From DIU to AUTOWARCOM: How the Pentagon Really Buys Autonomy
ASC presents From DIU to AUTOWARCOM: How the Pentagon Really Buys Autonomy.
Autonomous and uncrewed systems have moved to the center of U.S. defense planning, and the Pentagon is now trying to buy them in numbers, not just as prototypes. How does the Department of War pick which autonomy companies to bet on, what does it take to go from a successful demo to a production contract, and can the industrial base actually build these systems at volume? Join the Abelian Security Council for a candid conversation with the former Director of Autonomy at the Defense Innovation Unit on where military autonomy goes from here.
On the table
Inside the portfolio: how the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) evaluates and selects autonomy, AI, and uncrewed systems companies for the Joint Force
Lessons from Replicator: what the effort to field autonomous systems at speed and scale got right, and what it revealed about the limits of the acquisition system
Across domains: where autonomy is delivering real capability in the air, on land, and at sea, and where it still falls short
Demo to production: what separates companies that win production contracts from those that stall after a prototype award
Building at volume: what it takes to manufacture drones and uncrewed systems at scale, and where the industrial base needs to grow
Speaker
David Michelson is Drone Thesis Leader at Re:Build Manufacturing, where he built the company's drone business across engineering and manufacturing disciplines. He previously spent four years at the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), first as a Project Manager and ultimately as Director of the Autonomy Portfolio, leading a 34-person team and a $650M portfolio spanning autonomy, AI, and uncrewed systems for the Joint Force. At DIU, he served as technical lead for the unit's implementation of the Replicator Initiative.
Moderator: Owen Davies, CEO of the ASC
Submit questions for David when you register and no later than Friday, November 6. We'll do our best to make sure submitted questions are answered, but we can't guarantee every question will be covered.
Good to know
Admission is subject to pre-qualification criteria.
Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Attendees remain anonymous, and the session is held under the Chatham House rule.
A recording and transcript will not be available after the event.
Speakers participate in their capacity as private citizens. None of the views expressed are endorsed by political organizations, government, military, or current and prior employers. Events are for informational purposes only. Nothing discussed is investment advice, an offer, or a solicitation.