Updated January 5, 2021
Defense Primer: Under Secretary of Defense for Research and
Engineering
Advances in science and technology have long played a
Furthermore, in the conference report (H.Rept. 114-840) for
critical role in ensuring the technological preeminence of
the FY2017 NDAA, the conferees stated their expectation
the United States military. For this reason, the Department
that the USD (R&E) “would take risks, press the
of Defense (DOD) is the largest funder of federal research
technology envelope, test and experiment, and have the
and development. The Under Secretary of Defense for
latitude to fail, as appropriate.”
Research and Engineering (USD (R&E)) is a civilian
official reporting directly to the Secretary of Defense. The
Roles and Responsibilities of the USD
USD (R&E) serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary
(R&E)
of Defense for DOD research, engineering, and technology
The powers and duties of the USD (R&E) include
development activities and programs.
serving as the chief technology officer of DOD with the
Over the last several years, policymakers and others have
mission of advancing technology and innovation for the
expressed concern that the long-held technological edge of
military services and DOD;
the U.S. military is eroding due, in part, to the proliferation
establishing policies on, and supervising all defense
of technologies outside the defense sector, organizational
research and engineering, technology development,
and cultural barriers to DOD effectively incorporating and
technology transition, appropriate prototyping activities,
exploiting commercial innovations, and insufficient
experimentation, and developmental testing activities
engagement with leading-edge companies that have not
and programs, and unifying defense research and
historically been a part of the DOD innovation system. The
engineering efforts across DOD; and
position of the USD (R&E) as the third highest ranking
serving as the principal advisor to the Secretary of
DOD official—behind the Secretary and Deputy
Defense on all research, engineering, and technology
Secretary—is intended to promote faster innovation and to
development activities and programs in DOD.
increase risk-tolerance in the pursuit of new technologies.
Department of Defense Directive (DODD) 5137.02
Origin of the USD (R&E) Position
specifies 45 key functions and responsibilities of the USD
(R&E) and defines the authorities of the USD (R&E) and
Leadership of DOD research, engineering, and technology
his or her relationships with other senior DOD officials.
development activities and functions within the Office of
The responsibilities detailed in DODD 5137.02 include
the Secretary of Defense (OSD) have varied over the course
of DOD’s history.
managing the DOD science and technology (S&T) portfolio
For example, there was a USD (R&E)
to address near-term and far-term capability gaps against
from 1977 to 1986. Reestablishment of the position of the
emerging threats and ensuring that DOD technical
USD (R&E) in 2016 through the National Defense
infrastructure, scientific and engineering capabilities, and
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (FY2017 NDAA,
associated resources align with DOD priorities.
P.L. 114-328) represents the most recent realignment.
As required by P.L. 114-328, DOD submitted a report to
Specifically, P.L. 114-328 eliminated the position of the
Congress proposing an organizational and management
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology,
structure for the office of the USD (R&E) (OUSD (R&E)).
and Logistics (USD (AT&L)) and established the positions
According to the 2017 report, the OUSD (R&E) is
of USD (R&E) and the Under Secretary of Defense for
organized around three major components:
Acquisition and Sustainment (USD (A&S)).
A Strategic Intelligence Analysis Cell focused on
In reestablishing the position of USD (R&E) the Senate
understanding the capabilities and vulnerabilities of
Armed Services Committee stated (S.Rept. 114-255)
potential adversaries, assessing U.S. capabilities,
The committee expects that just as previous USD
tracking global technology trends, assessing emerging
(R&E) incumbents led the so-called “Second
threats, and identifying potential opportunities that
Offset” strategy, which successfully enabled the
warrant action and merit investment.
United States to leap ahead of the Soviet Union in
An Assistant Secretary of Defense (ASD) for Research
terms of military technology, the new USD (R&E)
and Technology responsible for setting the strategic
would be tasked with driving the key technologies
technical direction and investment strategy for DOD to
that must encompass what defense leaders are now
ensure technical dominance on the battlefield,
calling a “
integrating DOD’s labo
Third Offset” strategy: cyber and space
ratory infrastructure, and
capabilities, unmanned systems, directed energy,
providing stewardship of the technical community that
conducts defense research.
undersea warfare, hypersonics, and robotics, among
An ASD for Advanced Capabilities responsible for
others.
prototyping and experimentation that is designed to
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Defense Primer: Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
increase understanding of a technology and its
the barriers and challenges that exist in bringing a new
capabilities, drive down technical risk, and incorporate
technology from the research laboratory to full scale
warfighter feedback to ensure concepts that transition to
deployment in the armed forces).
acquisition address the needed capability, and are timely
In the conference report (H.Rept. 114-840) for the FY2017
and affordable.
NDAA, the conferees acknowledged the potential
On July 13, 2018, the Deputy Secretary of Defense signed a
challenges that exist in separating the roles and
memorandum approving the organizational structure, roles,
responsibilities of the USD (AT&L) into the positions of a
and responsibilities of the OUSD (R&E). The three major
USD (R&E) and a USD (A&S). However, the conference
components described in the 2017 report to Congress are
report asserts that elevating the missions of advancing
reflected in the final structure of OUSD (R&E) except the
technology and innovation within DOD, fostering distinct
assistant secretaries are now directors (and will not need
technology and acquisition cultures to better deliver
Senate confirmation) and the Defense Advanced Research
superior capabilities, and providing greater oversight and
Projects Agency (DARPA), Strategic Capabilities Office
management of DOD components outside the military
(SCO), and Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) report directly
services would best be addressed by the creation of two
to the USD (R&E) through a new Deputy Under Secretary
undersecretaries. Furthermore, the conferees indicated that
of Defense for Research and Engineering (DUSD (R&E)).
any potential barriers or gaps could “be mitigated through
In 2019, the Space Development Agency (SDA) was
effective leadership and management.”
created under the OUSD (R&E) with the goal of
In an effort to bridge gaps between the two offices, DODD
accelerating the development and fielding of new military
5137.02 details their relationship, including requiring the
space capabilities. Additionally, a director for
USD (R&E) to advise the USD (A&S) on materiel
modernization was added to the OUSD (R&E) and assigned
development, milestone, and production decisions.
the responsibility of overseeing research and technical areas
deemed critical to maintaining the advantage of the U.S.
Relevant Statutes
military (e.g., quantum science, space, and hypersonics).
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 4—Office of the Secretary of
An assistant or technical director leads each of the priority
Defense
areas. Assistant directors report to the USD (R&E) through
the director for modernization while technical directors
CRS Products
report directly to the USD (R&E) and DUSD (R&E).
CRS In Focus IF10553, Defense Primer: RDT&E.
CRS Report R45403, The Global Research and Development
USD (R&E) and USD (A&S) Relationship
Landscape and Implications for the Department of Defense.
A wide range of observers see a close and cooperative
CRS Report R45068, Acquisition Reform in the FY2016-FY2018
relationship between the USD (R&E) and the USD (A&S)
National Defense Authorization Acts (NDAAs).
as critical for the efficient and effective delivery of
Other Resources
advanced technologies to the warfighter, especially at the
fast pace many expect is needed to maintain the U.S.
Wil iam D. O'Neil and Gene H. Porter, What to Buy? The Role of
technological lead over potential adversaries.
Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E) Lessons
from the 1970s, Institute for Defense Analyses, IDA Paper P-
Some have expressed concerns that dividing the roles and
4675, Alexandria, VA, January 2011.
responsibilities of the USD (AT&L) into an USD (R&E)
and an USD (A&S) will exacerbate the valley of death (i.e.,
Figure 1. Organizational Chart for Office of USD (R&E)
Source: Adapted from Attachment 1, Department of Defense, Memorandum from Deputy Secretary of Defense on Establishment of the Office of
USD (R&E) and the Office of the USD (A&S), July 13, 2018; and https://www.cto.mil/leadership/, accessed on January 30, 2020.
IF10834
Marcy E. Gallo, Analyst in Science and Technology Policy
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Defense Primer: Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
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