DOD Unveils New Innovative Technology Projects in Latest APFIT Funding Round

A new batch of projects will receive funding through the Department of Defense’s Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies pilot program.

Among the 13 new projects identified by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering are the Communications Mobile Gateway Buoy for the Navy, the Family of Systems for Assured Movement and Maneuver for the Army, the Installation Resilience Operations Command and Control for the Air Force, the Resilient Networking for Space Domain Awareness for the Space Force and the High Efficiency Phase Modulator for the Missile Defense Agency, Defense .gov reported.

The awarding marks the second round of projects chosen in fiscal year 2024 and comes after the office secured full appropriation for the year. 

Heidi Shyu, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, a 2024 Wash100 awardee and a past Potomac Officers Club event speaker, recognized the congressional support the program has received as instrumental in its mission of accelerating the delivery of critical military capabilities.

Established by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022, the APFIT program aims to swiftly transition technologies into production and expedite its deployment to the warfighter, prioritizing solutions developed by small businesses and nontraditional defense contractors. 

The APFIT program aims to fund up to 19 projects in fiscal year 2024, with four of them already announced in February.