Keeping the Technological Edge

Technology innovation in the Department of Defense (DoD) has delivered unmatched national security capability for the United States for the greater part of the last seven decades. Federal research and development (R&D) funding is the grain of sand at the heart of the U.S. high- technology pearl, delivering that technological superiority. However, the circumstances that underpinned U.S. advantages over that time have eroded, and the rise of new systems and a new global innovation environment challenge DoD’s way of doing business. Therefore, while a strong DoD R&D program remains a necessary foundation for maintaining military technological dominance, it is no longer sufficient for ensuring future DoD technology superiority.