WEBVTT

00:03.040 --> 00:05.270
the low . Ladies and gentlemen , I'm

00:05.270 --> 00:07.270
Major General John George . I'm the

00:07.270 --> 00:09.510
commanding general for US Army Combat

00:09.510 --> 00:11.454
Capabilities Development Command ,

00:11.454 --> 00:13.890
better known as C C D C . I'm happy to

00:13.890 --> 00:16.112
be with you today . Here in the U . S .

00:16.112 --> 00:18.279
A . Thanks for the opportunity to talk

00:18.279 --> 00:20.501
to you . I want to talk to you about an

00:20.501 --> 00:22.334
important effort within the Army

00:22.334 --> 00:24.446
Futures Command enterprise called T .

00:24.446 --> 00:26.540
McKnight . So C . C . D . C is the

00:26.540 --> 00:29.060
science and technology arm of A F . C .

00:29.070 --> 00:31.320
We integrate across the seven Army

00:31.320 --> 00:33.487
research , development and engineering

00:33.487 --> 00:35.653
centers and the Army's corporate lab a

00:35.653 --> 00:38.250
r L to deliver science , technology ,

00:38.260 --> 00:40.530
engineering and analysis solutions that

00:40.530 --> 00:43.620
enable modernization readiness and

00:43.620 --> 00:45.660
deliver the future army . In other

00:45.660 --> 00:48.220
words , CDC scientists and

00:48.220 --> 00:51.070
technologists convert futuristic ideas

00:51.240 --> 00:55.240
into reality . CDC became a part of a

00:55.240 --> 00:58.170
SC in February 2019 . This transition

00:58.170 --> 01:00.392
was part of a strategic effort , as you

01:00.392 --> 01:02.448
know , to bring intellectual capital

01:02.448 --> 01:04.559
and toe . One Army command focused on

01:04.559 --> 01:06.880
the future to combat the near pier

01:06.880 --> 01:09.150
threats and adversaries of the future .

01:09.380 --> 01:11.491
We know we have to prioritize in this

01:11.491 --> 01:13.713
mission space to think about what could

01:13.713 --> 01:16.140
be integrating fields like synthetic

01:16.140 --> 01:18.880
biology , autonomy and artificial

01:18.880 --> 01:21.150
intelligence into our future network .

01:21.540 --> 01:23.707
It's going to fundamentally change our

01:23.707 --> 01:25.910
future operating environment . Our

01:25.910 --> 01:27.799
futures command Commander General

01:27.799 --> 01:30.090
Murray , challenges us to explore what

01:30.090 --> 01:32.670
could be while pursuing new concepts

01:32.680 --> 01:35.200
and emerging scientific fields . The

01:35.200 --> 01:37.590
key enabler to this endeavor is this

01:37.590 --> 01:40.390
group that we call T . McKnight Team

01:40.390 --> 01:42.180
Ignite integrates technical and

01:42.180 --> 01:44.440
operational expertise to deliver

01:44.440 --> 01:46.718
overmatch capabilities to our soldiers .

01:47.140 --> 01:49.450
So today , in our warriors corner , I

01:49.450 --> 01:51.283
look forward to sharing a little

01:51.283 --> 01:53.506
history about how ignite came to be and

01:53.506 --> 01:55.720
what we've accomplished so far . Most

01:55.720 --> 01:57.942
importantly , I'm going to discuss with

01:57.942 --> 02:00.164
you some ideas about our plans to scale

02:00.164 --> 02:02.260
and accelerate the effort . Hope

02:02.270 --> 02:04.492
Hopefully you can join us afterwards in

02:04.492 --> 02:06.548
the question and answer session s so

02:06.548 --> 02:08.492
that we can discuss how these best

02:08.492 --> 02:10.440
ideas about what could be informed

02:10.440 --> 02:13.410
future concepts and that our resource

02:13.410 --> 02:16.180
is and our priorities are aligned to

02:16.180 --> 02:19.490
these and that will drive them . So

02:19.490 --> 02:21.657
just over two years ago , Army Futures

02:21.657 --> 02:24.330
Command RFC was established . One of

02:24.330 --> 02:27.090
the benefits of FCS design is that it

02:27.090 --> 02:29.290
brought together see CDCs , technical

02:29.290 --> 02:31.740
experts and the futures and concept

02:31.740 --> 02:33.950
centers , operational experts , all

02:33.950 --> 02:36.650
under the single command of a F C .

02:37.340 --> 02:39.396
This was a deliberate move to ensure

02:39.396 --> 02:41.618
that our talent pool of problem solvers

02:41.740 --> 02:44.170
tackle warfighter challenges identified

02:44.170 --> 02:46.560
by FCC s operational experts .

02:47.640 --> 02:50.220
FCC develops concepts that describe how

02:50.220 --> 02:52.164
the Army must fight and one in the

02:52.164 --> 02:54.053
future . They specify warfighting

02:54.053 --> 02:55.942
capabilities required to overcome

02:55.942 --> 02:57.831
projected threats . This includes

02:57.831 --> 02:59.776
requirement documents that service

02:59.776 --> 03:01.887
blueprints for engineering , material

03:01.887 --> 03:04.010
solutions and equipment . So , having

03:04.010 --> 03:07.460
served as SEC FCC deputy in my last

03:07.460 --> 03:09.404
job , I know the importance of the

03:09.404 --> 03:11.450
connection between our two teams .

03:11.840 --> 03:13.784
Teaming Night builds collaborative

03:13.784 --> 03:15.840
partnerships that are repeatable and

03:15.840 --> 03:17.890
deliver it , and they increase our

03:17.890 --> 03:20.660
effectiveness . It integrates CDCs

03:20.660 --> 03:23.120
expertise with CCS concepts and

03:23.120 --> 03:25.870
requirements to design our future force .

03:27.240 --> 03:29.407
Ignite increases collaboration through

03:29.407 --> 03:31.730
unity of effort , both within a F C and

03:31.730 --> 03:34.140
outside the command and since ignites

03:34.140 --> 03:36.840
beginning . We created piloted and

03:36.840 --> 03:39.870
evolved science concept workshops . We

03:39.870 --> 03:41.926
brought together key stakeholders to

03:41.926 --> 03:43.537
hold important and sometimes

03:43.537 --> 03:45.648
challenging discussions on what could

03:45.648 --> 03:47.590
be . These workshops serve as a

03:47.590 --> 03:49.423
foundation for future concepts ,

03:49.423 --> 03:51.534
narratives grounded in the art of the

03:51.534 --> 03:53.534
possible . They're based on what is

03:53.534 --> 03:55.757
being developed in scientific labs both

03:55.757 --> 03:58.110
inside and outside the army . These

03:58.110 --> 04:00.166
narratives target future operational

04:00.166 --> 04:02.290
challenges . They pioneer novel and

04:02.290 --> 04:04.550
scientifically grounded capabilities

04:04.620 --> 04:07.470
needed Thio overcome the future threats .

04:08.140 --> 04:10.307
For instance , at a recent integration

04:10.307 --> 04:12.670
workshop in March , we included concept

04:12.670 --> 04:14.559
writers from all the war fighting

04:14.559 --> 04:16.614
functions and over the course of the

04:16.614 --> 04:18.726
workshop concept Er's were introduced

04:18.726 --> 04:20.670
to recent discoveries from several

04:20.670 --> 04:22.726
cross cutting technical areas . They

04:22.726 --> 04:24.892
range from synthetic biology , quantum

04:24.892 --> 04:27.220
sciences to critical areas of power and

04:27.220 --> 04:29.770
energy . And in this case , some

04:29.770 --> 04:31.714
writers were inspired by synthetic

04:31.714 --> 04:34.370
biology designs in which organisms can

04:34.370 --> 04:37.020
be exploited to form temporary roadways

04:37.100 --> 04:38.989
and then eat them away . When the

04:38.989 --> 04:41.140
mission was complete , another topic

04:41.140 --> 04:43.473
that garnered excitement was camouflage .

04:43.473 --> 04:45.529
We all know that missions are always

04:45.529 --> 04:47.418
safer when our soldiers and their

04:47.418 --> 04:49.362
equipment or not detected . And so

04:49.362 --> 04:51.307
research and synthetic biology has

04:51.307 --> 04:53.196
identified a Siris of plants that

04:53.196 --> 04:55.362
naturally filter light and hide things

04:55.362 --> 04:57.740
in plain sight . Scientists were

04:57.740 --> 04:59.907
equally inspired by the description of

04:59.907 --> 05:02.073
operational challenges to direct their

05:02.073 --> 05:04.240
research towards what the army needs .

05:04.300 --> 05:06.189
The workshops provided compelling

05:06.189 --> 05:08.356
information and effectively challenged

05:08.356 --> 05:10.356
the direction of the future work in

05:10.356 --> 05:12.411
both of these communities . This was

05:12.411 --> 05:14.411
the result of integrating the right

05:14.411 --> 05:16.522
expertise , toe link , early research

05:16.522 --> 05:18.467
ideas and transformational ways to

05:18.467 --> 05:20.840
fight . As a result , of ignite

05:20.840 --> 05:22.451
workshops . We have a better

05:22.451 --> 05:24.618
understanding of the linkage between S

05:24.618 --> 05:26.340
and T and capabilities , which

05:26.340 --> 05:28.090
materialized into what we call

05:28.090 --> 05:30.890
discovery trees . Discovery trees allow

05:30.890 --> 05:32.820
us to visualize the bonds between

05:32.830 --> 05:35.230
research and R S and T programs and

05:35.230 --> 05:37.452
their pathways to the capabilities that

05:37.452 --> 05:39.770
our soldiers need . There's a logical

05:39.770 --> 05:43.100
link , a network between ideas to

05:43.100 --> 05:45.690
foundational science to applied and

05:45.690 --> 05:48.260
advanced research , and ultimately to

05:48.260 --> 05:50.690
delivery of Army capabilities . Tim

05:50.690 --> 05:52.912
ignites . Discovery trees are rooted in

05:52.912 --> 05:54.890
the soil of what could be not on

05:54.890 --> 05:57.870
imagination or science fiction . We've

05:57.870 --> 06:00.092
used discovery trees in a Siris of deep

06:00.092 --> 06:02.148
dives about snt , more opportunities

06:02.148 --> 06:05.080
for modernization . In July , the

06:05.080 --> 06:06.969
technology deep dive on power and

06:06.969 --> 06:09.560
energy constructed a discovery tree

06:09.570 --> 06:11.626
that displayed how ongoing , ongoing

06:11.626 --> 06:13.760
research inside of D . O . D . Was

06:13.760 --> 06:15.871
interconnected with both academic and

06:15.871 --> 06:17.760
industry partners , this foster

06:17.760 --> 06:20.600
dialogue and insights about connections

06:20.760 --> 06:22.704
that are hard to get just from the

06:22.704 --> 06:24.760
Power point sides . It also inspired

06:24.760 --> 06:27.310
new ideas about integrating disparate

06:27.310 --> 06:29.380
research ideas and exploring

06:29.380 --> 06:31.550
partnerships for new expertise

06:31.560 --> 06:35.160
integration . The value of at night is

06:35.160 --> 06:37.510
the new way of doing business . I've

06:37.510 --> 06:39.677
described some examples of how we link

06:39.677 --> 06:41.899
science and concept documents . We have

06:41.899 --> 06:44.121
an equal interest in linking technology

06:44.130 --> 06:45.910
with requirements to guarantee

06:45.910 --> 06:48.021
technically feasible solutions in our

06:48.021 --> 06:51.460
capability development . So ultimately ,

06:51.470 --> 06:53.526
the vision for Tonight is that we've

06:53.526 --> 06:55.526
become so accustomed to integrating

06:55.526 --> 06:57.803
this expertise that it becomes natural .

06:57.803 --> 07:00.130
Ideally , when concept writers write ,

07:00.140 --> 07:02.362
they would never imagine doing it alone

07:02.362 --> 07:04.418
or in the absence of their scientist

07:04.418 --> 07:06.584
colleagues . This is a key part of our

07:06.584 --> 07:08.696
S and T operations . General Murray's

07:08.696 --> 07:10.529
and my strategic intent for Team

07:10.529 --> 07:12.696
McKnight is to grow these partnerships

07:12.696 --> 07:14.362
across the Army modernization

07:14.362 --> 07:16.251
enterprise , including industry ,

07:16.260 --> 07:18.640
academia and allies . And to this end ,

07:18.640 --> 07:20.730
we aim to cultivate a culture of

07:20.730 --> 07:23.300
connection . So , as Malcolm Gladwell

07:23.300 --> 07:25.467
explains in his book The Tipping Point

07:25.467 --> 07:27.580
Connectors , we've networks between

07:27.580 --> 07:30.040
people of different and disparate ideas ,

07:30.080 --> 07:32.136
the larger and richer than network ,

07:32.136 --> 07:34.320
the broader set of opinions and ideas

07:34.330 --> 07:37.210
we can wield . Kim ignite ranges a

07:37.210 --> 07:38.890
broad scale of scientific ,

07:38.900 --> 07:42.110
technological engineering , strategic

07:42.120 --> 07:44.290
and tactical talent across very

07:44.290 --> 07:46.346
geographic , professional and social

07:46.346 --> 07:49.150
landscapes . The role of conductors is

07:49.150 --> 07:51.094
critical to link stakeholders from

07:51.094 --> 07:53.040
mutually reinforcing dialogue ,

07:53.260 --> 07:55.540
identifying common goals and detecting

07:55.540 --> 07:58.030
vulnerable areas . We know our

07:58.030 --> 08:00.490
technological superiority is not

08:00.490 --> 08:03.180
guaranteed and as we look to the future

08:03.300 --> 08:05.356
we know we have to take advantage of

08:05.356 --> 08:07.689
every space , every corner , every mind .

08:07.690 --> 08:09.746
To apply advancements in science and

08:09.746 --> 08:11.890
technologies , we must identify new

08:11.890 --> 08:14.210
opportunities for modernization , and

08:14.210 --> 08:16.432
re sources are part of this challenge .

08:16.540 --> 08:18.596
You know , the global commercial and

08:18.596 --> 08:20.818
governmental investments in science and

08:20.818 --> 08:22.873
technology is about $2 trillion each

08:22.873 --> 08:25.080
year . The US is only 25% of this

08:25.080 --> 08:27.413
worldwide investment , and within the U .

08:27.413 --> 08:30.050
S . Funding , 75% of it comes from non

08:30.050 --> 08:33.120
governmental sources . This reality

08:33.120 --> 08:35.410
requires a consolidated approach toe

08:35.410 --> 08:37.280
link core science and technology

08:37.280 --> 08:39.810
initiatives to threat based capability

08:39.810 --> 08:42.180
needs a competitive science and

08:42.180 --> 08:44.013
technology strategy , requires a

08:44.013 --> 08:46.450
fundamentally different approach and

08:46.450 --> 08:48.570
ignite . Its part is a part of this

08:48.570 --> 08:51.060
fundamentally different approach . It

08:51.060 --> 08:53.580
orchestrates disruptive events to unify

08:53.580 --> 08:55.802
our efforts across expert communities .

08:56.310 --> 08:58.580
Scientists and soldiers learn to speak

08:58.580 --> 09:00.760
a common language . They improve their

09:00.760 --> 09:02.960
ability to communicate what could be

09:03.120 --> 09:05.590
deliberate and the debate , the

09:05.590 --> 09:07.257
operational and technological

09:07.257 --> 09:09.460
environments and then jointly designed

09:09.460 --> 09:11.071
transformational warfighting

09:11.071 --> 09:13.910
capabilities . We need both scientists

09:13.920 --> 09:15.698
and operators to understand the

09:15.698 --> 09:18.130
operational challenge , why current

09:18.130 --> 09:19.686
technological solutions are

09:19.686 --> 09:22.030
insufficient and what recent scientific

09:22.030 --> 09:24.400
discoveries offer the most promising

09:24.400 --> 09:27.320
means to advance the intent of the bi

09:27.320 --> 09:29.098
directional collaboration is to

09:29.098 --> 09:31.042
transition what seems like science

09:31.042 --> 09:33.320
fiction onto glide path to becoming a

09:33.320 --> 09:35.487
war fighting reality . So in closing ,

09:35.487 --> 09:37.487
I'd like to ask you to join me , my

09:37.487 --> 09:39.487
chief scientist for FCC Doctor Jean

09:39.487 --> 09:41.598
Vettel , and the director of concepts

09:41.598 --> 09:43.598
for FCC , Colonel Stephanie Ahern ,

09:43.598 --> 09:45.598
during the live question and answer

09:45.598 --> 09:47.820
session , we look forward to your ideas

09:47.820 --> 09:49.764
and the opportunity to answer your

09:49.764 --> 09:51.542
question . Thanks for tuning in

09:51.542 --> 09:53.810
technology driven warfighter focus for

09:53.820 --> 09:54.450
future