L3Harris’ William Brown: Funding Stability, Acquisition Reform Key to Drive Space Innovation

William Brown, chairman and CEO of L3Harris Technologies, has said that a stable government budget environment and streamlined acquisition procedures will help the U.S. maintain technical edge in the space  domain.

He wrote in a commentary published Thursday on Defense News that consistency in multiyear investments will help the government and industry to facilitate innovation.

According to Brown, the government’s implementation of rapid prototyping and industry’s deployment of open-architecture methodologies work to simplify the procurement process. He urged the government to invest in talent development efforts, promote education programs and encourage industry-academic partnerships.

“Today, our technical leadership is being challenged by near-peer adversaries, particularly in areas related to national security – such as cyber, artificial intelligence, hypersonics and space capabilities,” said Brown, a former Wash100 Award recipient.

“This challenge, similar to the race to reach the Moon, creates a clear opportunity for America: to establish a vision and rededicate itself to invest in the innovation and talent necessary to deliver new technologies that will extend our leadership for decades to come.”