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Updated December 20, 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.
In the FY2022 NDAA (S. 1605), Congress designated the
Specifically, P.L. 114-328 eliminated the position of the
USD (R&E) as the Chief Technical Advisor to the Joint
Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology,
Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) with the intent of
and Logistics (USD (AT&L)) and established the positions
assisting DOD “in taking full advantage of technological
of USD (R&E) and the Under Secretary of Defense for
possibilities, on-ramping new technologies into military
Acquisition and Sustainment (USD (A&S)).
operations, and identifying new, affordable, and effective
In reestablishing the position of USD (R&E) the Senate
means of achieving military ends.” S. 1605 also required an
Armed Services Committee stated (S.Rept. 114-255)
independent study and report to Congress on the role of the
USD (R&E) in the JROC, including possible adjustments.
The committee expects that just as previous USD
(R&E) incumbents led the so-called “Second
Organizational Structure of the OUSD
Offset” strategy, which successfully enabled the
(R&E)
United States to leap ahead of the Soviet Union in
The organizational and management structure of the office
terms of military technology, the new USD (R&E)
of the USD (R&E) (OUSD (R&E)) has evolved from the
would be tasked with driving the key technologies
structure proposed in a 2017 DOD report to Congress
that must encompass what defense leaders are now
required by P.L. 114-328 and from the structure approved
calling a “Third Offset” strategy: cyber and space
by the Deputy Secretary of Defense in a memorandum
capabilities, unmanned systems, directed energy,
dated July 13, 2018 (Figure 1). Currently, the OUSD
undersea warfare, hypersonics, and robotics, among
(R&E) has three major components:
others.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Defense Primer: Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
A Director for Research and Technology responsible for
technology from the research laboratory to full scale
setting the strategic technical direction and investment
deployment in the armed forces).
strategy for DOD to ensure technical dominance on the
battlefield, integrating DOD’s laboratory infrastructure,
In the conference report (H.Rept. 114-840) for the FY2017
NDAA, the conferees acknowledged the potential
and providing stewardship of the technical community
challenges that exist in separating the roles and
that conducts defense research.
responsibilities of the USD (AT&L) into the positions of a
A Director for Advanced Capabilities responsible for
USD (R&E) and a USD (A&S). However, the conference
prototyping and experimentation that is designed to
report asserts that elevating the missions of advancing
increase understanding of a technology and its
technology and innovation within DOD, fostering distinct
capabilities, drive down technical risk, and incorporate
technology and acquisition cultures to better deliver
warfighter feedback to ensure concepts that transition to
superior capabilities, and providing greater oversight and
acquisition address the needed capability, and are timely
management of DOD components outside the military
and affordable.
services would best be addressed by the creation of two
A Director for Modernization responsible for managing
undersecretaries. Furthermore, the conferees indicated that
the capability analysis and investments for the
any potential barriers or gaps could “be mitigated through
modernization priorities outlined in the National
effective leadership and management.”
Defense Strategy. The modernization priorities include
5G; artificial intelligence; autonomy; biotechnology;
In an effort to bridge gaps between the two offices, DODD
cyber; directed energy; fully networked command,
5137.02 details their relationship, including requiring the
control, and communications; hypersonics;
USD (R&E) to advise the USD (A&S) on materiel
microelectronics; quantum science; and space.
development, milestone, and production decisions.
In addition, a number of agencies within DOD’s research
Relevant Statutes
and engineering enterprise are overseen by the OUSD
Title 10, U.S. Code, Chapter 4—Office of the Secretary of
(R&E). Specifically, the Defense Advanced Research
Defense
Projects Agency, the Defense Innovation Unit, the Missile
Defense Agency, and the Space Development Agency
CRS Products
report to the USD (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.,
the barriers and challenges that exist in bringing a new
Figure 1. Organizational Chart for Office of USD (R&E)
Sources: 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 December 20, 2021.
Notes: DIU = Defense Innovation Unit; MDA = Missile Defense Agency; DARPA = Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency; SDA =
Space Developmental Agency
Marcy E. Gallo, Analyst in Science and Technology Policy
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Defense Primer: Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
IF10834
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