The Department of Defense (DoD) Information Analysis Centers (IACs) program is embarking on a new initiative to align the rapidly changing commercial technology marketplace with defense capability needs. The initiative, called Technology Domain Awareness, is the first serious DoD effort I have seen to collect, synthesize, and promulgate commercial (non-defense) R&D and product information to enhance military acquisition decision making and innovation practices.
http://iac.dtic.mil/tech_aware_domain.html
Technology Domain Awareness (TDA) is the effective understanding of anything associated with technology that could impact national security.
It is predicated on timely, relevant, and accurate knowledge of the “technology commons” – those areas where global leadership in technology development and application are increasingly spread across multiple nations and non-state interests. As defense-relevant innovations increasingly occur in commercial markets, the IACs’ TDA efforts seek to expand awareness and application of commercial and non-government investments to enable better, cheaper, and faster Defense capability development.
