UPDATE: Onebrief COO Adam Lackey just revealed critical insights on how cutting-edge technologies are reshaping military decision-making during a press event at Breitbart News alongside Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow. Lackey emphasized that effective military deterrence hinges on superior planning capabilities that are adaptive and ongoing.
Lackey stated, “If you’re not capable of inflicting violence on your adversary, you have no credible deterrence.” This urgent message underscores the necessity for military operations to be continuously refined, especially when dealing with what he termed “actual kinetic events,” which introduce even greater chaos to already complex situations.
Onebrief’s innovative platform enhances collaborative planning across military echelons, stretching from tactical units to the Pentagon and the White House. Lackey highlighted the platform’s crucial role in supporting operations for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command under Admiral Paparo, alongside various components of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
“We’re just continuing to fight… to have the right, frankly, to be there and to be represented inside of our commands,” Lackey asserted. His experience as a veteran fueled his critique of outdated defense acquisition systems, which he claims often burden troops with inadequate resources. “I got so much garbage handed to me going out the door,” he lamented, stressing the need for “cutting-edge technologies that are the right technologies for the commanders.”
Lackey pointed to ongoing efforts by the current administration to dismantle acquisition bottlenecks within the Pentagon. He noted reforms such as rewriting the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and increasing the procurement of commercial products. However, he cautioned that simply replacing old bureaucracy with new systems could slow down progress.
“You replace old bad bureaucracy with new, slow bureaucracy,” Lackey warned.
Compliance challenges, particularly concerning cybersecurity standards, present significant hurdles for smaller, innovative firms looking to contribute to national defense. “Now you’ve got to deal with all these cyber compliance requirements, which are very burdensome today,” he added, calling on partners like DIU and DARPA to empower innovative ideas from any level.
Marlow noted that Onebrief and similar firms are part of a growing sector of “venture-backed non-traditional” companies that are capable of rapid innovation compared to the “very bloated” Department of War. Lackey contrasted the inefficiencies of legacy acquisition programs, highlighting instances where millions of dollars were wasted on contracts that ultimately failed to deliver viable products.
“You can look at many programs inside the DOD, where they’ve upfronted $80 million… and it was built on a contract that was vaporware,” he said, stressing the importance of companies that independently absorb their R&D costs, ensuring their products meet government needs.
Lackey concluded, “We are selling to the government what they need, and the government sees the value in that product,” indicating that this model not only enhances military readiness but also stretches taxpayer dollars further.
The discussion highlighted ongoing transformations in military technology and acquisition processes, with Onebrief at the forefront of these urgent developments. As the landscape evolves, all eyes will be on how these advancements translate into effective military capabilities.
