Collaborating with Universities and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) to Address the USMC’s Critical Needs

Abstract

"The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) faces significant challenges in adapting its logistics framework to embrace modern technologies, notably in the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) into its operational frameworks. The USMC needs holistic AI/ML integration strategies as well as organizations, technologies, and modern doctrines to facilitate AI/ML integration and pace with the state-of-the-art. We show how the USMC’s 1st Marine Logistics Group (MLG) work with as technology transition partners in AI/ML applications with academia and industry. The focus is on material readiness and personnel readiness, therefore ensuring sustained future combat power. The opportunities for such partnership and collaboration between defense, industry and academia would create an environment where not only the USMC acquisition professionals, policymakers, and/or end users can quickly adapt to emerging and relevant technologies, but also innovative ideas and solutions from academia and industries can be rapidly developed into the USMC operational needs. We show SBIR companies can start with small scale innovations and collaborate with the USMC to develop, test, and transit technologies truly useful for the warfighters. The process creates the momentum for SBIR companies and long-term plans to scale up the technology and maintain innovation cutting edges. We present a couple of case studies. We discuss success stories and lessons learned from these efforts so far, what coordination is required in the future, and what capabilities and challenges USMC and SBIR collaborations present for the operational and acquisition communities."