USD(R&E)
Leadership

LEADERSHIP

Dr. Michael Griffin

Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering

Dr. Michael D. Griffin is the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. He is the Department’s Chief Technology Officer, and is responsible for the research, development, and prototyping activities across the DoD enterprise and is mandated with ensuring technological superiority for the Department of Defense.

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Dr. Lisa J. Porter

Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering

Dr. Lisa Porter is the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (DUSD(R&E)), and with the USD(R&E), is responsible for the research, development, and prototyping activities across the DoD enterprise. In addition, the USD and DUSD oversee the activities of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO), Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), the DoD Laboratory and Engineering Center enterprise, and the Under Secretariat staff focused on developing advanced technology and capability for the U.S. military.

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"As the Department’s R&E enterprise continues to identify and harvest technologies suitable for transition to our force, we aim to remain ever vigilant of potential and emerging threats."

- Dr. Michael D. Griffin, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, before the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee of the Senate Armed Services Committee on Technology Transfer and the Valley of Death, second session, 116th Congress, April 18, 2018.

Research and Engineering Enterprise

Office of the Director of Defense
Research and Engineering for Research and Technology

Dr. Milan Nikolich Director

Ms. Mary Miller Principal Deputy Director

Office of the Director of Defense
Research and Engineering for Advanced Capabilities

Mr. Jim Faist Director

Terry Emmert, Deputies Assisstant Secretary of Defense, (Materiel Readiness), poses for his official portrait in the Army portrait studio at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, Feb. 17, 2016. (U.S. Army photo by Monica King/Released)

Mr. Terry Emmert Principal Deputy Director

DDRE(R&T)
Deputy Directors

Ms. Kristen Baldwin Deputy Director

Strategic Technology Protection & Exploitation

Dr. Jihfen Lei Deputy Director

Research, Technology & Laboratories

DDRE(AC)
Deputy Directors

Dr. Sandra Magnus Deputy Director

Engineering

Timothy Dare, Deputy Director, Developmental Test Evaluation and Prototyping, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Research and Engineering Advanced Capabilities) poses for his official portrait in the Army portrait studio at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., Apr. 9 2019. (U.S. Army photo by Monica King)

Mr. Timothy Dare Deputy Director

Developmental Test, Evaluation & Prototyping

"We are implementing a strategic approach to modernization that includes an awareness of existing and potential gaps; an understanding of emerging threats; knowledge of state - of - the - art commercial, academic, and government research; as well as a clear understanding of competing needs for limited resources. "

DDRE(R&T)
Assistant Directors

Dr. Thomas Karr Assistant Director

Directed Energy

Ms. Nicole Petta Assistant Director

Microelectronics

DDRE(AC)
Assistant Directors

Dr. Michael Zatman Assistant Director

FNC3

Dr. Derek Tournear Assistant Director

Space

DDRE(R&T)
Assistant Directors

Dr. Paul Lopata Assistant Director

Quantum Science

Dr. Alexander Titus Assistant Director

Biotechnology

Dr. Daniel Ragsdale Assistant Director

Cyber

DDRE(AC)
Assistant Directors

Mr. Mike White Assistant Director

Hypersonics

Mr. Wayne Nickols Assistant Director

Autonomy

Several agencies crucial to the national research and development enterprise fall within the R&E enterprise: Missile Defense Agency, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Strategic Capabilities Office, Defense Innovation Unit, Strategic Intelligence Analysis Cell, and the new Space Development Agency.