Industry to Navy: We need steady demand signal, earlier involvement in requirements - Breaking...

In order to overcome challenges faced by industry when delivering capabilities as quickly as possible to warfighters, companies need to be involved earlier in the requirements process, several executives said recently.

Setting unrealistic expectations for requirements leads down a path of poor communication between industry partners and the military, Roy Kelley, vice president of naval power requirements and capabilities at Raytheon, said at the WEST 2023 conference.

“Because if you create these requirements in a vacuum without using industry — who your experts are — then I think you’re missing an opportunity,” he said Feb. 15. “So I think as I look at where’s the communication really need to start, it’s got to start as you set those requirements and if you’re not using industry to help set those requirements, then you’re probably missing a great opportunity.”

Kelley was joined by Michael Manazir, vice president of Boeing’s navy systems/government operations, who said there needs to be a shared commitment to speed when it comes to the contracting process.