{"id":2133,"date":"2026-01-09T02:23:37","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T02:23:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/daily-bullet.com\/?p=2133"},"modified":"2026-02-12T12:20:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T12:20:45","slug":"xviii-airborne-corps-delivering-on-secarmy-innovation-priorities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/daily-bullet.com\/?p=2133","title":{"rendered":"XVIII Airborne Corps Delivering on SECARMY Innovation Priorities"},"content":{"rendered":"
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FORT BRAGG, N.C. \u2013 Since assuming the Army\u2019s top civilian role, Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll has made one message abundantly clear: the Army must innovate faster, transform deeper, and fundamentally accelerate the pace of acquisition if it intends to win the wars of tomorrow.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

During an address at the Association of the United States Army\u2019s annual conference in October, Driscoll underscored the urgency behind his vision. \u201cNobody can predict the next war,\u201d he said, \u201cbut we cannot wait to innovate until Americans are dying on the battlefield. We must act now to enable our Soldiers.\u201d<\/p>\n

XVIII Airborne Corps leading the charge<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, North Carolina, are in lockstep with the Secretary\u2019s priorities. On Dec. 1, 2025, the Corps held the soft opening of the Lt. Gen. James M. Gavin Joint Innovation Outpost \u2013 a collaboration hub designed to rapidly translate emerging technologies into battlefield overmatch.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere we are, day one of the JIOP opening, and we\u2019re already connecting small businesses to the military ecosystem,\u201d said Lt. Gen. Gregory Anderson, commanding general of the XVIII Airborne Corps. \u201cWe coordinated for a product demonstration and now we have a proposed solution to an Army wide problem. That\u2019s the power of the JIOP \u2013 creating an avenue to connect small businesses and academia to the Army to help solve operational problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

The JIOP model removes barriers, shortens timelines and brings Soldiers, academics, industry leaders and decision-makers together early in the development process to create impactful solutions that close capability gaps and support the Corps\u2019 mission as America\u2019s Contingency Corps.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Coinciding with the JIOP soft launch was an industry showcase at Oak Grove Technology Center, a 200-plus-acre kinetic training range about an hour west of Fort Bragg. During the two-day event, four small businesses demonstrated systems ranging from counter-sUAS tools, handheld radio frequency detection devices, and a next generation dynamic target system designed to replicate enemies ducking behind cover.<\/p>\n

A major theme across the event was the rising threat of unmanned systems. As Driscoll stated in a November interview with Reuters, \u201cDrones are the future of warfare, and we must invest in both offensive and defensive capabilities against them.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the companies demonstrating solutions was Drone Rounds, based in Gilbert, Arizona. The team showcased a kinetic counter-sUAS round fired from a standard 5.56 mm rifle. Instead of firing a single projectile, the round disperses in-flight like a shotgun shell, significantly increasing hit probability on fast-moving drones.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

On multiple occasions throughout the day, Conor Schnepf, owner of Drone Rounds, reiterated the value of the JIOP and how it enables non-traditional defense companies the opportunity to get in front of the Army. He lauded the JIOP\u2019s emphasis on prioritizing innovation and speed, reinforcing the direction set forth by Army senior leaders.<\/p>\n

Setting the conditions<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another priority for Driscoll is challenging legacy contracting practices that restrict units from maintaining or repairing their own equipment, a concept often referred to as the right to repair.<\/p>\n

He emphasized this point in a recent interview on The Shawn Ryan Show, where he referenced a 101st Airborne Division artillery maintenance effort where he personally empowered Soldiers to take whatever actions necessary to restore howitzers to the firing line.<\/p>\n

By underwriting the potential legal risk, Driscoll reinforced that lethality and readiness come first, and that commanders and Soldiers are empowered to solve problems at the point of need.<\/p>\n

Strategic Logix, a Georgia-based UAS manufacturing company, attended the Oak Groves showcase, and reiterated throughout their demonstration that right to repair is their default maintenance plan for its UAS systems.<\/p>\n

The pivot toward continuous transformation is reshaping outdated procurement systems, and senior-level momentum is providing the roadmap for industry partners that want to engage.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe paradigm is shifting in the Army with innovation and transformation, it\u2019s palpable and great news for the JIOP,\u201d said Rob Braun, chief technology Officer, XVIII Airborne Corps. \u201cNot only are industry partners ecstatic to work with us, but we now have a dedicated space to innovate at the pace of industry to enhance lethality for our warfighters.\u201d<\/p>\n

The way forward<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The JIOP will serve as the intersection of innovation, technology and warfighting for the XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg. It will also function as the innovation nexus for multiple transformation initiatives already underway.<\/p>\n

Dragon\u2019s Lair, modeled after the TV show Shark Tank, is an innovation competition that provides a platform for service members of all ranks to propose and pitch creative solutions to challenges faced by XVIII Airborne Soldiers.<\/p>\n

The installation also hosts Scarlet Dragon.<\/p>\n

\u201cScarlet Dragon is our innovation exercise,\u201d said Braun. \u201cIt\u2019s our platform to bring new technologies and new approaches to solve operational capability gaps and requirements that we derive from different operational plans around the globe.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The JIOP is more than just an office space. It\u2019s the Army\u2019s new engine of rapid experimentation \u2013 where ideas become prototypes, and prototypes become battlefield overmatch.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to continue to push the acquisition process to go faster and faster in order to keep up with current operational tempo,\u201d said Col. Thomas Monaghan Jr., JIOP director. \u201cWe have people across multiple offices already surging to get the right outputs for the way forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

Organizations, researchers, and technology developers interested in learning more about the JIOP may contact the program office here: dragoninnovations@army.mil<\/a>.<\/p>\n

By XVIII Airborne Public Affairs<\/em><\/p>\n

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