The U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), also referred to as Unit X, is a Department of Defense (DoD) organization that aims to accelerate the U.S. military's adoption of commercial technology. DIU partners with commercial companies to rapidly prototype and field dual-use capabilities, addressing national security challenges across areas like AI, autonomy, cyber, and space. Key activities include scouting cutting-edge technologies, streamlining contracting, and fostering collaboration between the DoD and the commercial technology sector.
All verified mentions of this organization in source documents.
Xplore Inc. received a $2,000,000 contract from National Security Innovation Capital within the Defense Innovation Unit of the Department of Defense.
The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) created a test environment to assess counter drone systems in urban environments.
The Defense Innovation Unit is seeking to support current government projects with mature commercial technologies that can provide power and propulsion in the near term and is not duplicating existing programs.
The Defense Innovation Unit could award contracts under the solicitation within 60 to 90 days.
CesiumAstro is partnering with the Defense Innovation Unit to demonstrate a reduced-latency direct downlink to tactical ground terminals.
CesiumAstro is partnering with the Defense Innovation Unit to demonstrate a reduced-latency direct downlink to tactical ground terminals as one of several planned commercial and defense experiments.
CesiumAstro is partnering with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to demonstrate a reduced-latency direct downlink to tactical ground terminals as one of the CM1 experiments.
The LV0006 launch is the first of two launches under a Space Force award announced 2021-08-05, arranged using the Defense Innovation Unit’s other transaction authority.
Under a Defense Innovation Unit contract, Astra Space plans to launch a test payload for the U.S. Space Force on its next attempt to reach orbit in August.
Northrop Grumman is developing two prototype TITAN ground stations under a contract from the Defense Innovation Unit and the Army Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities office.
CesiumAstro coordinated with the Defense Innovation Unit to launch its first two satellites in September 2021 on a rideshare with Landsat-9.
In coordination with the Defense Innovation Unit, CesiumAstro is launching its first two satellites in September 2021 on a rideshare with Landsat-9.
ABL Space Systems was selected by the U.S. Defense Innovation Unit on 2021-05-17 to launch a military payload.
Small launch providers working with the Defense Innovation Unit must demonstrate they can deploy payloads in mission-designated orbits on relatively short notice.
The Defense Innovation Unit invested in space surveillance startup LeoLabs, which tracks satellite activities in low Earth orbit with a network of phased-array radars.
Under Michael Brown, the Defense Innovation Unit supported emerging space launch companies Rocket Lab, Virgin Orbit, and Relativity Space and selected those companies to launch experimental Department of Defense payloads.
The Obama administration created the Defense Innovation Unit in 2015 to build ties with startups and venture investors and help transition private-sector technologies to military programs.
Capella Space has contracts serving several U.S. intelligence and Department of Defense agencies, including the Defense Innovation Unit, the National Reconnaissance Office, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Navy.
Relativity Space is the third launch provider selected by the Defense Innovation Unit for the Rapid Agile Launch Initiative since the program started in 2017.
The Defense Innovation Unit was created in 2015 to accelerate the insertion of commercial technology into military hardware.