The Allied Innovation Base (AIB): A Proposed Initiative to Enhance Innovation in the Five Eyes Nations
Authored by Dr. James Santa
I recently conducted a 3.5-week condensed pilot of the Hacking for Ministry of Defence (H4MoD) at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst (RMAS). Based on the observations captured during this pilot, I am proposing here that the United States, in collaboration with our Five Eyes (FVEY) should consider establishing an Allied Innovation Base (AIB).
I envision the AIB initiating its operations with the FVEY military academies: West Point, RMAS, the Royal Military College of Canada, and the Australian Defence Force Academy would run concurrent Hacking for Defense® courses over the condensed 3.5 week format. Within these courses, cadets would address similar problems sponsored by their own governments and then engage with their international counterparts to identify beneficiaries, enhance understanding of the problem domain, learn from one another, and ultimately frame the solutions in such a way that all partners would benefit.
The AIB would be more than just a forum for technical collaboration. It would also be a place to share ideas, build relationships, and develop a common vision for the future. In the context of H4-like initiatives, the AIB would serve as an instrumental mechanism to ensure that the FVEY nations consistently lead in innovation and collectively safeguard our mutual interests.
The H4 method has been proven to be effective in solving complex problems in a variety of domains. For example, the cadets at RMAS were able to apply the H4 methodology to solve real-world problems facing the British Armed Forces and, as I worked with the cadets, it became readily apparent that the problems happening with the British Ministry of Defence were almost completely homogeneously applicable to the US Department of Defense. This experience showed me that the AIB could be a powerful tool for ensuring global democratic stability and influence.
The AIB would bring together leading experts from government, the private sector, and academia across the FVEY nations. Collaboratively, these experts would work together to solve common problems, share best practices, and build a culture of innovation. Furthermore, the AIB would offer a forum for developing and deploying new technologies that could be used to defend our shared interests.
The establishment of the AIB, utilizing a H4 approach, would be a pivotal moment in ensuring the FVEY nations maintain their leading position in innovation practices. To effectively compete with near peer competitors and adversarial nations, the AIB is envisioned as a core platform to achieve this objective.
The Allied Innovation Base can serve as a cornerstone for upholding global democratic stability and influence. By uniting leading experts from government, industry, and academia across the FVEY nations, the AIB aims to address shared challenges, disseminate best practices, and foster an environment conducive to innovation The AIB would also serve as a forum for developing and deploying new technologies that could be used to defend our shared interests.
The leaders of the FVEY nations should consider setting up the AIB. This initiative would be a powerful platform for ensuring that the FVEY nations remain at the cutting edge of innovation practices grounded in the H4 experience, and continue to defend and uphold our shared values.
Dr. James Santa is the Director of International Academics for the Common Mission Project and adjunct teaching faculty within the Management Information Systems department at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Saunders College of Business, the Department of Computing Security within the Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences, and the Albert J. Simone Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.