FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Since assuming the Army’s 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.
During an address at the Association of the United States Army’s annual conference in October, Driscoll underscored the urgency behind his vision. “Nobody can predict the next war,” he said, “but we cannot wait to innovate until Americans are dying on the battlefield. We must act now to enable our Soldiers.”
XVIII Airborne Corps leading the charge
The XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, North Carolina, are in lockstep with the Secretary’s priorities. On Dec. 1, 2025, the Corps held the soft opening of the Lt. Gen. James M. Gavin Joint Innovation Outpost – a collaboration hub designed to rapidly translate emerging technologies into battlefield overmatch.
“Here we are, day one of the JIOP opening, and we’re already connecting small businesses to the military ecosystem,” said Lt. Gen. Gregory Anderson, commanding general of the XVIII Airborne Corps. “We coordinated for a product demonstration and now we have a proposed solution to an Army wide problem. That’s the power of the JIOP – creating an avenue to connect small businesses and academia to the Army to help solve operational problems.”
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’ mission as America’s Contingency Corps.
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.
A major theme across the event was the rising threat of unmanned systems. As Driscoll stated in a November interview with Reuters, “Drones are the future of warfare, and we must invest in both offensive and defensive capabilities against them.”
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.
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’s emphasis on prioritizing innovation and speed, reinforcing the direction set forth by Army senior leaders.
Setting the conditions
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“The paradigm is shifting in the Army with innovation and transformation, it’s palpable and great news for the JIOP,” said Rob Braun, chief technology Officer, XVIII Airborne Corps. “Not 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.”
The way forward
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.
Dragon’s 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.
The installation also hosts Scarlet Dragon.
“Scarlet Dragon is our innovation exercise,” said Braun. “It’s 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.”
The JIOP is more than just an office space. It’s the Army’s new engine of rapid experimentation – where ideas become prototypes, and prototypes become battlefield overmatch.
“I’m going to continue to push the acquisition process to go faster and faster in order to keep up with current operational tempo,” said Col. Thomas Monaghan Jr., JIOP director. “We have people across multiple offices already surging to get the right outputs for the way forward.”
Organizations, researchers, and technology developers interested in learning more about the JIOP may contact the program office here: [email protected].
By XVIII Airborne Public Affairs
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