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Updated June 14, 2021
Defense Primer: RDT&E
Advanced technology plays a critical role in ensuring U.S.
Defense Appropriations Act Titles That Fund RDT&E
national security. To maintain technological superiority on
the battlefield, the Department of Defense (DOD) relies on
Title IV: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation
scientific and technical knowledge developed in large
Army
measure through research, development, test, and
Navy
evaluation (RDT&E) funded by the department and
Air Force
performed by industry, universities, federal laboratories,
Space Force
and others. DOD also relies increasingly on technology
Defense-wide
developed by the private sector for commercial markets.
Operational Test and Evaluation
This In Focus describes DOD’s RDT&E appropriations
Title V: Revolving and Management Funds
structure and funding levels.
National Defense Sealift Fund
Title VI: Other Defense Programs
DOD appropriations are provided annually through the
Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction
defense appropriations act, one of the 12 regular
Defense Health Program
appropriations acts. DOD RDT&E funding is generally
Inspector General
provided in three of this act’s titles (see box). Congress also
sometimes provides DOD RDT&E funding through
supplemental appropriations acts. DOD reports FY2021
RDT&E by Character of Work
total obligational authority (enacted) of $110.8 billion.
While DOD Title IV funds are appropriated only by
organization, DOD budget justifications and congressional
RDT&E by Organization
appropriations reports and explanatory statements also
typically describe this funding by the character of the work
RDT&E Appropriations Under Title IV
to be performed. This characterization consists of eight
Approximately 97% of DOD’s RDT&E funding is
categories, each with a budget activity code (6.1 through
appropriated in Title IV (Research, Development, Test, and
6.8) and a description. (See Table 1.)
Evaluation), which includes appropriations for the Army,
Navy, Air Force, Space Force, a Defense-wide RDT&E
Table 1. DOD RDT&E Budget Activity Codes
account, and the Director of Operational Test and
Code Description
Evaluation. Space Force is a new account included in the
FY2021 request. The Defense-wide account includes the
6.1
Basic Research
Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Defense Advanced
6.2
Applied Research
Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Office of the
6.3
Advanced Technology Development
Secretary of Defense, and 15 other DOD organizations.
Within each of these accounts are program elements (PEs)
6.4
Adv. Component Development and Prototypes
that provide funding for particular activities.
6.5
System Development and Demonstration
RDT&E Under Other Titles
6.6
RDT&E Management Support
RDT&E funds are also appropriated for programs in other
6.7
Operational Systems Development
titles of the defense appropriations act. For example,
RDT&E funds are also appropriated in Title VI as part of
6.8
Software and Digital Technology Pilot Programs
the Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction Program,
Source: Department of Defense, Financial Management Regulation
the Defense Health Program, and the Inspector General. In
(DoD 7000.14-R), Volume 2B, November 2017.
some years, RDT&E funds have been provided in Title V
as part of the National Defense Sealift Fund.
Funding in codes 6.1 to 6.3 is referred to by DOD as the
science and technology (S&T) budget. This portion of DOD
In recent years, RDT&E funds have also been appropriated
RDT&E is often singled out for attention by analysts, as it
in Title IX as part of DOD’s funding for Overseas
is seen as the pool of knowledge necessary for the
Contingency Operations (OCO). Typically, the RDT&E
development of future military systems. In contrast, 6.4,
funds appropriated for OCO activities support specified PEs
6.5, and 6.7 funds are focused on the application of existing
in Title IV, though they are requested and accounted for
scientific and technical knowledge to meet current or near-
separately. Alternatively, they may be provided to a transfer
term operational needs. The funds in 6.6 are for RDT&E
fund. Congress establishes transfer funds for a particular
management and support work in any of the other RDT&E
purpose, and may authorize DOD to transfer a portion of
budget accounts. DOD added budget activity 6.8 in its
these funds to other accounts, such as RDT&E, to help
FY2021 budget request to support software and digital
achieve that purpose. President Biden’s budget request
technology pilot programs.
does not include OCO funding for FY2022.
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Defense Primer: RDT&E
Within the S&T program, basic research (6.1) receives
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding; dol ar
special attention, particularly by the nation’s universities.
figures may not sum to total due to rounding.
DOD spends nearly half of its basic research budget at
Figure 3 illustrates FY2021 Title IV RDT&E funding by
universities. DOD is a substantial source of federal
character of work. DOD S&T funding (6.1-6.3) accounted
university R&D funding for disciplines such as aerospace,
for $16.8 billion (15.6%) of this funding. RDT&E funds
aeronautical, and astronautical engineering (60%);
provided in other DOD appropriations titles and
electrical, electronic, and communications engineering
supplemental acts are not included in this analysis as they
(58%); industrial and manufacturing engineering (48%);
are not parsed by character of work.
mechanical engineering (46%); computer and information
sciences (44%); metallurgical and materials engineering
Figure 3. Title IV RDT&E by Character of Work,
(39%); and materials science (33%).
FY2021
Total obligational authority, in bil ions of current dol ars
Funding Profile of DOD RDT&E
Total DOD RDT&E for FY2021 is $110.8 billion, of which
Title IV funding accounts for $107.5 billion (97.0%). (See
Figure 1.)
Figure 1. Title IV Share of Total DOD RDT&E,
FY2021
Source: CRS analysis of FY2022 DOD R-1.
Note: Funding for the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation is
included in 6.6; funding for classified research is included in 6.7.
Relevant Statutes
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 139—Research and
Development
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter133—Under Secretary of
Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter138(b)(8)—Assistant Secretaries
of Defense–Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and
Engineering)
Source: CRS analysis of FY2022 DOD R-1.
CRS Products
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
CRS Report R44711, Department of Defense Research,
Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E): Appropriations
The composition of FY2021 DOD RDT&E provided by
Structure, by John F. Sargent Jr.
Title IV is shown by organization in Figure 2.
CRS Report R46341, Federal Research and Development (R&D)
Figure 2. Title IV and Title IX (OCO) RDT&E by
Funding: FY2021, coordinated by John F. Sargent Jr.
Organization, FY2021
CRS Report R45403, The Global Research and Development
Landscape and Implications for the Department of Defense, by
John F. Sargent Jr. and Marcy E. Gallo.
CRS Report R44010, Defense Acquisitions: How and Where
DOD Spends Its Contracting Dollars, by John F. Sargent Jr. and
Christopher T. Mann.
Other Resources
Under Secretary of Defense (Comptrol er), DOD Budget
Request
Department of Defense Research, Development, Test, and
Evaluation Programs (R-1), FY2022
John F. Sargent Jr., Specialist in Science and Technology
Source: CRS analysis of FY2022 DOD R-1.
Policy
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Defense Primer: RDT&E
IF10553
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