“But defense and other national security leaders often confuse [innovation] with automation or modernization. Automating an existing process doesn’t change the process itself. “

Disagree. “Subtracting” time and resources is often how disruption or innovation happens. The technology to do so is often game-changing as an entire history of progress leading to digitization has shown.

https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2019/04/all-innovation-wont-save-pentagon/156487/