Lt. Gen. Ross Coffman, deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Futures Command, said the service branch is using other transaction agreements and other nontraditional approaches to strengthen industry partnerships and accelerate the acquisition of new technologies.

During a panel discussion at Optiv Cyber House in Austin, Coffman explained that the Army supports business arrangements with the private industry to gain access to capabilities designed to boost soldier readiness. The Army reported Coffman’s remarks on Wednesday.

“Everything that we do is focused on making our women and men in uniform successful on the future battlefield,” Coffman said.

He noted that the service branch provides broad opportunities beyond technology research and development programs to build a diverse industry base.

Coffman also acknowledged the importance of timely communications with partners to ensure a clear understanding.

“Like any relationship, communication is probably the most important thing,” he said.