Dr. Timothy Grayson understands how to leverage complex technology to deliver actionable solutions for warfighters. The seasoned technologist has gained experience in the public and private sectors, at major government contracting companies and big defense and intelligence agencies alike. Dr. Grayson is a proven program manager who is not only an expert in the fields of lasers, radars, radio frequency sensing and beyond, but also a venerable team organizer and thought leader committed to communicating the Department of Defense’s mission.
The special assistant to the secretary of the Air Force since early 2022, Dr. Grayson shared his thoughts with GovCon Wire on the work being done around the force’s operational imperatives ahead of his keynote address at an upcoming event.
“Our United States Air and Space Forces must have the ability to deter, and if necessary, defeat a peer competitor,” Dr. Grayson said.
Don’t miss out on a chance to hear Dr. Grayson share how he’s working with Department of the Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall to execute the DAF’s Operational Imperatives at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Air Defense Summit. On July 23rd, join us for the essential Air Force event for the GovCon community. Click here for the full lineup and click here to register.
Operational Imperatives
“Over the past three years, we have been conducting the Operational Imperatives. These are a collection of study teams focused on solving key operational problems. Their solutions can span operational and capability innovations,” Dr. Grayson told us.
He said that the OIs have resulted in $40 billion worth of investments, put toward developing and evolving “war-winning capabilities.”
“With the arrival of the FY24 appropriation, we are now beginning to execute programs to make these capabilities real,” he added. “At the same time, we are continuing Operational Imperative studies that are generating further concepts and investment priorities for modernization.”
Optimize for Great Power Competition
The Air Force is currently united under an imperative to Optimize for Great Power Competition, in order to prepare for potential tests of national strength against competitors like China and Russia, Dr. Grayson said. This line of effort comprises 24 activities to “‘modify how the DAF is organized and conducts its missions.” One aspect of the initiative is the establishment of “a new organization to sustain the Operational Imperatives and the behaviors that have made them successful.”
Timothy Grayson’s Background
Industry Experience
Throughout his career, Dr. Grayson has weaved back and forth from industry to government and military. After some impactful research work at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in the mid-1990s, he joined SAIC as a systems engineer, where he worked for two years. 10 years later, in 2008, he was a senior principle multidisciplinary system engineer for MITRE, devoting his time to a project for the DOD concerning emerging technologies, export control policy, supply chain security and anti-tamper technology. In this role, he also oversaw MITRE’s photonics research initiative.
Following MITRE, Dr. Grayson spent time at Raytheon PRA, an arm of Raytheon Space and Aerospace Systems whose staff focuses on novel sensor design, phenomenology and exploitation. In 2013, he also founded Fortitude Mission Research—where he presides as president—a consulting firm that advises on technology opportunity selection, architecture evaluation and strategy.
Military and Government Credentials
Dr. Grayson has completed multiple tours of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. It was his first major government job, upon leaving SAIC in 1998, and he later returned for nearly four years starting in 2018 as the director of the Strategic Technology Office. The STO works to field and implement up and coming tech like electronic warfare, sensing and communications systems.
In addition to DARPA, he rose the ranks to senior intelligence officer in the CIA’s Directorate of Science and Technology and spent time at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Dr. Grayson came to the DAF in Jan. 2022.
Timothy Grayson to Keynote 2024 Air Defense Summit
Dr. Grayson is set to participate in a keynote fireside chat at Potomac Officers Club’s 2024 Air Defense Summit on July 23.
At the event, he said, “I will talk about how the Operational Imperatives have been conducted, provide a sampling of some of the new war-winning capabilities that are becoming real because of that work and describe how it will be sustained under Optimization for Great Power Competition.”
In addition to Dr. Grayson’s remarks in the afternoon, the all-day event will feature a keynote from DAF Undersecretary Melissa Dalton, panel discussions about utilizing artificial intelligence for Air Force decision advantage and harnessing technology, science and innovation for force readiness in multi-domain operations, and much more! Save a seat today—all of the top GovCon companies will be sending representatives and Q&A opportunities will be abundant.
