At Capability Program Executive Simulation, Training, Test and Threat (CPE ST3), innovation is no longer a byproduct of process—it is the mission itself. Over the past several years, the organization has undergone a significant cultural transformation, moving away from rigid, requirement-driven acquisition models toward a faster, more flexible and risk-tolerant approach. This shift is not just procedural; it includes a fundamental change in culture.
Historically, acquisition teams operated under strict constraints, no movement without funding and no action without a formally approved requirement. This model ensured structure and compliance, but often at the cost of speed and relevance.
Today, that mindset is changing. CPE ST3 is empowering its workforce to engage directly with warfighters, experiment with emerging technologies and deliver capabilities rapidly, even before formal requirements are finalized. The focus has shifted from paperwork to performance, and from process to outcomes.
A cornerstone of this transformation is how success is defined and rewarded. In the past, teams were recognized for awarding contracts, often large, complex efforts that took years to execute.
That model has been replaced with a new standard, delivering operational capability at speed. Recognition now goes to teams that can rapidly prototype, test and field solutions in real-world environments.
“Historically, our organization utilized incentives and performance awards based directly on source selection outcomes, successful contract awards and total contract value,” said Marwane Bahbaz, chief technology officer, CPE ST3. “Now we have moved away from that. Recognition is about teams that accelerate the delivery of impactful training and testing capabilities to enhance warfighter readiness.”
Recently, he said teams have successfully deployed critical simulation software in Army cloud to support Joint Readiness Training Center Transformation in Contact unit rotation within three months; enabling data exchanges between simulation and modern command and control capabilities. This effort would have previously taken a minimum of 12-15 months to achieve.
This shift has reoriented the entire organization. Instead of optimizing for compliance, teams are optimizing for impact. Regular Soldier touch point events—technical demonstrations, tactical exercises and industry engagements—allow teams to showcase progress, gather feedback and iterate quickly. These events are tracked and visible to senior leadership, ensuring accountability and recognition.
And recognition is not limited to large-scale successes. Individual initiative and field-level innovation are also celebrated, reinforcing the message that risk-taking is not only accepted—it is expected.
For CPE ST3, the urgency of modern warfare demands a new approach. Traditional acquisition timelines—often measured in years—are no longer viable in a rapidly evolving threat environment. And as Bahbaz puts it, “the inability to act is also a risk.”
According to Bahbaz, this reframing is critical. In the past, avoiding action was seen as safe. Today, it is seen as potentially harmful.
“The idea of not doing anything until we receive an approved requirement and funding before we act is a problem,” Bahbaz said. “Taking calculated risk is an important pillar to our transformation, and the status quo is unacceptable. Either we take the risk on our side, or the warfighter takes the risk—and that’s a risk they’re already taking. I’d rather for us to take the risk, not our warfighter.”
This philosophy drives a proactive mindset across the CPE ST3 enterprise. Teams are encouraged to act quickly, test ideas in real conditions and learn through iteration. Rather than waiting for perfect information or complete alignment, they focus on understanding the immediate environment and taking the first steps forward. “We don’t need to analyze the full path,” Bahbaz said. “We just need to know what the first 10 meters look like … let’s go.”
With increased risk comes the inevitability of failure. At CPE ST3, however, failure is no longer something to be avoided, it is something to be leveraged.
Looking back at earlier efforts, Bahbaz points to significant challenges his organization faced, noting programs executed under traditional models often struggled to deliver meaningful outcomes. One example involved a modernization effort for virtual training systems. Despite using advanced contracting authorities, the effort was hampered by rigid requirements and legacy thinking.
“It didn’t really provide the outcome we wanted, the first iteration didn’t work after about a year, and we had to reset,” he said. We went back at it again, but we were still using the same mindset and that caused more delays. The requirements were so rigid and complex that it limited our ability to pivot, so even though we were trying to modernize, we weren’t getting the results we needed.”
These experiences revealed a critical insight, new tools and authorities are not enough without a corresponding cultural shift. “If you apply new authorities, then you have to leverage them as intended authorities, and the cultural aspect has to be recognized,” Bahbaz added.
Today, failures are handled differently. Teams are encouraged to experiment, accept setbacks and adjust quickly. “Within the success there were failures along the way. And that’s fine,” Bahbaz explained. “We learn from them; we adjust and then we move forward. It’s not a straight line, we act, we iterate and we correct as we go.” This iterative approach allows the organization to refine solutions in real time, reducing long-term risk and increasing overall effectiveness.
Central to CPE ST3’s transformation, Bahbaz emphasized, are individuals who embody this new mindset—leaders who take initiative, embrace risk and focus on delivering real results for the warfighter.
He said one of the clearest examples is Brice Ott, an assistant program manager for small unmanned aerial systems, whose work demonstrates the power of acting with urgency. Rather than waiting for formal requirements or lengthy approval cycles, Ott successfully acquired and deployed advanced swarm drone capabilities to the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in less than 90 days from initial request. Bahbaz said Ott integrated a swarm of instrumented drones in support of a major live-training exercise in the European theater. As Bahbaz described, “He brought in 60 drones, and we put them into training, delivering capability of relevance and getting feedback.”
By integrating 60 drone systems and sensors into live training, Ott enabled Soldiers to immediately test and evaluate the technology in realistic conditions. The drones were not only used to test but also to train on combined arms maneuvers against drone threats replicating the current European conflict. This effort not only accelerated learning and iteration but also earned recognition from operational leaders, reinforcing the value of rapid, mission-focused delivery.
This same spirit of agility extends to program management. Bahbaz said Mike Dillon, deputy product manager for the Combat Training Instrumentation System, has been instrumental in driving innovation from the management side.
“Mike Dillon is an agile and decisive leader who acts quickly and confidently under resource and time constrain environment,” said Bahbaz. “Mike, with his strong leadership, enabled CPE ST3 to deploy modern network infrastructure to enable large, combined arms maneuver exercise in the Indo-Pacific. The planning to flawless execution took less than five months.”
Bahbaz said Dillon’s ability to break from traditional constraints and adapt quickly has helped ensure programs move at the speed required to deliver meaningful outcomes.
On the technical front, he said Chad Thomas, chief software architect, helped lead one of the organization’s most impactful innovations—rapidly migrating training exercise data to the cloud. Responding to an urgent need from senior leadership, Thomas and his team moved data into a cloud environment in a matter of weeks. “We took that data and put it in a cloud in a matter of like two months,” Bahbaz noted. This capability essentially changed how exercises are monitored and analyzed, providing real-time visibility and enabling more informed decision-making across geographically dispersed environments.
Meanwhile, Bahbaz said Mark Dasher, project officer for https://safe.menlosecurity.com/doc/docview/viewer/docN7FCA3EC71BEFedbd8873910e5266ebf929f183ee9c06398b15982dae6acf3deabf969edd18ec, is a champion of innovation and change agent who frequently challenges status quo to deploy modern training capabilities to Soldiers. According to Bahbaz, Dasher’s approach departs from traditional models that rely on rigid requirements and long development cycles. Instead, Dasher builds and tests prototypes directly with users in both home station and combat training environments.
“Mark’s actions are directly enhancing Soldier lethality. He experiments, acquires and delivers live training devices that exercises modern Soldier combat platform at home station and CTC [Combat Training Centers] to include the next generation of MILES [Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System],” said Bahbaz. By continuously refining capabilities based on real feedback, Bahbaz said Dasher is helping ensure that new systems are not only innovative, but also immediately relevant and operationally effective.
Bahbaz said these individuals are just a few examples of the broader cultural shift taking place within CPE ST3—one that prioritizes speed, adaptability and direct engagement with the warfighter. Their individual and group efforts demonstrate how empowered teams, supported by leadership and grounded in mission focus, are turning risk-taking into a driving force for innovation.
Looking ahead, CPE ST3 is taking its innovation model even further with the development of the Live Virtual Constructive (LVC) Marketplace. Designed as an “Amazon-like” platform for training capabilities, the marketplace will allow warfighters to access, evaluate and procure solutions directly.
Bahbaz noted that the initiative is already moving quickly, with plans to kick off the effort in the coming months with internal tests and initial transaction projected this summer with a beta release, and initial operability available by the end of the calendar year. He emphasized an ambitious goal of enabling the first transaction on the platform as soon as possible—potentially before the end of the year—reflecting the organization’s commitment to speed and delivery.
This initiative reflects the organization’s broader goal to make innovation accessible, scalable and responsive to real-world needs. By integrating successful prototypes and tested capabilities into a centralized platform, CPE ST3 is creating a sustainable pipeline for rapid deployment, ensuring that the same speed and agility seen in its pilot efforts can be extended across the force.
The transformation of CPE ST3 is a powerful example of how culture, incentives and leadership can redefine innovation. By shifting focus from process to performance, empowering teams to take risks and embracing failure as a learning tool, the organization is delivering capabilities faster and more effectively than ever before. Bahbaz emphasized “it’s an exciting time here, not the status quo,” describing the shift away from slow, process-heavy systems toward a culture focused on speed, action and delivering real capability when it’s needed. In a landscape where speed and adaptability are critical, CPE ST3 is proving that the greatest risk is not failure—but inaction.
For more information go to https://www.cpest3.army.mil/.
CHERYL MARINO is a writer-editor at the U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, providing contract support for Behind the Frontlines and TMGL, LLC. Prior to USAASC, she served as a technical report editor at the Combat Capabilities Development Command Center at Picatinny Arsenal. She holds a B.A. in communications from Seton Hall University and has more than 25 years of writing and editing experience in both the government and private sectors.