Keoki Jackson, senior vice president for national security at MITRE, recently appeared on The Federal Drive with Terry Gerton, a show hosted on Federal News Network. During the interview, Jackson discussed MITRE's new Transition Maturity Framework, designed to address the challenges of the "defense acquisition valley of death." This framework aims to streamline the defense acquisition process by replacing the traditional, siloed approach with a collaborative, data-driven methodology.
Jackson vividly described the "valley of death" as more than a single obstacle, likening it to "a whole bunch of ditches of death in a desert where you've got sandstorms and a whole bunch of other things going on." He emphasized the importance of aligning technology development with warfighter needs, stating, "We're hacking the complexity of the defense acquisition system so that America's technologists can actually focus on solving technology problems and getting those capabilities to the warfighter."
The Transition Maturity Framework introduces five readiness levels—technology, manufacturing, transition, requirements, and warfighter readiness. These levels ensure that technology is not only developed but also producible, aligned with mission needs, and ready for operational use. Jackson highlighted the framework's practical application, noting how MITRE partnered with the Department of War's Operational Energy – Innovation Directorate (OE-I). He praised its ability to connect technologists, the industrial base, and end-users, ensuring a systematic approach to defense innovation.