Transcript NSS - Olin
The Natick Soldier Center Matthew Hill | Bret Richmond Polina Segalova | David Yoshida Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering 3 November 2003 Department of Defense Army Other Services (Navy, Air Force, etc.) USSOCOM Army Material Command RDECOM Natick Soldier Center Special Operations Forces Warrior Protection Purpose of NSC To maximize the warrior's survivability, sustainability, mobility, combat effectiveness and quality of life by treating the warrior as a system. Technology generation Soldier system generation Solving field problems Do not mass produce products Directorates Individual protection Combat feeding Collective Protection Airdrop/ Aerial Delivery Supporting Science and Technology (biotechnology, nanotechnology) Warrior Systems Technology & Program Integration Objective Force Warrior Individual Protection Directorate Directs Research and Development in: – – – – – – Chemical/ Biological Protection Ballistic Protection Directed Energy Protection Environmental Protection Camouflage Multi-functional Materials Special Operations Forces (SOF) 1942 – Army Rangers established 1952 – Army Green Berets formed 1962 – Navy SEALs created USSOCOM established in 1987 USSOCOM’s role validated in 2001 with operations in Afghanistan SOF Personnel and Office SOF office does not report directly to NSC New and highly flexible organization – SOF Program Manager (PM) is the only civilian PM at NSC – Much financial flexibility due to small volume of products Strategy Primary strategy is to “deliver good stuff” to their customers Take risks – ask for forgiveness, not permission Value of their reputation is increased by: – Designing high quality products – “Making it right” when they make mistakes “What do we produce? Results.” –Fred Chan Unlike other directorates, all ideas come from the field, not the lab All manufacturing is out-sourced Turn-around time of 2-8 months vs. 4-6 years for rest of military Full process management Production Process 1. Field & Evaluate request 2. Find or Design a Solution. Off-the-shelf is preferred. 3. Source vendors for cost and speed 4. Guide vendors in transition to production 5. Follow-up with field users Marketing Differentiation – Emphasis on speed and results – Higher individual autonomy – Closer link to the customers Competitors – Other government agencies – Private sector companies Marketing Strategy – Minimal advertisement, mostly word or mouth and reputation – “If you build it, they will come.” Finances Funded by DOD (~$2 million). Additional funding from special program budget allocations and directorates (~$38 million). Competes with private sector defense contractors and other DOD research facilities for 95% of its budget Finances - Distribution $2 million Operations and Maintenance budget supports 9 staff members and capital improvements $.5 million RDTE budget enables development of commercial and off the shelf products $37.5 Million procurement budget funds the actual purchasing of all developed equipment Finances - Budgeting Requests are planned out for five years into the future Every two years the budget is reviewed and finalized Budget approval comes from up the chain of command, ultimately receiving congressional approval Budgeting received only covers Operation and Maintenance expenses Conclusion SOF Group represents a new wave in military organization to respond to the need for a dynamic, lean, and productive military. Though entrepreneurial internally, application of its methodology to other parts of the military and to SOF’s own role in the military is needed. Thank you Dianne St. Jean Fred Chan Michelle Poirier Dick Brown Natick Soldier Center Staff