Commercial Solutions Opening streamlines onboarding of defense technology

The U.S. Department of War (DoW) is undergoing a strategic shift – one that demands speed, adaptability, and coalition resilience. As the country pivots toward the Indo-Pacific, the urgency to modernize across domains is no longer theoretical. It’s operational.

Traditional acquisition models, while built for scale and compliance, often struggle to keep pace with the velocity of technological change. In this environment, the Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) process offers a compelling alternative: a streamlined, non-FAR-based pathway that enables the Pentagon to onboard commercial technologies with speed and precision.

CSOs are more than a procurement mechanism: they’re a strategic lever. They allow defense leaders to tap into the innovation ecosystem that’s already solving complex problems in the private sector. From AI-enabled mission platforms to digital twin systems and cyber-resilient infrastructure, CSOs unlock capabilities that are ready now – not years from now.

Capgemini’s global defense practice is deeply aligned with this mission. Our work across digital engineering, secure coalition integration, and agile software delivery reflects the kind of innovation CSOs are designed to harness. A 2023 report from the Capgemini Research Institute found investment among A&D organizations in digital twins increased 40 percent over the previous year, with gains in technological advancement, cost savings, reducing time to market, increasing sales, and providing advanced training environments. These are not theoretical benefits – they’re mission accelerants.

A key driver of this innovation is Capgemini’s strategic collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS). Together, we are advancing defense-focused R&D across cloud-native architectures, edge computing, and generative AI. Our joint efforts are enabling rapid prototyping, secure data fusion, and scalable mission systems that align with DoW’s modernization priorities. Capgemini’s AWS Centers of Excellence serve as accelerators for defense clients seeking to move from pilot to production – quickly, securely, and at scale.

At the heart of this capability is Capgemini’s Cloud Center of Excellence (CoE), a centralized node that orchestrates our engagements across all major hyperscalers. Whether it’s AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, or Oracle, the CoE ensures unified governance, technical alignment, and rapid mobilization of cloud-native solutions. For defense missions, this means we can deliver secure, compliant, and scalable architectures without delay.

What makes this even more impactful is the deep inroads our US Defense team has built with senior military leadership, across the Joint Chiefs of Staff, combatant commands, and partner nation defense ministries. These relationships aren’t transactional; they’re operational. They give us direct insight into the technical constraints, mission imperatives, and coalition dynamics shaping today’s battlefield. This proximity allows us to move beyond generic offerings and deliver customized, context-aware solutions that meet the operator where they are, whether in a forward-deployed environment, a joint command center, or a multinational R&D hub. That’s how we ensure Capgemini’s global capabilities translate into real-world mission success.

And that velocity matters because the US military mission is global. From the Indo-Pacific to Europe, Africa, and beyond, operators are executing complex missions in dynamic environments. At Capgemini, our defense team is united by a singular focus: delivering the full strength of our global capabilities to those on the front lines. Whether enabling digital continuity for joint forces, deploying AI-powered decision support, or integrating coalition capabilities across domains, we work shoulder-to-shoulder with our military partners to ensure every solution is tailored, secure, and operationally effective. This is not just about technology: it’s about trust, precision, and purpose.

Innovation is no longer a buzzword: it’s a battlefield imperative. The ability to iterate, integrate, and deploy at mission speed will define success in the Pacific theater and beyond. CSOs, when paired with global commercial expertise, deep cloud partnerships, and empowered leadership, offer a pathway to get there.

The stakes are high. The tools exist. The transformation is already underway.