Undersea Technology Innovation Consortium Facilitates 100th Undersea Prototype Award – Seapower Magazine

Report on the Undersea Technology Innovation Consortium’s Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The Undersea Technology Innovation Consortium (UTIC), in partnership with the U.S. Navy, has achieved a significant milestone by facilitating 100 prototype projects valued at over $1.4 billion. This initiative, executed through an Other Transaction Agreement (OTA), not only enhances maritime technology but also aligns with several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of innovation, partnership, economic growth, and institutional strength.

Fostering Innovation and Resilient Infrastructure (SDG 9)

The UTIC model is a prime example of advancing SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure. By creating an agile procurement strategy, the consortium accelerates the development and prototyping of leading-edge technologies, building a resilient technological infrastructure for maritime operations.

• Rapid Prototyping: The OTA mechanism allows the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Newport to bypass traditional procurement hurdles, fast-tracking innovation.
• Inclusive Industrialization: The initiative has engaged a diverse industrial base, demonstrating a commitment to inclusive development.
  1. Project awards have been distributed to 64 distinct organizations since June 2018.
  2. Of these, 50 are classified as non-traditional defense contractors, broadening the innovation ecosystem.
• Technological Advancement: Key prototypes developed include critical systems for sonar, autonomy, and communications, which are foundational for future maritime infrastructure.

Strengthening Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17)

The success of the UTIC program is a testament to the power of multi-stakeholder partnerships, a core principle of SDG 17. The consortium effectively unites government, industry, and academia to achieve common objectives.

• Collaborative Ecosystem: UTIC brings together small and large businesses, academic institutions, and nonprofit research institutes to support the U.S. Navy’s mission.
• Public-Private Synergy: Statements from leaders at UTIC, NUWC Newport, and Advanced Technology International (ATI) emphasize that this deep industry engagement and partnership is fundamental to the program’s success and speed.
• Shared Vision: The partnership is focused on a collective imperative to innovate rapidly, ensuring that national security needs are met through a collaborative, rather than siloed, approach.

Promoting Economic Growth and Sustainable Marine Technology (SDG 8 & SDG 14)

The consortium’s activities provide a direct stimulus for economic growth and create a foundation for technologies that could support the sustainable use of ocean resources.

Contributions to Economic Growth (SDG 8)

• The $1.4 billion in project awards represents a significant investment in the high-tech sector, fostering job creation and promoting sustained, inclusive economic growth.
• By engaging a high number of non-traditional contractors, the program supports small and medium-sized enterprises, diversifying the economic base.

Potential for Life Below Water (SDG 14)

• While developed for defense, the advanced undersea technologies have potential dual-use applications.
• Innovations in sonar, autonomous systems, and environmental sensors could be adapted for scientific purposes, such as monitoring marine biodiversity, mapping the seabed, and understanding climate change impacts on oceans, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources.

Enhancing Peace and Strong Institutions (SDG 16)

The UTIC-Navy partnership strengthens institutional capacity and contributes to the goal of peace and security. The OTA framework itself is an example of an effective, accountable, and transparent institution.

• Institutional Effectiveness: The OTA model has proven to be a highly efficient and successful institutional arrangement for technology acquisition, enabling the Navy to rapidly access innovation.
• Security and Stability: By enhancing national defense capabilities through state-of-the-art technology, the program supports the broader objective of maintaining peace and stability, a cornerstone of SDG 16.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  This goal is central to the article, which focuses on fostering innovation in undersea and maritime technology. The text repeatedly emphasizes “advancing undersea tech innovation,” developing “leading-edge technologies,” and accelerating innovation through the Undersea Technology Innovation Consortium (UTIC). The entire initiative is about building technological capacity and infrastructure for the U.S. Navy.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article is a case study in multi-stakeholder partnerships. It describes the collaboration between a government entity (Naval Undersea Warfare Center), a consortium (UTIC), a consortium management firm (ATI), and a diverse group of members from “small and large businesses, academia, and nonprofit research institutes.” The success of the initiative, marked by the 100th prototype award, is explicitly attributed to this partnership model.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Targets for SDG 9:

  1. Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors… encouraging innovation and substantially increasing… public and private research and development spending.
     • The article directly addresses this by describing how UTIC facilitates the award of projects worth over “$1.4 billion” to develop “sonar, autonomous, and communication systems.” This represents a significant investment in research and development to upgrade technological capabilities.

• Targets for SDG 17:

  1. Target 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources.
     • The UTIC model is a multi-stakeholder partnership that mobilizes financial resources (“over $1.4 billion”), technology, and expertise from its members to achieve its goals. The article states UTIC “represents some of the most innovative organizations in the nation” and provides the Navy with “fast and efficient access to leading edge undersea and maritime technology.”
  2. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.
     • The collaboration is a clear example of a public-private partnership. It involves the U.S. Navy (public) working with UTIC and its members, which include private businesses and non-profit research institutes (private/civil society), to achieve a common objective. The milestone of “100 prototype projects” is presented as evidence of the partnership’s effectiveness.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicators for SDG 9 (Target 9.5):

  The article provides quantitative data that can serve as indicators for research and development spending and activity.

  1. Total value of R&D investment: The article explicitly states that UTIC has facilitated awards with a “value of over $1.4 billion,” which is a direct indicator of financial investment in innovation.
  2. Volume of innovation projects: The milestone of “100 prototype projects” serves as an indicator of the output and activity level of the research and development efforts.

• Indicators for SDG 17 (Targets 17.16 & 17.17):

  The article implies several indicators that measure the scale and diversity of the partnership.

  1. Number and diversity of partners: The text mentions that awards have been distributed to “64 organizations,” highlighting the breadth of the partnership.
  2. Inclusion of non-traditional partners: The specific mention of “50 non-traditional defense contractors” is an indicator of the partnership’s success in engaging a diverse range of innovators beyond the usual industry players.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: seapowermagazine.org