Defense Innovation Acceleration (DIA)

Known as Defense Innovation Acceleration (DIA) is a strategic initiative led by the Office of the Secretary of Defense to accelerate innovative capability prototypes that address cross-Service/cross-domain military needs within a 24-to-36-month timeframe. The program focuses on providing prototype systems in support of multi-component experimentation, informing programs of record, and validating requirements. It also aims to harness small business and non-traditional performer innovation to address DoD’s modernization challenges. DIA prototypes are evaluated in operationally relevant demonstrations in conjunction with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) Mission Capabilities’ experimentation events.

Under the Concepts & Capabilities (C&C) project within PE 0603838D8Z, the program focuses on executing advanced operational prototypes with joint Services and Combatant Commands (CCMDs) to validate warfighting concepts and accelerate new capabilities faster than the traditional defense acquisition process. The project emphasizes delivering major system components and/or single fieldable systems for joint warfighting application while informing Service programs of record. Additionally, C&C sponsors joint efforts to mature operational prototypes through approved developmental portfolios, providing government oversight and executing collective development with operational leads from the Service and CCMDs, leveraging academia and industry expertise as needed. These efforts represent a time-proven catalyst for collaborative development and accelerate delivery of operational prototypes to the joint warfighter.