Join us for the next round in All-American innovation as Innovation Dropzone 4.0 will be held Feb. 20, 2025. Doors open at 12:45pm. We are a Division that exemplifies continuous transformation, so if you have an idea of how to improve your fox-hole scan the QR code and begin preparing for IDZ 5.0!
FORT LIBERTY, N.C. — Fort Liberty held a defining moment on November 14, 2024, with the dedication of the Lt. Gen. James M. Gavin Joint Innovation Outpost. This event celebrated not just a new facility but the enduring legacy of Lt. Gen. Gavin, a leader whose vision for innovation resonates deeply with the Army’s mission today.
Army leaders, Soldiers, innovators and Gavin’s family gathered to honor his contributions while setting the stage for a future of cutting-edge capabilities. Gavin, fondly known as “Jumping Jim,” embodied the Army’s spirit of adaptation and excellence.
Chloe Gavin-Beatty, his daughter, shared during the ceremony, “My father was always asking, ‘How do we solve this problem? How can we do this better?’”
These words reflect his life’s work, from pioneering airborne warfare during WWII to advocating for advanced tactical systems as head of research and development. His foresight in utilizing helicopters for combat mobility predated their iconic use in Vietnam highlighting the kind of thinking that inspired this outpost.
Gavin’s belief in change wasn’t just professional — it was personal. As Chloe shared, even as a child, Gavin urged her to embrace innovation, recounting his own leap from the horse-bound Army of the 1920s to the technology-driven force he helped shape. His legacy underscores the value of questioning the status quo — a principle that guides the mission of the outpost bearing his name.,
The innovation outpost represents a leap forward for the Army. Capt. Robert Scalzo, senior software engineer for XVIII Airborne Corps, described the capabilities it offers as classified and unclassified spaces with unmatched flexibility.
“It’s not just about solving today’s problems but about building the infrastructure to tackle tomorrow’s challenges,” said Scalzo.
Purpose-built for adaptability, the space supports everything from warfighter exercises to large-scale technology conferences. Its proximity to key partners — including Defense Innovation Unit and local universities — removes barriers to collaboration, allowing ideas to flow freely and solutions to develop rapidly.
Unlike retrofitted buildings, the outpost’s design reflects a clear vision: to empower teams across the Department of Defense, academia and industry. It serves as both a resource and a hub, enabling the Army to outthink and outpace adversaries. It is equipped with cutting-edge resources designed to foster creativity and solve problems in real time.
Inside its walls will be 3D printing labs, virtual reality simulation suites and prototyping workshops, all enabling Soldiers and engineers to take ideas from concept to reality. These tools are vital for pushing innovation forward, offering the Army the ability to address challenges head-on. One standout example comes from the 82nd Airborne Division’s Innovation Lab, which used 3D printing technology to design and produce custom radio mounts for their Infantry Squad Vehicles.
Before this, they lacked the capability to ensure secure and reliable communication for their crews. Solutions like this underscore how these resources aren’t just high-tech — they’re essential for mission success.
The dedication ceremony also showcased the outpost’s importance as a resource for Soldiers at every level. Lt. Gen. Christopher Donahue, commanding general of the XVIII Airborne Corps, emphasized the need for such facilities in an unpredictable world.
“You have to have a facility that can out-think, out-adapt, and out-anything your adversary does,” Donahue stated.
The outpost embodies this ethos, offering the tools and partnerships needed to remain at the forefront of military innovation. Beyond the technology and infrastructure, the outpost represents something more profound: a commitment to the Army’s people.
Gavin’s leadership philosophy prioritized the well-being of his Soldiers, and this facility reflects that same care. Chloe Gavin-Beatty recounted how her father would walk the front lines to check on morale and ensure his troops had what they needed. Similarly, this innovation hub asks a simple but vital question of every Soldier: “What do you need to do your job better?”
From the Battle of the Bulge to the labs of today, the spirit of innovation has been central to the Army’s success. The Lt. Gen. James M. Gavin Joint Innovation Outpost builds on this tradition, creating a space where ideas can thrive, solutions can emerge and the Army can continue leading in a complex world.
As Chloe concluded during the ceremony, “This lab continues my father’s lifelong drive to solve problems and embrace change.”
Her words encapsulate the enduring impact of Lt. Gen. Gavin’s legacy and the transformative potential of this facility.
The outpost is more than a facility — it is a promise to the future. By fostering collaboration, advancing technology, and prioritizing Soldier readiness, it ensures the Army remains a step ahead. The dedication of this innovation hub is not just a tribute to the past but a bold statement of intent: to lead, to adapt and to succeed in an ever-changing battlefield.
By SGT Jacob Bradford
Exhibiting with BlueSky mobile power, AZAK showed their new S26 self powered wheel.
As I mentioned last AUSA, the drivetrain and battery are contained within the wheel. What makes these so appealing is that they can be used in an almost LEGO-like fashion, attached to simple frames of various configurations as wheel, drivetrain, and power source. Even better, they can be swapped out in a matter of seconds.
Measuring 26” tall x 8” wide, the new wheels offer 147 lb ft of torque and a top speed of 12 mph.
One of my personal missions at AUSA was to seek out truly attritable drones. One of the things I’ve taken away from the war in Ukraine is that with a consumption rate in excess of 10,000 per month, the attritable drone is the 155 shell of the future. These small, low-cost, disposable unmanned aerial systems are upending how we will conduct warfare. They are highly adaptable and are under constant revision as enemy TTPs adapt to their use. We’ve got to have something just as robust. In the hands of innovative American troops like SOCOM’s new robotics specialists, drones will be devastating.
Attritable, or consumable, apparently means a lot of things to a lot of people. For instance, when the Defense Innovation Unit’s Replicator initiative went to industry seeking out attritable drones they ended up buying AeroVironment Switchblade-600 loitering munition. A fine weapon to be sure, but our nation can hardly afford to expend them at the rate seen in Ukraine. If anything, our future adversaries are going to throw an order of magnitude more at us and we’ll need to be able to respond in kind.
One of the examples I ran across is from Australian small business DefendTex. They first impressed me years ago with their innovative Drone40.
The Vengeance is a First Person View drone manufactured in Australia and has been submitted to the US for Blue certification.
Offered in 7″, 8″, 10″, and 13″ models, it can carry up to 10kg of explosive ordinance over a distance greater than 20kms.
It is built with a goal of around $1000 per copy in mass production and features simple construction using zip ties in some instances and a single circuit board integrating flight control, ESC, OSD, VTX connector and servo output.
Although it is an FPV drone, it can be configured for autonomous terminal guidance as well as swarm tactics.
Rheinmetall and MBDA Deutschland have decided to continue their successful cooperation in the field of laser weapons.
The aim is to bring a joint maritime product to the market within the next five to six years, which opens up new possibilities, particularly in relation to drone defence on ships. Both companies are convinced that their complementary skills in the field of laser weapon technology will enable them to successfully develop a military laser weapon system. The companies have now concluded a corresponding cooperation agreement.
Most recently, a laser weapon demonstrator from Rheinmetall and MBDA Germany was integrated on the German Navy’s frigate 124 “Sachsen” from June 2022 to September 2023. During this on-board trial, the demonstrator performed impressively in more than 100 test shots.
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ARA had the most extraordinary piece of equipment I’ve seen in some time. The Man Portable Adhesive Disruption System is designed to make items inoperable by applying glue to the working parts.
Now, I’m not really a fan of the name. When I first saw it I thought it was a solvent that would make things fall apart and MPADS is close enough to MANPADS that it might confuse some, but I’d say they are definitely on to something.
The system consists of a pack which holds the spayed and 9 canisters for the adhesive, along with some accessories. All told, the load is 33 lbs with 9.0 liters of adhesive per kit which will up to 2 square meters per liter and you can apply about 2 liters per minute.
Whether you’re up to sabotage or making equipment quickly inoperable when you don’t have time to destroy it via other means, this is a great idea. You can disable vehicle controls, weapons, lab equipment, factory components, etc. Its use is really limited by your imagination.
The ARA rep said it might be useful for field expedient repairs of equipment as well. It is a very strong adhesive after all.
This and other products shown at Rampart Range Day are available for unit and agency orders in Canada and the US through Rampart.
SOFWERX, in collaboration with the USSOCOM, U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC), the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), and the Accelerator for Innovative Minds (AIM) Genomic Non-Specific Operational Matchmaking Enabled Systems (GNOMES) Team, will host a collaboration event on 23 April 2024, leveraging their hybrid accelerator model to provide awareness of biological agents/compounds in a far forward, resource-limited environment. This event will provide opportunities for direct dialogue with Industry, Academia, Warfighters, and Government Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to lower the barrier to working with the DoD and accelerate disruptive technologies and processing to the field.
The Chemical and Biological Defense Program’s vision through AIM is to identify capabilities which provide insight of chemical and biological (CB) contested environments. The objective is to develop a system with maximum utility for the warfighter to overcome current limiting factors in providing awareness of biological agents/compounds in a far forward, resource-limited environment.
For full details, visit events.sofwerx.org/aim-gnomes
Please request to Attend NLT 19 March 2024 11:59 PM ET.
