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.
The Defense Innovation Unit advocates migrating to a model where the government develops modular systems using commoditized satellite buses and components.
Atlas Space Operations completed a multi-band multi-mission phased array antenna prototype under the Defense Innovation Unit 2019 contract.
L3Harris Technologies completed a technology demonstration under a Defense Innovation Unit prototype contract for the U.S. Space Force satellite communication system.
L3Harris’s prototype multi-band multi-mission phased array antenna was one of three prototypes developed under a Defense Innovation Unit 2019 contract.
Lockheed Martin completed a multi-band multi-mission phased array antenna prototype under the Defense Innovation Unit 2019 contract.
Skydio is part of DIU’s Blue sUAS program.
Lockheed Martin, Ball Aerospace, and L3Harris received contracts from the Defense Innovation Unit in April 2019 to develop phased array antenna prototypes.
The Defense Innovation Unit is a Defense Department organization based in Silicon Valley that works with commercial vendors developing technologies relevant to national security.
The Defense Innovation Unit has funded about $200,000,000 worth of space projects with commercial companies that resulted in an additional $2,500,000,000 in private investment.
A report coauthored by the Defense Innovation Unit, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the U.S. Space Force concluded that the first nation to establish transportation infrastructure and logistics capabilities serving GEO and cislunar space will have superior ability to exercise control of cislunar space, the Lagrange points, and the resources of the moon.
The Space Force science and technology roadmap will reflect findings from the July report 'State of the Space Industrial Base 2020: A Time for Action to Sustain U.S. Economic & Military Leadership in Space' produced by the Defense Innovation Unit and the Air Force Research Laboratory.
DIU issued a second award to Nanoracks for $389,900 in late 2019 for the Orbital Outpost project.
The Defense Innovation Unit was established in 2015 to help the U.S. military gain rapid access to innovative commercial technologies.
On 2020-05-18, Isotropic Systems announced a contract with the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit.
Isotropic Systems announced an antenna evaluation and development contract with the Defense Innovation Unit on 18 May 2020 in Reading, UK.
The Defense Innovation Unit, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the U.S. Space Force led the four-day State of the Space Industrial Base 2020 program.
Defense Innovation Unit was created in 2015 to speed up adoption of commercial technology across the Department of Defense.
Numerica provides space data and analytics services to the U.S. military under multiple contracts from the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Space and Missile Systems Center, and the Defense Innovation Unit.
Firms working under Defense Innovation Unit contracts have received letters stating the DIU Director has determined their work in support of national security is part of the essential critical workforce as defined by the Department of Defense.
The Defense Innovation Unit does not announce contract awards but has funded startups and established companies working on launch vehicles, Earth observation, space situational awareness, and satellite communications.