dig and alea, I think the former regime's obsessive focus on solving the .gov/.mil maze was a big part of their problem with unfinished products not suitable for the commercial sector. It's a maze that traps companies - sometimes there's no end and nothing gets finished.
Solms has seen both sides and knows the best opportunities lie elsewhere. SKS may have "top notch" understanding of TC, but it's mostly theoretical - just listen to his presentations. He had very little understanding of how to develop practical applications to make the technology successful - MS and the USG would do that for him. In that respect I wouldn't say his understanding is well above Solms'.