed to the DIB by military aid, especially in the context of Ukraine.

---

4. Emerging Technologies and Defense Digital Transformation

• The Current Debate on ‘Forging the Defense Industrial Base for the Digital Age’
  Analyzes ongoing discussions on integrating commercial digital technologies into the defense sector.
• What is the Space Development Agency’s Tracking Layer?
  Covers the role of the Space Development Agency’s Tracking Layer in missile warning and tracking capabilities.
• A “Faster, Secure Pipeline”: DoD Signals Awareness of the Challenges Faced by Small Business Tech Contractors
  Discusses DoD efforts to address small business challenges in tech adoption and procurement processes.

---

5. National Defense Strategy and Policy Developments

• What You Need To Know About The New Report On Commission on the National Defense Strategy
  Summarizes key findings and recommendations for modernizing the DIB and enhancing national security.
• 2023 Year-End Review: Federal
  Reflects on federal investments in exponential technologies and their impact on national security and defense.

---

6. OODA Loop Industry Insights and Thought Leadership

• OODA Senior Advisor and Network Member Chris Ward on Startups, SMBs, Innovation and the DoD Other Transaction Authority
  Provides insights from Chris Ward on how startups and small businesses can navigate the DoD’s innovation ecosystem.
• An Introductory Q&A with OODA Senior Advisor and Network Member Chris Ward
  Offers a Q&A session with Chris Ward discussing national security innovation and defense tech trends.
• DCVC Announces New $1 Billion Commitment and the Inaugural Deep Tech Opportunities Report
  Explores a major deep tech investment initiative with implications for the defense industry.

Further OODA Loop Resources

• The OODAcon 2022 Welcome Address by OODA CEO Matt Devost: “Surviving Exponential Disruption”
• The Future Now: Overall Themes from OODAcon 2023
• The October 2022 OODA Network Member Meeting: OODAcon 2022, Exponential Disruption and the Future of Innovation at Speed and Scale
• OODAcon 2022: Canceling the Apocalypse – Funding the Next Generation of Innovation
• Swimming with Black Swans: Innovation in an Age of Rapid Disruption at OODAcon 2022
• America’s Frontier Fund and the Quad Investor Network
• A Proactive National Technology Strategy in the Great Power Competition with China
• Will the SEC’s “Private Fund Adviser Rule” Stifle National Security Investment and Innovation? 
• Venture Capital National Security Investment for American Competitiveness: New Mexico’s $100M Pledge to AFF’s Frontier Fund I 
• Razor’s Edge Ventures, National Security Investment and the Future of American Competitiveness 
• Materializing Tomorrow – Securing Supply Chains for National Competitiveness and Reindustrialization 
• DoD FY2025 Investment Strategy Highlights for the Office of Strategic Capital 
• Materializing Tomorrow: Securing Supply Chains for National Competitiveness and Reindustrialization 
• DoD launches the OTA-Funded Distributed Bioindustrial Manufacturing Investment Program: Seeks Industry Proposals 
• The Inaugural U.S. National Defense Industrial Strategy 
• a16z Announces $500 Million Commitment to American Dynamism Investment Portfolio 
• Thomas Tull Chairs the $5 Billion US Innovative Technology Fund; Shield AI among Early Investments