Defense Innovation Board to discuss autonomous systems, software in rescheduled meeting

The Defense Innovation Board will meet next week to discuss recommendations on autonomous systems testing, as well as the Defense Department's progress in training software acquisition professionals, according to a Federal Register notice.

The Sept. 15 meeting had initially been planned for June, but was postponed. The event will be livestreamed through the board's website.

At the meeting, the board will deliberate and vote on a recommendation from the science and technology subcommittee "concerning testing, evaluation, verification, and validation -- TEVV -- of autonomous systems, as well as a congressionally mandated assessment pursuant to the FY-20 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) Section 862," the notice states.

Section 862 tasked the board with providing "an independent assessment of the Department's progress in implementing acquisition training and management programs for all software acquisition professionals, software developers, and other appropriate individuals (as determined by the Secretary of Defense), to earn a certification in software development and software acquisition," according to the notice.

Additionally, the board will deliberate on recommendations from the workforce, behavior and culture subcommittee on "commercial sector hiring and workforce trends, largely driven by COVID-19, that the Department could consider to be more competitive for technical and digital talent," the notice states.

The new space advisory subcommittee will also "provide an update on the subcommittee's administrative status and mandate."