Pentagon Makes Good On Promise To Work With The Private Sector

The Obama Administration has long expressed its disappointment with the sluggish pace of innovation within government agencies. This is especially true when it comes to technology, an important part of the United States' defense strategy.

To combat the nation's shortcomings, the Pentagon has promised to encourage collaboration with the private sector, and a new initiative announced last week suggests that the Department Of Defense is making good on that promise.

FlexTech Alliance

Speaking at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced plans to fund a consortium of 162 different companies, universities, non-profits and other groups that will work together to develop flexible electronic systems that will be capable of being molded to the skin of a plane or the armor of a soldier.

Related Link: Citi Sees "Green Shoot" In Army Budget

The group, dubbed the FlexTech Alliance, will include the likes of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), Boeing Co (NYSE: BA), General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), General Motors Company (NYSE: GM) and Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT).

Funding

The Department of Defense will contribute $75 million to FlexTech and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory will give the group an additional $90 million. Other contributions from local governments will take the group's total funding up to $171 million.

Crucial To Defense

FlexTech is expected to come up with a plan that will allow for flexible electronics equipped with sensors to be 3D-printed to exact specifications and worn by soldiers. The bendable devices could also be used to monitor the structural health of ships and warplanes by molding them to the contour of the structure.

Image Credit: Public Domain