Archive for January 2026
Senior Officials Announced for the War Department’s Six Critical Technology Areas
WASHINGTON, D.C – Jan. 29, 2026 – The Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW(R&E)) today announced the accountable leaders selected to direct the War Department’s six Critical Technology Areas (CTAs). These senior officials will lead the tangible “sprints” under each CTA, driving the development and delivery of cutting-edge capabilities to…
Read MoreWar Department Boards Merge to Form New Science, Technology and Innovation Board
WASHINGTON, D.C – Jan. 29, 2026 – Secretary of War Pete Hegseth today has approved a major overhaul of the War Department’s legacy advisory boards, directing the merger of the Defense Innovation Board (DIB) and the Defense Science Board (DSB) into the new Science and Technology Innovation Board (STIB), pending formal establishment by the Federal…
Read MoreWar Department Offers No-Fee Patent Licenses Through Patent Holiday Initiative to Accelerate Technology from Lab to the Warfighter
WASHINGTON, D.C – Jan. 22, 2026 – The Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW(R&E)) has launched a pilot program providing no-fee commercial evaluation licenses (CEL) for a curated selection of patents from War Department laboratories. This initiative maximizes the value of the Department’s $3.5 billion annual research investment by…
Read MoreOverhaul of the DoW’s Innovation Ecosystem
Secretary Pete Hegseth announced an overhaul of the War Department’s innovation ecosystem, which will now be led by Emil Michael, the Under Secretary of Research and Engineering and the Department’s CTO. This overhaul is designed to create a more unified and fast-paced enterprise to deliver technology to the warfighter with greater urgency. Under the new…
Read MoreRelease of the War Department’s AI Acceleration Strategy
Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the War Department’s AI Acceleration Strategy. This strategy is built on three pillars: warfighting, intelligence, and enterprise operations. It will be executed through seven key “Pace-Setting Projects” designed to rapidly advance capabilities. These projects include developing AI-powered swarms and battle management agents, accelerating the conversion of intelligence into weapons, and providing…
Read MoreRegister for the Defense Patent Holiday Industry Day
From Lab to Launch: Accelerating Invention Transition to the Warfighter. A pilot program to connect Department of War with valued commercial partners. Kick-off: January 22, 2026 from 8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Location: SMI at 250 Massachusetts Ave., Washington, DC + Virtual The Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (OUSW…
Read MoreThe War Department’s Office of Research and Engineering Strengthens Measures to Protect DoW Funded Research
January 8, 2026 Today, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, Emil Michael announced new actions to protect Department of War (DoW)-funded research from malign foreign influence, intellectual property theft, and other forms of exploitation that threaten the security and economic interests of the United States. The Fundamental Research Security Initiatives and Implementation memorandum…
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