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NEWS ARCHIVE

News Archive

Updates from Across the R&E Enterprise

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    FutureG Office to Invest $1.8 million

    May 24, 2024

    The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering’s FutureG office will invest approximately $1.8 million in the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) to bolster research and development of open source 5G/FutureG software for expeditionary operations.

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    Face of Defense: After 50 Years of Service, A DoD Engineer Bids Goodbye

    April 9 2024

    In a heartfelt farewell to 50 years of unwavering service, Dr. Steven G. Wax, the acting lead for science and technology within the Office of the Under Secretary of Research and Engineering, has bid goodbye to his tenure, leaving behind an indelible mark on the Defense Department’s R&D enterprise.

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    DoD Releases Online Cyber Resilient Weapon Systems Body of Knowledge Version 4.0 for Engineering Workforce

    January 24, 2023

    The Department of Defense released Version 4.0 of the Online Cyber Resilient Weapon Systems Body of Knowledge January 24, 2024. This free resource assists the public and private sector workforce in designing, engineering, and safeguarding CRWS.

    Version 4.0 adds new features, design and usability upgrades, and security improvements to encourage and enhance user engagement. The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense’s System Security Directorate launched this vital resource in May 2021 for the system security engineering and science and technology communities. Since then, SysSec has released several version updates to improve the CRWS-BoK user experience.

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    Released: DoD Instruction 5000.97, “Digital Engineering”

    January 2024

    SE&A Policy and Workforce completed and USD(R&E) approved DoD Instruction 5000.97, “Digital Engineering,” available from the Washington Headquarters Services website. Digital engineering supports the systems engineering process by moving the primary means of communicating systems information from documents to digital models and their underlying data. Digital engineering is a critical practice in an environment of dynamic threats, system complexity, and rapidly evolving technologies.  The DoD instruction establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and provides procedures for implementing digital engineering in the development and sustainment of defense systems.  Specifically, the issuance directs program managers to implement digital engineering practices to maximize the benefit and to support a comprehensive systems engineering program. SE&A info sheet summarizing DoDI 5000.97

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    DSB, Dutch Delegation Discuss Academic Research Security

    December 21, 2023

    The Defense Science Board hosted a visiting Dutch delegation to discuss its findings and recommendations by the DSB Task Force on “Balancing Openness and Security Across the DOD Academic Research Enterprise,” on December 13 in Arlington, Virginia.

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    OUSD(R&E) Releases an Update to the Mission Engineering Guide

    December 18, 2023

    The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering has released an update to the original Department of Defense Mission Engineering Guide to ensure all levels of practitioners have a clear understanding of the purpose, attributes, and benefits of conducting mission engineering.

    The latest version details the mission engineering methodology and provides updated terminology and principles for developing rigorous analytic products. It describes how to develop mission-based, quantifiable outputs from mission engineering, including baseline and alternative mission architectures, models, simulations, datasets, and results.

    “These updates reflect feedback from a wide audience, including practitioners and organizations both inside and outside of the DoD,” said Technical Director for Mission Integration Marc J. Goldenberg,
    “Mission engineering is a flexible, tailorable, and iterative approach that can be used to support a diverse set of consumers and address a variety of questions based on scope, complexity, and time,” Goldenberg added.

    The updates are especially important today as the nation faces a new era of near-peer competition in which the old operational and mission architectures may need to be reimagined. The 2023 National Defense Science and Technology Strategy, published by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, noted “making the right technology investments will require the DoD to harness the analytic power of modeling and simulation to inform our assessments of emerging technologies that have greater operational value.” Mission engineering will aid in making those decisions and the updated guide will help drive those efforts.

    The tools from this guide enable the Department to deliver quantitative mission-focused results that facilitate the mission engineering process and improve the quality and robustness of information made available to decision makers.

    “Mission engineering develops and analyzes kill chains using advanced analytic methods and tools to engineer mission outcomes. It allows us to identify the right set of capabilities needed by the Joint Force in a relevant time frame,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Mission Integration, Elmer L. Roman.

    The guide is available online from the Department of Defense Chief Technology Officer’s website at https://ac.cto.mil/mission-engineering/

  • Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology Steven G. Wax speaks and recognizes technology transfer professionals during the George F. Linsteadt Awards ceremony at the Pentagon, Nov. 3, 2023.

    DOD Recognizes Technology Transfer Professionals

    November 6, 2023

    The Defense Department recognized today several science and technology professionals for excellence in shaping the department's technology transfer community as part of this year's George F. Linsteadt Awards ceremony.

  • digital-numbers-flying

    Joint Federated Assurance Center Portal for the Research and Engineering Workforce

    October 5, 2023

    The Department of Defense (DoD) released the newly updated Joint Federated Assurance Center portal recently. This free resource provides publicly available hardware and software assurance information to assist both public and private research and engineering workforce sectors in building and maintaining reliable, safe, and secure DoD systems.

  • blue, hand, science, plant, STEM

    Collaboration enriches S&T ecosystem

    September 13, 2023

     

    Collaborating with the defense science and technology community at each phase of the innovation process is key to deter and defeat aggressive actions, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Heidi Shyu said during a fireside at the National Defense Industry Association's Emerging Technology Institute's Conference and Exhibition in Washington, D.C., August 29.

     

     

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    Online Cyber Resilient Weapon Systems Body of Knowledge Version 3.2 for Engineering Workforce

    August 31, 2023

    The DoD announced the Version 3.2 release of the Online Cyber Resilient Weapon Systems Body of Knowledge (CRWS-BoK). This free resource provides publicly available information to assist the public and private sector workforce in designing, engineering, and safeguarding CRWS. The System Security (SysSec) Directorate in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering first launched this vital resource in May 2021 for the system security engineering (SSE) and science and technology (S&T) communities. Since then, SysSec has launched several version updates to enhance the user experience.

  • Crowd facing conference stage and speaker at podium

    R&E Showcases Major Engineering Initiatives at International Symposium

    August 22, 2023

    Four teams from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering showcased major initiatives in digital engineering, model-based systems engineering, systems engineering modernization, cyber resiliency, and cross-domain solutions at the International Council on Systems Engineering's 33rd International Symposium July 15-20 in Honolulu.

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    Released: Defense Technical Risk Assessment Methodology, Version 6.4

    May 19, 2023

    The Defense Technical Risk Assessment Methodology, Version 6.4, updates Version 6.3 by strengthening Corrosion Prevention and Control. This addition aligns with DoD Instruction 5000.88, Engineering of Defense Systems. The update emphasizes the importance of the requirement to reduce costly corrosion issues in systems over their life span. Contact: osd.r-e.comm@mail.mil | Attn: SE&A P&G

Download DTRAM PDF
DEPSCor List of Winning Teams
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    National Defense Science and Technology Strategy

    May 9, 2023

    The DoD today released the unclassified version of the National Defense Science and Technology Strategy, or NDSTS. Guided by the National Defense Strategy, the NDSTS articulates the science and technology priorities, goals, and investments of the Department and makes recommendations on the future of the defense research and engineering enterprise.

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    2023 Immersive Commercial Acquisition Training Program

    May 3, 2023

    Access to cutting-edge, commercial technology is vital for our national security. To ensure service members have timely access to commercial technology, the Department of Defense (DoD) is promoting broader use of agile acquisition methods by training a corps of acquisition professionals on the Defense Innovation Unit's (DIU's) acquisition process.

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    DoD Announces Fiscal Year 2023 Research Awards to Minority-Serving Institutions

    May 3, 2023

     

    Today, DoD announced awards totaling $61.7 million to 82 university researchers under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 DoD Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MSI) Research and Education Program. Individual awards of up to $800,000 will support research projects in defense priority areas at 50 institutions, including 12 HBCUs and 38 MSIs across 18 states and the District of Columbia.

     

     

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    Cyber Resilient Weapon Systems Body of Knowledge Version 3.1

    April 19, 2023

    The DoD announced the Version 3.1 release of the Online Cyber Resilient Weapon Systems Body of Knowledge (CRWS-BoK). This free resource provides publicly available information to assist the public and private sector workforce in designing, engineering, and safeguarding CRWS.

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    Software Engineering for Continuous Delivery of Warfighting Capability

    April 2023

     

    OUSD(R&E) Systems Engineering and Architecture (SE&A) released the guide Software Engineering for Continuous Delivery of Warfighting Capability to assist Program Management Offices, defense engineers, software engineers, and acquisition officials to plan and execute software development in an environment of changing software technologies and acquisition approaches. The guide draws on experience and best practice from more than a decade of program engagements on software-enabled systems spanning all warfighting domains.

     

     

Download SWE Guide
  • Dr. Mary Walker

    Women's History Month

    March 2023

    March is Women's History Month. We take this opportunity to celebrate women and reflect on their contributions to our military and our nation. Inspired by their determination, we in the Department of Defense commit ourselves to empowering the girls who will grow up to be leaders in the DoD and across America.

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    DoD Biomanufacturing Strategy

    March 22, 2023

    The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, informed by the 2022 National Defense Strategy and Executive Order 14081 (Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy) spearheaded development of the DoD Biomanufacturing Strategy.

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    Fiscal Year 2023 Research Funding Awards

    March 21, 2023

    The DoD announced $220 million in awards for basic research projects as part of the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) Program. At an average award amount of $7.1 million over five years, these competitive grants will support 31 teams located at 61 U.S. academic institutions, subject to satisfactory research progress and the availability of funds.

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    DoD Awards $2 Million for Social Science Research under DECUR

    March 8, 2023




    The DoD announced the selection of six DoD and university faculty teams to pursue fundamental social science research through the Defense Education and Civilian University Research (DECUR) Partnership, a program under DoD's Minerva Research Initiative (Minerva).



  • Derick Buckles works in the lab at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. The Department of the Air Force is seeking the identification and selection of the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities-led University Affiliated Research Center. The UARC will be the 15th in the Defense Department and it will focus on tactical autonomy.

    Black History Month

    February 2023

     

     

    Every February, we celebrate Black History Month and honor the exceptional contributions Black Americans make to the United States and the Department of Defense.

     

     

  • Engineers Week 2023

    February 23, 2023

     

     

    In recognition of DiscoverE's nationwide Engineers Week, the DoD Washington Headquarters Services, Facilities Services Directorate (WHS FSD) and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) will host an event February 23 at the Pentagon to celebrate the importance of engineering as a profession and the work engineers contribute to national defense.

     

     

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    Science and Technology Protection Course for the Federal Government Workforce

    February 10, 2023

     

     

    The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (R&E) and Defense Acquisition University (DAU) announces the release of a new DAU course, "Fundamentals of Science and Technology Protection." Developed in partnership between R&E's Maintaining Technology Advantage (MTA) Directorate and DAU, this free, online training course provides Science and Technology (S&T) managers with guidance on how to conduct risk-informed protection planning and management to mitigate the threat of unwanted technology transfers of programs, projects, systems, and technical information to strategic competitors.

     

     

  • image of 5G tower and other technology

    2023 5G Challenge for Open RAN with an Eye Toward Future Base Modernization

    February 2, 2023

     

     

    The FutureG & 5G Office of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) announces the launch of the 2023 5G Challenge. Sponsored by the FutureG & 5G Office and led by the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences division of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) from the Department of Commerce, the 5G Challenge aims to stimulate and accelerate the adoption of open interfaces, interoperable components, and multi-vendor solutions toward the development of an open 5G ecosystem.

     

     

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  • Derick Buckles works in the lab at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. The Department of the Air Force is seeking the identification and selection of the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities-led University Affiliated Research Center. The UARC will be the 15th in the Defense Department and it will focus on tactical autonomy.
    Black History Month

    February 2023

    Every February, we celebrate Black History Month and honor the exceptional contributions Black Americans make to the United States and the Department of Defense.

  • Engineers Week 2023

    February 23, 2023

    In recognition of DiscoverE's nationwide Engineers Week, the DoD Washington Headquarters Services, Facilities Services Directorate (WHS FSD) and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) will host an event February 23 at the Pentagon to celebrate the importance of engineering as a profession and the work engineers contribute to national defense.

  • icon, thumbnail, pentagon
    Science and Technology Protection Course for the Federal Government Workforce

    February 10, 2023

    The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (R&E) and Defense Acquisition University (DAU) announces the release of a new DAU course, "Fundamentals of Science and Technology Protection." Developed in partnership between R&E's Maintaining Technology Advantage (MTA) Directorate and DAU, this free, online training course provides Science and Technology (S&T) managers with guidance on how to conduct risk-informed protection planning and management to mitigate the threat of unwanted technology transfers of programs, projects, systems, and technical information to strategic competitors.

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    DoD Announces U.S. Representative to NATO Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic Initiative

    February 6, 2023

    The Department of Defense announced that Jeffrey David Singleton, U.S. principal member and head of delegation to the NATO Science and Technology Board, will serve as the United States' representative to the Board of Directors for the NATO DIANA Initiative. Singleton's appointment follows the election of Barbara McQuiston, the previous U.S. representative to NATO DIANA, as the initiative's board chair.

  • image of 5G tower and other technology
    2023 5G Challenge for Open RAN with an Eye Toward Future Base Modernization

    February 2, 2023

    The FutureG & 5G Office of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) announces the launch of the 2023 5G Challenge. Sponsored by the FutureG & 5G Office and led by the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences division of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) from the Department of Commerce, the 5G Challenge aims to stimulate and accelerate the adoption of open interfaces, interoperable components, and multi-vendor solutions toward the development of an open 5G ecosystem.

  • abstract, blue, technology, grid, fluid
    Online Cyber Resilient Weapon Systems Body of Knowledge Version 3.0 for Engineering Workforce

    January 18, 2023

    The DoD announced the release of the Online Cyber Resilient Weapon Systems Body of Knowledge (CRWS-BoK) Version 3.0. This free resource provides publicly available information to assist the public and private sector workforce in designing, engineering, and safeguarding CRWS. The Systems Security (SysSec) Directorate in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) first launched this vital resource in May 2021 for the systems security engineering (SSE) and science and technology (S&T) communities.

More Info
  • Homepage of CTO Innovation website
    Innovation Pathways website

    December 15, 2022

    The Department of Defense announced today significant updates to the Innovation Pathways website that will allow it to serve as a "one-stop shop" for learning how to deliver innovation to the DoD. Located at www.ctoinnovation.mil, this site serves as a gateway for industry, small businesses, students, universities, and other organizations within the Department itself to discover opportunities with DoD organizations and affiliate programs involved in research and development.

  • Microelectronic Commons Industry Day

    December 2, 2022

    The Microelectronics Commons is a national network that will create direct pathways to commercialization for US microelectronics researchers and designers from "lab to fab." Join us for the Microelectronics Commons Industry Day

OSC Webpage
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    Winner of 2022 George F. Linsteadt Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer

    November 18, 2022

    The DoD Technology Transfer (T2) program recently announced the winner of the George F. Linsteadt Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer for Fiscal Year 2022. This year's recipients are Alan Jaeger, Manager of the Office of Research and Technology Applications at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) and Director of the Naval Expeditions Agility Office (NavalX) Ventura Tech Bridge, and Mark Thompson, Manager of the Office of Research and Technology Applications at the Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center.

  • Office of Strategic Capital (OSC)

    December 1, 2022

    Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III today established the Office of Strategic Capital (OSC), a Department of Defense organization that will help build an enduring technological advantage by partnering with private capital providers.

OSC Webpage
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    DoD Awards $59 Million in University Research Equipment Awards

    November 22, 2022

    The Department of Defense announced awards to 147 university researchers totaling $59 million under the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP). These awards will finance the purchase of research equipment at 77 institutions across 30 states in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023, enabling universities to perform state-of-the-art research that augments current and develops new capabilities.

     

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    Winner of 2022 George F. Linsteadt Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer

    November 18, 2022

    The DoD Technology Transfer (T2) program recently announced the winner of the George F. Linsteadt Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer for Fiscal Year 2022. This year's recipients are Alan Jaeger, Manager of the Office of Research and Technology Applications at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) and Director of the Naval Expeditions Agility Office (NavalX) Ventura Tech Bridge, and Mark Thompson, Manager of the Office of Research and Technology Applications at the Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center.

  • DCTO(CT), CTA, critical technology area
    DoD Awards University of Notre Dame for Hypersonics Scramjet Research

    October 24, 2022

    The DoD announced today a three-year, $4.5 million research award to the University of Notre Dame to advance hypersonics technology. This award is sponsored by the Joint Hypersonic Transition Office (JHTO) through the University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics (UCAH). The research will focus on developing a system to extend scramjet propulsion capabilities, thereby enhancing operational durability and expanding operational range.

  • DCTO(CT), CTA, critical technology area
    DoD Awards $4.5 Million to the Georgia Institute of Technology for Applied Hypersonics Research

    October 6, 2022

    The DoD announced today a three-year, $4.5 million research award to the Georgia Institute of Technology to advance hypersonics technology, with a focus on research into machine learning algorithms that can be employed for hypersonic systems. The goal of the research is to leverage high-fidelity hypersonic data and simulations to develop efficient models that can improve autonomous capabilities for hypersonics systems.

  • hypersonics
    DoD Awards $4.5 Million to University of Virginia for Applied Hypersonics Research

    October 4, 2022



    The Department of Defense announced today a three-year, $4.5 million applied research award to the University of Virginia (UVA) to advance hypersonics technology, with a focus on engine design, maneuverability control, and operational resiliency. The goal of the work is to complete technology development and conduct individual component ground tests, culminating in an integrated scramjet ground test during the three-year period of performance.


  • biotechnologyFull
    Biotechnology Executive Order Will Advance DoD Biotechnology

    September 14, 2022



    The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering welcomes the Biden Administration's announcement of Executive Order (EO) "Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy." This EO will bolster efforts by the Department of Defense (DoD) and other Federal agencies to ensure U.S. economic and national security by leveraging biotechnology to secure, strengthen, and diversify our domestic manufacturing supply chains of critical goods, products, and services.


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    $27 million investment in HBCUs for Scientific Research in CTAs

    September 13, 2022

     

     

    The DoD today announced awards totaling $27 million to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to conduct research in defense critical technology areas. These competitive awards are funded through the DoD HBCU and Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) Research and Education Program and range up to $9 million for each institution.

     

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    Awards for the 2022-2023 Cohort of the Minerva-United States Institute of Peace and Security Dissertation Fellows

    September 12, 2022



    The DoD announced today the selection of the 2022-2023 cohort of the Minerva-USIP Peace and Security Dissertation Fellows. Partnering with the USIP's Jennings Randolph Peace Scholar Dissertation Fellowship program, this prestigious award received more than 80 applicants from 52 U.S. universities. Those chosen for the Peace and Security Scholar Fellowship show great potential to advance the peacebuilding and security fields and to positively influence policy and practice.


  • blue, science, beakers, liquid, chemistry
    2022 Class of Laboratory-University Collaboration Initiative Fellows

    September 7, 2022



    The DoD announced today the 2022 class of Laboratory-University Collaboration Initiative (LUCI) Fellows. The LUCI Fellowship program supports collaboration between DoD laboratory scientists and DoD-funded academics, such as recipients of the Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship or Principal Investigators (PIs) of a Multi-Disciplinary University Research Initiative award.


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    5G Challenge Stage Two Winners and Stage Three Contestants

    August 11, 2022



    WASHINGTON - Today, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) in Boulder, Colorado, in collaboration with the Department of Defense (DoD), announced 5G Challenge Stage Two winners and Stage Three contestants. This prize competition aims to accelerate the adoption of open interfaces, interoperable components, and multi-vendor solutions toward the development of an open 5G ecosystem.


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    5G Challenge Stage Two Winners and Stage Three Contestants

    August 11, 2022



    WASHINGTON - Today, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (ITS) in Boulder, Colorado, in collaboration with the Department of Defense (DoD), announced 5G Challenge Stage Two winners and Stage Three contestants. This prize competition aims to accelerate the adoption of open interfaces, interoperable components, and multi-vendor solutions toward the development of an open 5G ecosystem.


  • SDA tranche 1
    SDA Makes Awards for 28 Satellites to Build Tranche 1 Tracking Layer

    July 18, 2022



    National Defense Space Architecture Tracking Layer Accelerated


    WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Space Development Agency (SDA) today announced the award of two prototype agreements with a total potential value over $1.3 billion for the establishment of the Tranche 1 (T1) Tracking Layer, providing the initial missile warning/missile tracking warfighting capability of the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA). These satellites will begin to launch in April 2025.


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    Industry Engagement Day for the RDER

    July 14, 2022



    The DoD announced today an Industry Engagement Day event for the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER) to be held at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU-APL) on July 26, 2022.


  • Overhead view of the Pentagon Building
    National Defense Strategy

    July 13, 2022



    A classified version of the 2022 National Defense Strategy was provided to Congress on March 28, 2022, and an unclassified version will be available to the public in the coming weeks.


  • futureG
    DoD and NSF Kick-Off Resilient and Intelligent NextG Systems Program

    June 27, 2022



    The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced awards for the "Resilient and Intelligent NextG Systems" (RINGS) program on April 18. The RINGS program officially kicks off today. The Department of Defense is pleased to be a part of this unique, collaborative effort to expand public-private partnerships.


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    DoD and National Spectrum Consortium Team for Open RAN Acceleration

    June 6, 2022



    The National Spectrum Consortium, with support from the Department of Defense (DoD), recently announced the release of a "Call for Whitepapers" to their membership requesting feedback and ideas from industry and academia that could help accelerate the development, manufacturing, and testing of 5G Open Radio Access Network ("Open RAN") technologies in the United States. The central goal of this outreach is to help identify obstacles to emerging or existing companies in accelerating the commercialization of Open RAN in the U.S.


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    DoD and NTIA Select Final Contestants for 5G Challenge

    May 23, 2022

     

     

    The DoD and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's Institute for Telecommunication Sciences (NTIA/ITS) announced the winning contestants in the 5G Challenge's Preliminary Event: RAN Subsystem Interoperability on May 19, 2022.

     

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    DoD Announces Fiscal Year 2021 DEPSCoR Awards

    May 13, 2022



    The DoD announced today $14.6 million in DEPSCoR awards to 23 collaborative teams following two FY2021 competitions. DEPSCoR is a capacity-building program that is designed to strengthen the basic research infrastructure at institutions of higher education in under-utilized states/territories.


  • manufacturing, robot arm, blue, technology
    Defense Department New Website to Navigate Innovation Opportunities

    April 22, 2022



    The Department of Defense announced today an "Innovation Pathways" website providing a "one-stop shop" for the DoD innovation ecosystem. Located at www.ctoinnovation.mil, the site serves as a gateway to the Department's efforts to bring in new ideas and technology, with a special focus on students, universities, and businesses.


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    Space Development Agency Makes Awards for 126 Satellites to Build Tranche 1 Transport Layer

    February 28, 2022



    The Space Development Agency (SDA) today announced the awards of three prototype agreements worth approximately $1.8 billion to establish the foundation for Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL), a mesh network of 126 optically-interconnected space vehicles (SV) that will provide a resilient, low-latency, high-volume data transport communication system, and be ready for launch starting in September 2024.


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    The OUSD(R&E) Deputy Director for Engineering released two guidebooks in February 2022

    February 14, 2022



    The Engineering of Defense Systems Guidebook and Systems Engineering Guidebook replace Chapter 3, Systems Engineering, of the Defense Acquisition Guidebook. The Engineering of Defense Systems Guidebook describes the activities, processes, and practices involved in the development of DoD systems. The guidebook aligns with the engineering disciplines covered in DoD Instruction 5000.88, Engineering of Defense Systems, and focuses on recommended engineering best practices for the DoD Adaptive Acquisition Framework acquisition pathways.



    The Systems Engineering Guidebook provides systems engineering guidance and recommended best practices for defense acquisition programs. It is intended for Program Managers and Systems Engineers and may be tailored for programs in any of the DoD Adaptive Acquisition Framework pathways (DoD Instruction 5000.02). Programs can use the guidebook, along with other acquisition business resources, to plan and execute program systems engineering activities across the system life cycle.


    See Engineering References for Program Offices for links to the guidebooks.


  • Ms. Heidi Shyu is the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)).
    USD(R&E) Strategic Vision and Critical Technology Areas

    February 2, 2022

    The OUSD(R&E) will spearhead a National Defense Science and Technology strategy for the DoD, informed by the 2022 NDS and structured around three strategic pillars: mission focus, foundation building, and succeeding through teamwork. This technology strategy will chart a course for the United States' military to strengthen its technological superiority amidst a global race for technological advantage.

  • Overhead view of the Pentagon Building
    DoD Releases Updated Unmanned System Safety Engineering Precepts Guide for DoD Acquisition

    January 25, 2022

     

     

    DoD announced today release of an updated Unmanned System (UxS) Safety Engineering Precepts Guide for DoD Acquisition, dated August 2021, created by a joint effort of the DoD Offices of the Under Secretaries of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E) and Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD(A&S). The Guide was updated to better support Service safety reviews and the design and development of safe UxSs and associated firmware, hardware, and safety significant software.

     

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  • logo, seal
    Space Development Agency Makes Awards for 126 Satellites to Build Tranche 1 Transport Layer

    February 28, 2022



    The Space Development Agency (SDA) today announced the awards of three prototype agreements worth approximately $1.8 billion to establish the foundation for Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL), a mesh network of 126 optically-interconnected space vehicles (SV) that will provide a resilient, low-latency, high-volume data transport communication system, and be ready for launch starting in September 2024.


  • icon, thumbnail, pentagon
    The OUSD(R&E) Deputy Director for Engineering released two guidebooks in February 2022

    February 14, 2022



    The Engineering of Defense Systems Guidebook and Systems Engineering Guidebook replace Chapter 3, Systems Engineering, of the Defense Acquisition Guidebook. The Engineering of Defense Systems Guidebook describes the activities, processes, and practices involved in the development of DoD systems. The guidebook aligns with the engineering disciplines covered in DoD Instruction 5000.88, Engineering of Defense Systems, and focuses on recommended engineering best practices for the DoD Adaptive Acquisition Framework acquisition pathways.



    The Systems Engineering Guidebook provides systems engineering guidance and recommended best practices for defense acquisition programs. It is intended for Program Managers and Systems Engineers and may be tailored for programs in any of the DoD Adaptive Acquisition Framework pathways (DoD Instruction 5000.02). Programs can use the guidebook, along with other acquisition business resources, to plan and execute program systems engineering activities across the system life cycle.


    See Engineering References for Program Offices for links to the guidebooks.


  • Ms. Heidi Shyu is the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)).
    USD(R&E) Strategic Vision and Critical Technology Areas

    February 2, 2022



    The OUSD(R&E) will spearhead a National Defense Science and Technology strategy for the DoD, informed by the 2022 NDS and structured around three strategic pillars: mission focus, foundation building, and succeeding through teamwork. This technology strategy will chart a course for the United States' military to strengthen its technological superiority amidst a global race for technological advantage.


  • Overhead view of the Pentagon Building
    DoD Releases Updated Unmanned System Safety Engineering Precepts Guide for DoD Acquisition

    January 25, 2022

     

     

    DoD announced today release of an updated Unmanned System (UxS) Safety Engineering Precepts Guide for DoD Acquisition, dated August 2021, created by a joint effort of the DoD Offices of the Under Secretaries of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E) and Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD(A&S). The Guide was updated to better support Service safety reviews and the design and development of safe UxSs and associated firmware, hardware, and safety significant software.

     

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    2021 Defense Manufacturing Technology Achievement Awards

    December 16, 2021

     

     

    The Department of Defense Manufacturing Technology Program (DoD ManTech) and the Joint Defense Manufacturing Technology Panel (JDMTP) recognized the hard work and outstanding performance of nominees and winners of the Defense Manufacturing Technology Achievement Awards (DMTAA) at the 2021 Defense Manufacturing Conference in Denver, Colorado from December 13-16. The Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) ManTech Program in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering oversees the DoD ManTech Program and the JDMTP.

     

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    DoD Kicks Off 5G Dynamic Spectrum Sharing Experimentation at Hill AFB

    December 2, 2021

     

     

    The Department of Defense hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the successful deployment of a private 5G cellular network at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Dec. 2, 2021. Led by the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), and managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the project will evaluate the technical feasibility, methodologies, and utility of spectrum sharing and coexistence with diverse 5G networks in a band of vital importance to commercial industry.

     

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    DoD Announced Awards of $20K each for the 2021-2022 Cohort of the Minerva-USIP Peace and Security Dissertation Fellows

    November 10, 2021

     

     

    The Department of Defense Minerva Research Initiative is pleased to announce the 2021-2022 cohort of the Minerva-USIP Peace and Security Dissertation Fellows. In partnership with the U.S. Institute of Peace's Jennings Randolph Peace Scholar Dissertation Fellowship program, over 115 applicants from 88 U.S. universities applied for this prestigious award. Those chosen for the Peace and Security Scholar Fellowship show great potential to advance the peacebuilding and security fields and to positively influence policy and practice.

     

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    Fiscal Year 2021 George F. Linsteadt Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer

    November 3, 2021

     

     

    The Department of Defense (DoD) Technology Transfer (T2) program recently announced the George F. Linsteadt Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer winner for Fiscal Year 2021. The DoD has selected Dr. James D. Kearns, Technical Transfer Program Manager for the Office of Research and Technology Applications supporting the Air Force Research Laboratory's (AFRL) 711th Human Performance Wing (711 HPW/XP), as part of the Plans and Programs Division, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

     

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    DoD Awards $46 Million in University Research Equipment Awards

    October 29, 2021

     

     

    Arlington, VA - The Department of Defense (DoD) has announced awards to 144 university researchers totaling $46 million under the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP). These grants will be provided to 81 institutions across 35 states in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022.

     

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    DoD Awards a $321 Million 7-Year Extension to AIM Photonics

    October 25, 2021

     

     

    On September 29, 2021, the Department of Defense (DoD) awarded a $321 million, 7-year cooperative agreement to the Research Foundation for the State University of New York (RF SUNY) to continue its role leading the American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics (AIM Photonics). AIM Photonics, headquartered at the Albany NanoTech Complex in New York, will continue to collaborate with public and private entities to advance U.S. leadership in manufacturing integrated photonic circuits. In support of this follow-on assistance agreement, $165 million in federal funding will be combined with over $156 million in non-federal cost-share from companies, colleges and universities, and state and local governments.

     

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    FY 2022 SMART Scholar SEED Grant Program Awardees

    October 21, 2021

     

     

    The Department of Defense (DoD) Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) program recently announced awards to 21 SMART PhD scholars as part of its competitive SMART Scholar SEED Grant program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. The SMART Scholar SEED Grant Program awards research grants worth up to $100,000 per year for a maximum of three years to promising SMART scholars as they transition from the pursuit of their PhDs to become active Department of Defense (DoD) professionals. The grants help scholars establish foundational research/engineering projects in their areas of expertise.

     

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    Keynote at Women in Technology Event

    October 19, 2021

     

     

    On Friday, October 15, 2021, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), Heidi Shyu, delivered keynote remarks at the Laboratory for Physical Sciences 3rd Bi-Annual Women in Technology: Building Tomorrow Together.

     

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    The DoD Awards $47 Million in Grants Through the NDEP

    October 19, 2021

     

     

    The Department of Defense (DoD), through the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), is pleased to announce more than $47 million to 15 awardees under the National Defense Education Program (NDEP) in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Biotechnology, and Enhanced Civics Education.

     

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    Defense Science and Technology Protection Experts Share Acquisition Course Updates in New Webinar

    October 15, 2021

     

     

    Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition professionals can now access updates to Defense Acquisition University (DAU) course ACQ 160, "Program Protection Planning Awareness," through a new recorded webinar released September 27, 2021 that features two Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) science and technology (S&T) protection experts.

     

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    DoD Advances Digital Engineering Practice

    October 8, 2021

     

     

    The Department of Defense (DoD) requires robust engineering practices and modern weapon systems to defeat adversaries. To remain competitive, the DoD is adopting digital engineering practices in developing defense systems.

     

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    DoD Cyber Table Top Guide, Version 2

    October 1, 2021

     

     

    The Cyber Table Top (CTT) method is a type of mission-based cyber risk assessment that defense programs can use to produce actionable information on potential cyber threats across a system's acquisition life cycle.

     

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    2021 Class of LUCI Fellows

    September 30, 2021

     

     

    The Basic Research Office at OUSD (R&E) is pleased to announce the 2021 class of Laboratory-University Collaboration (LUCI) Fellows. LUCI fellows are highly accomplished 6.1 researchers in the DoD laboratories that wish to partner with top tier DoD-funded academic researchers.

     

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    DOD Launches Centers of Excellence at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

    September 14, 2021

     

     

    The Department of Defense (DoD), through the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), is pleased to announce awards totaling $15 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to establish Centers of Excellence (COEs) in Biotechnology and Materials Science.

     

  • STEM
    DOD Awards 2021 STEM Scholars

    September 8, 2021



    The Department of Defense (DoD) Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Program recently announced awards to 416 SMART scholars as part of its 2021 cohort. The 2021 cohort is comprised of students representing 184 colleges and universities, and is the largest and most diverse in the program's 15 year history.


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    Cyber Resilient Weapon Systems Body of Knowledge Portal

    August 20, 2021

     

     

    The Strategic Technology Protection and Exploitation (STP&E) Office in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) announces the release of the Cyber Resilient Weapon Systems Body of Knowledge (CRWS-BoK) Portal Version 1.1.

     

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    Virtual Summit on Robotic Solutions for Pandemics and Beyond

    August 27, 2021

     

     

    The Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Institute, a Department of Defense Manufacturing Innovation Institute (DoD MII), opened registration for the "ARM Exchange Technical Summit: Robotic Solutions for Pandemics & Beyond." This event is free to attend and open to the public, but registration is required.

     

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    STEM Community College and Relevant Partners Consortium

    August 20, 2021

     

     

    OUSD(R&E) has announced a Request for Information on STEM Community College and Relevant Partners Consortium to help improve the future on future talent workforce in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Responses are due by Friday, September 10, 2021.

     

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    2021 SMART Scholar Symposium: Creating Leaders of the Future

    August 4, 2021

     

     

    The Department of Defense (DoD) Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Program, managed under the Office of the Undersecretary for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), hosted its fourth annual symposium on July 13-15, 2021.

     

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    Fiscal Year 2021 Research Equipment Awards to Minority-Serving Institutions

    June 2021



    Arlington, VA - Today, the Department of Defense (DoD), through the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), announced awards to 70 minority-serving institutions totaling $30.4 million as part of the fiscal year (FY) 2021 DoD Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MSI) Research and Education Program.


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    DoD Releases New Instruction on Additive Manufacturing

    June 2021

    In June 2021, the Department of Defense (DoD), through the Office of the Undersecretary for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), published a DoD Instruction (DoDI) that promotes additive manufacturing (AM) use across the DoD enterprise. DoD has identified AM as a technology that contributes to a key line of effort in the National Defense Strategy, "building a more lethal force." This DoDI supports the Department's vision for utilizing AM to enable a more agile, adaptable, and aligned defense supply base to outpace adversarial threats.

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    Hicks Provides Overview of DOD Priorities

    June 8, 2021

    The deputy defense secretary today spoke about a wide range of topics regarding Defense Department priorities reflected in the fiscal year 2022 budget request.

Department of Defense Announces Updated STEM Strategic Plan

July 23, 2021

The DoD, through OUSD(R&E), just released an updated DoD STEM Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2021-2025 that showcases the DoD's dedication to developing current and future STEM talent.

Learn More
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    DoD Announces Additional Fiscal Year 2021 University Research Funding Awards

    May 2021

    Arlington, VA - The Department of Defense (DoD) has announced an additional $10 million in funding awards to 4 teams that participated in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) competition, managed by the Basic Research Office (BRO) in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)). The winning teams, which represent 16 academic institutions nationwide, will receive three-year grants-contingent upon satisfactory research progress and the availability of funds-to pursue basic research that spans multiple scientific disciplines.  The Department previously announced $179 million in MURI awards to 25 research teams from the same FY21 MURI competition.  Please click here to download the list of additional winning teams.

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    FY21 BOOST Program Awardees

    May 10, 2021




    The Department of Defense's (DOD) Biotech Optimized for Operational Solutions and Tactics (BOOST) Program has awarded $5 million in total to five selected technology development proposals for Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21). The DDRE(R&T) in OUSD(R&E) oversees the BOOST Program.



  • Sailors from Expeditionary Medical Facility-M collect their personal protective equipment near the New Orleans Convention Center, April 6, 2021.
    Manufacturing Innovation Institutes Integral to U.S. Pandemic Response

    May 5, 2021




    When the COVID-19 pandemic struck the U.S. in early 2020 and overwhelmed the nation's supply of personal protective equipment, the Defense Department's Manufacturing Innovation Institutes leveraged their public-private partnerships to enable manufacturers to quickly pivot and ramp up production to respond to frontline health care workers' PPE needs and protect Americans against COVID-19 exposure.



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    2021 Class of Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship

    May 5, 2021

     

     

    Arlington, VA - On May 5th, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced the selection of eight distinguished faculty scientists and engineers for the 2021 Class of Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellows (VBFF). The highly competitive fellowship is the DoD's flagship single investigator award for basic research. VBFF is sponsored by the Basic Research Office, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, with grants managed by the Office of Naval Research.

     

     

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    DoD S&T Executive Committee Meets for Annual Strategic Review

    April 29, 2021

     

     

    The Department of Defense (DoD) Science and Technology Executive Committee (S&T ExCom), coordinated by the Office of the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), is proud to announce the winner of the 2021 Applied Research for Advancement of S&T Priorities (ARAP) Program Award Competition.

     

     

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    Winner of FY21 Applied Research for Advancement of S&T Priorities Program Award

    April 28, 2021




    The Department of Defense (DoD) Science and Technology Executive Committee (S&T ExCom), coordinated by the Office of the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), is proud to announce the winner of the 2021 Applied Research for Advancement of S&T Priorities (ARAP) Program Award Competition.



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    IDENT 2020 Winner

    April 27, 2021

     

     

    Cyrus Jabbari, a DDR&E(AC) analyst with the Rapid Reaction Technology Office (RRTO) recently distinguished himself as the winner of the Integrated Discovery of Emerging and Novel Technologies (IDENT) 2020.

     

     

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    COE-AI/ML at Howard

    April 1, 2021

     

     

    The DoD, through OUSD(R&E), launched a $7.5 million Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (COE-AI/ML) at Howard University. The COE-AI/ML will focus on developing and evaluating trustworthy, reliable, and robust ML algorithms and AI systems for mission critical applications. The center is part of the DoD's Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCUs/MSIs) Research and Education Program.

     

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    COE-AQS at Delaware State

    April 1, 2021

     

     

    The DoD, through OUSD(R&E), launched a $7.5 million Center of Excellence in Advanced Quantum Sensing (COE-AQS) at Delaware State University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). The COE-AQS will stimulate research and innovation leading to the development of novel quantum sensing technologies and methodologies. The center was awarded as part of the DoD's research and education program for HBCUs and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs).

     

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    Defense Department Launches $7.5 Million COE-NC4

    March 12, 2021



    The DoD, through OUSD(R&E), launched a $7.5 million Center of Excellence in
    Networked Configurable Command, Control and Communications for Rapid
    Situational Awareness (COE-NC4) at the University of California, Riverside,
    a Hispanic-serving minority institution. Administered by the Army Research
    Laboratory, the Center is part of the Historically Black Colleges and
    Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCUs/MSIs) Research and
    Education Program, supporting the DoD's commitment to building a diverse
    pipeline of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics talent.


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    2021 MURI Competition

    February 2021

     

     

    Arlington, VA - The Department of Defense (DoD) has announced $179 million in funding awards to 25 teams that participated in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) competition. The winning teams, which represent 57 academic institutions nationwide, will receive five-year grants-contingent upon satisfactory research progress and the availability of funds-to pursue basic research that spans multiple scientific disciplines.

     

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    DoD Additive Manufacturing Strategy

    January 2021

     

     

    The Office of the Secretary of Defense Manufacturing Technology (OSD ManTech) Program Office in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) released its first-ever comprehensive Additive Manufacturing (AM) Strategy in January 2021. The AM Strategy establishes a common vision for the use of this game-changing technology, which is also known as three-dimensional (3D) printing. OSD ManTech, which is under the Strategic Technology Protection and Exploitation (STP&E) Office in OUSD(R&E), crafted the Strategy in partnership with the Military Services and other defense agencies.

     

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    5G Challenge to Develop Open 5G Systems

    January 11, 2021 - DOD News



    The Department of Defense, in coordination with the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), announced a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) to explore a new 5G Challenge aimed at accelerating the development of an open 5G ecosystem that can support DoD missions.


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    DoD International Science & Technology Engagement Strategy

    December 28, 2020 - DOD News

     

     

    Acting Under Secretary Michael Kratsios signed the DOD International Science and Technology Engagement Strategy, which supports the 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS) directive to strengthen alliances and attract new partners.

     

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    DOD Approves $87 Million for Newest Bioindustrial Manufacturing Innovation Institute

    October 20, 2020 - DoD News

    Today, the Department of Defense announced an $87 million, seven-year award to the BioIndustrial Manufacturing and Design Ecosystem (BioMADE), a nonprofit created by the Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC), for a new Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII). BioMADE, headquartered at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul, will collaborate with public and private entities to advance sustainable and reliable bioindustrial manufacturing technologies.

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    Department of Defense Announces $197.2 Million for Microelectronics

    October 15, 2020 - DoD News

    Today, the Department of Defense announced it has awarded over $197 million to advance microelectronics technology and strengthen the American microelectronics industrial base. This critical industry will underpin the development of other Department of Defense technology priorities such as artificial intelligence, 5G communications, quantum computing, and autonomous vehicles.

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    DOD Establishes Joint Hypersonics Transition Office Systems Engineering Field Activity at NSWC Crane

    October 15, 2020 - DoD News

    Today, the DoD established its Joint Hypersonics Transition Office Systems Engineering Field Activity at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division. Through this partnership, located in Crane, Indiana, the Department can leverage the growing suite of government, industry, and academic leaders associated with NSWC Crane. Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Dr. Mark Lewis, and JHTO Director, Dr. Gillian Bussey, announced the JHTO Systems Engineering Field Activity opening in a virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 15th with Governor Eric Holcomb.

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    DOD Kicks Off World's Largest Dual-Use 5G Testing Effort

    October 9, 2020 - By C. Todd Lopez, DoD News

    Defense Department officials announced yesterday the awarding of $600 million in contracts to 15 prime contractors to perform testing and evaluation of 5G technologies at five military installations across the United States, said the acting undersecretary of defense for research and engineering.

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    STEM and Biotechnology Virtual Symposium

    September 24, 2020 - DoD News

    The Office of Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering hosted the first virtual Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), and Biotechnology Virtual Symposium, September 24.

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    Keynote Speaker at DOD's SBIR/STTR Virtual Symposium

    September 21, 2020 - DoD News

    The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD (R&E)) announced the line-up of speakers for the inaugural Department of Defense Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Virtual Symposium. The symposium, taking place October 7th, will feature keynote speaker Mr. Michael J. Kratsios, acting Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.

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    Radiation and Temperature Effects on Space-Based Microelectronics

    September 20, 2020 - RT&L News

    McClellan Park, California- Engineers at the Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA) have invented a new system for testing semiconductors' reliability and other critical electronics components in the harsh environment encountered in space.

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    Embracing Change: Shifting the DoD to an Approach for Modernization and Joint Warfighting Concept Development

    September 24, 2020 - DoD CTO Public Affairs

    The Department of Defense (DoD) is fundamentally changing the way it modernizes forces to fight and win tomorrow's wars. The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD (R&E)) has been tasked to lead this change. The Deputy Director for Engineering (DD, ENG), Dr. Sandra Magnus, is leading the Chief Engineers Council advising the Mission Engineering direction and guiding documents.

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    DoD Invests $50 million in Minority-Serving Institutions to Conduct Boundary-Pushing Scientific Research

    September 23, 2020 - DOD News

     

     

    The Department of Defense (DoD), through the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), is pleased to announce awards totaling $50 million to Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCUs/MSIs) to conduct research in defense priority areas. The competitive awards cover two discrete funding opportunities under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 DoD HBCU/MSI Research and Education Program.

     

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    AI Aiding DOD in Early Detection of COVID-19

    September 22, 2020 - By David Vergun, DOD News

    The Defense Threat Reduction Agency and Defense Innovation Unit are applying commercial technology for early detection of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, which causes the COVID-19 coronavirus disease.

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    DoD Awards $4 million to Eight Universities for Hypersonics Research

    September 14, 2020

    The Department of Defense (DOD) has awarded $4 million in grants to eight distinguished universities to support work on uniquely-complex hypersonics challenges. The awards made Sept. 9 are the first step toward meeting the DOD and congressional goals of developing the nation's hypersonics workforce and accelerating the transition of cutting-edge technology to operational hypersonic capabilities.

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    SDA announced two contract awards for the first generation of the Transport Layer.

    August 31, 2020 - SDA News

    SDA announced August 31 two contract awards for the first generation of the Transport Layer, called Tranche 0. These awards represent one of the first major and highly visible steps toward developing the National Defense Space Architecture's inaugural tranche. This set of contract awards will initiate the design, development, and launch of constellations comprised of tens of satellites with optical intersatellite links capable of sending and receiving wideband data to and from other space vehicles and ground stations. The capability demonstrated in the Transport Layer Tranche 0 will provide our warfighters with periodic regional access to low-latency data connectivity via space-based extensions of existing tactical data links. Contract details can be found at the SDA contracts webpage.

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    DOD Developing Small, Unmanned Aerial System for Warfighters

    August 20, 2020 - By David Vergun, DoD News

    For the first time ever, the Department of Defense and the entire federal government will have access to secure, trusted, and American-made commercial drones on the General Service Administration (GSA) schedule, acting undersecretary for research and engineering Michael Kratsios announced at a virtual event hosted by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) on Wednesday.

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    DIU Announces sUAS Product Availability

    August 20, 2020 - By DIU

    (Washington, DC) -- The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), a Department of Defense (DOD) organization that accelerates commercial technology for national defense, announced the availability of five U.S.-manufactured drone configurations to provide trusted, secure small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) options to the U.S. Government.

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    DOD Tech Chief Lays Out Vision for U.S. Technology Leadership

    August 13, 2020 - DoD News

    America's economic and military dominance lies in innovation, and the Defense Department's new technology chief is looking to strengthen and maintain the nation's position as the global leader in emerging technologies.

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    DoD Releases New Instruction on Technology Protection

    July 31, 2020 - DoD Press Release

    The Department of Defense published a DoD Instruction (DoDI) July 20 that contributes to a key line of effort in the National Defense Strategy - increasing the lethality of our forces - through promotion and implementation of enhanced technology protection across the DoD enterprise.

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    Pentagon Official Discusses Defense Modernization Priorities

    June 30, 2020 - Courtesy Video from Defense.gov

    Dr. Mark Lewis, the Defense Department's acting deputy under secretary of defense for research and engineering and director of defense research and engineering for modernization, discusses the DOD's priorities with Rebeccah Heinrichs of the Hudson Institute in Washington.

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    Risk Aversion Impedes Hypersonics Development

    June 30, 2020 - By C. Todd Lopez , DOD News

    Speeding ahead with the development of hypersonic weapons, both offensive and defensive, will require the Defense Department to look back to the 1960s - a time when it was far less risk-averse than it is now, the department's director of defense research and engineering for modernization said.

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    Hypersonics Testing Accelerates

    June 18, 2020 - By C. Todd Lopez , DOD News



    The March 19 test of a hypersonic glide body at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii is just the start for the Defense Department, the assistant director for hypersonics in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering said, and after ample flight testing, the department will move toward developing weapons from the concepts it's been testing.


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    DOD Has Pedal to the Metal on Hypersonics

    June 18, 2020 - By Jim Garamone , DOD News



    Mark J. Lewis, who spoke with Marcus Weisgerber at the Defense One Tech Summit yesterday, noted that Russia has announced fielding a hypersonic capability and that China is investing heavily in the technology.


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    DoD Releases Defense Space Strategy

    JUNE 17, 2020 - DoD Press Release

    Today the Secretary for Defense released the Defense Space Strategy, which identifies how Department of Defense will advance spacepower to be able to compete, deter, and win in a complex security environment characterized by great power competition.

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    DOD Names Seven Installations as Sites for Second Round of 5G Technology Testing, Experimentation

    June 3, 2020 - DoD News Release

    The Department of Defense has named seven U.S. military installations as the latest sites where it will conduct fifth-generation (5G) communications technology experimentation and testing. They are Naval Base Norfolk, Virginia; Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; Joint Base San Antonio, Texas; the National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin, California; Fort Hood, Texas; Camp Pendleton, California; and Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.

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    DOD, USAF Warfare Center to Build a 5G Network, Test Prototype Software at Nellis

    May 28, 2020 - DoD News Release

    The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) and the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center (USAFWC) at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada have teamed to build a fifth-generation (5G) cellular network on Nellis as part of DOD's development of 5G for both defense and civilian uses.

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    DoD 5G Strategy

    May 20, 2020 - DoD Release

    Fifth-generation wireless communications technologies (5G) currently in development promise orders of magnitude improvements in multiple areas, including speed, connectivity, and reduced latency. The deployment of 5G capabilities will also be far more disruptive than those of prior generations, with transformative effects that extend beyond telecommunications. 

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    Danger to GPS Due to FCC Licensing Ruling

    May 8, 2020 - By David Vergun, DoD News

    DOD Chief Information Officer Dana S. Deasy; Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael D. Griffin; Space Force Gen. John W. "Jay" Raymond, chief of space operations and commander of U.S. Space Command; and retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad W. Allen spoke at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on DOD spectrum policy and the impact of the FCC's Ligado Networks decision on national security.

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    DOD Invests $3.6 Million for the DEPSCoR Competition Winners

    May 1, 2020 - DoD Press Release

    The Department of Defense has selected six collaborative teams as winners of the Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) competition. Each team will receive up to $600,000 over a three-year period of performance to pursue science and engineering research in areas relevant to DOD initiatives supporting the National Defense Strategy.

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    DOD Awards Contracts for Development of a Mobile Microreactor

    March 9, 2020 - DoD Release

    The Department of Defense has awarded three teams, BWX Technologies, Inc., Lynchburg, Virginia; Westinghouse Government Services, Washington, D.C.; and X-energy, LLC, Greenbelt, Maryland; contracts to each begin design work on a mobile nuclear reactor prototype under a Strategic Capabilities Office initiative called Project Pele.

  • Photo By: David Vergun, DOD Dr. Griffin 5G
    5G to Aid Warfighters, Thwart Adversaries

    March 5, 2020 - By David Vergun, DoD News

    Dr. Michael D. Griffin, undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, spoke at the 11th annual McAleese Defense Programs Conference in Washington, D.C.

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    Department of Defense Press Briefing on Hypersonics

    March 2, 2020 - DoD News Release



    Mark Lewis, director of defense research and engineering for modernization, and Mike White, the assistant director of defense research and engineering for modernization, will discuss hypersonics during a news conference at the Pentagon. Read Transcript (PDF)


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    Fiscal Year 2020 University Research Funding Awards

    February 2020 - DoD News Release

    Arlington, VA - The Department of Defense (DoD) announced $185 million in multidisciplinary university research initiative (MURI) awards to 26 research teams pursuing basic research spanning multiple scientific disciplines.

  • Defense Digital Service
    Rogue Squadron Transitions from DIU to DDS

    February 12, 2020 - Defense Digital Service

    Washington - Rogue Squadron, a Defense Innovation Unit team based in Mountain View, California, which develops hardware and software solutions for small unmanned aerial systems and counter-UAS missions, will now report to the Defense Digital Service, a DoD organization dedicated to providing the best in modern technical knowledge to the government.

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    MOSIS MPW Sponsorship Through Intel Custom Foundry

    February 2020 - DoD Release

    To encourage participation in the MOSIS Service offerings of Intel's multi-project wafer fabrication runs, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Trusted and Assured Microelectronics Program aims to potentially sponsor MPW runs in government fiscal year 2020 and 2021. Projects aligning with the R&E Microelectronics Roadmap's need for access to State-Of-The-Art technology will be considered for subsidized fabrication if those designs and/or design efforts are complementary to the T&AM objectives of enhancing the U.S. microelectronics development capability.

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    DoD Launches Allied Prototype Initiative

    January 13, 2020 - DoD Release

    The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, through its Advanced Capabilities directorate, has launched the Allied Prototyping Initiative, a program that leverages existing frameworks for international cooperation in research and development to expand prototyping opportunities on a shared-contribution basis between the U.S. and our closest allies.

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    Request for Information on the American Research Environment

    Response Date - December 23, 2019



    Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP)


    A new Request for Information was issued on behalf of the National Science and Technology Council's (NSTC) Joint Committee on the Research Environment (JCORE) to solicit input that the Trump Administration can take to "maximize the quality and effectiveness of the American research environment." JCORE seeks this input from private industry, academic institutions, professional societies, non-profit and philanthropic organizations, and Federal agencies.


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    DoD Invests $32 Million in MEEP

    December 19, 2019 - DoD Release

    The Department of Defense, through the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, has selected seven awardees for the Manufacturing Engineering Education Program.

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    Test Launch at Vandenberg Air Force base

    December 12, 2019 - U.S. Air Force


    The U.S. Air Force, in partnership with the Strategic Capabilities Office, conducted a flight test of a prototype conventionally-configured ground-launched ballistic missile...


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    MOSIS MPW Sponsorship Through Intel Custom Foundry

    December 2019 - DoD Release

    To encourage participation in the MOSIS Service offerings of Intel's multi-project wafer (MPW) fabrication runs, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) Trusted and Assured Microelectronics (T&AM) Program aims to potentially sponsor MPW runs in government fiscal year (GFY)-2020 and GFY-2021.

  • Dr. Derek Tournear
    Space Development Agency Director Announced

    October 28, 2019 - DoD Release

    The Department of Defense (DoD) today announced the selection of Dr. Derek Tournear as the first permanent director of the Space Development Agency.

  • Fiscal Year 2019 Research Equipment Awards to Minority-Serving Institutions

    October 23, 2019 - DoD Release

    The Department of Defense has awarded $23.2 million to 59 minority-serving institutions as part of the fiscal year 2019 DoD Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions Research and Education Program. The awards range from $122,786 to $600,000 and support the acquisition of research equipment at 24 HBCUs, 34 MSIs and one Tribal College.

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    Strategic Manufacturing Capability for Radiation-Hardened Microelectronics

    October 11, 2019 - DoD News Release

    Arlington, VA - The Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded a contract to Skywater Technology Foundry to develop a new fabrication process for radiation-hardened (rad-hard) microelectronics.

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    USD(R&E) Letter to Universities

    Letter Published October 10, 2019

     

    Dr. Michael Griffin

    Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering

     

     

    For decades, scientists at universities and research centers, supported by the Department of Defense, have made ground-breaking scientific discoveries that underpinned dramatic commercial and national security advances, significantly improving the lives of citizens here and abroad…

     

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    Assume Networks Are Compromised, DOD Official Urges

    September 24, 2019 - By C. Todd Lopez

    Cybersecurity requires more than just building a barrier around the network. No matter how secure a computer network or the environment it's used in may seem to be, users should just assume it's compromised, said Dr. Lisa Porter, the deputy undersecretary of defense for research and engineering. Now, she said, cyber professionals are thinking about "zero-trust architecture," which assumes that no one who uses the network can be trusted.

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    5G and Microelectronics

    Published September 9, 2019

    Dr. Lisa Porter, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, writes to discuss 5G and Microelectronics.

  • The White House
    White House Unveils FY 2021 Research and Development Budget Priorities

    August 30, 2019 - Executive Office of the President

    For FY2021, the five R&D budgetary priorities in this memorandum ensure that America remains at the forefront of scientific progress, national and economic security, and personal wellbeing, while continuing to serve as the standard-bearer for today's emerging technologies and Industries of the Future.

  • Announcement of the 2019-2020 Cohort of the Jennings Randolph Peace Scholar Dissertation Fellows

    August 26, 2019 - DoD Release

    The Department of Defense Minerva Research Initiative is pleased to announce the 2019-2020 cohort of the Jennings Randolph Peace Scholar Dissertation Fellows. This year, over 110 applicants from 70 U.S. universities applied for this prestigious award. The dissertations chosen for the Peace Scholar Fellowship show the greatest potential to advance peacebuilding and security fields, and the strongest likelihood to affect policy and practice.

  • DOD Conducts Ground Launch Cruise Missile Test

    August 19, 2019 - DoD Release

    On Sunday, August 18, 2019 at 2:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, the Department of Defense conducted a flight test of a conventionally-configured ground-launched cruise missile at San Nicolas Island, California. The test missile exited its ground mobile launcher and accurately impacted its target after more than 500 kilometers of flight. Data collected and lessons learned from this test will inform the Department of Defense's development of future intermediate-range capabilities. Click here to watch video of missile launch.

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    DOD Announces Award for STEM Education and Outreach Efforts

    April 16, 2019 - Press Operations

    WASHINGTON, DC - The Department of Defense (DoD) recently announced the award of the Defense Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Consortium (DSEC) cooperative agreement. The cooperative agreement was awarded to Research Triangle Institute (RTI), who will receive up to $15 million a year over the course of five years.

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    DoD Announces Fiscal Year 2019 Research Equipment Awards

    March 25, 2019 - Press Operations



    Arlington, VA - The Department of Defense announced awards to 185 university researchers totaling $56 million under the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP). These grants will be provided to 95 institutions across 36 states in fiscal 2019.


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    DOD Announces FY2018 Minerva Research Initiative Awards

    March 18, 2019 - Press Operations



    The Department of Defense continued its history of strong support for fundamental research by selecting 12 faculty investigators for awards through the FY2018 Minerva Research Initiative.


  • Defense Budget Overview
    DOD Releases Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Proposal

    March 12, 2019 - Press Operations

    On March 11, 2019, President Donald J. Trump sent Congress a proposed Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Budget request of $750 billion for national security, $718.3 billion of which is for the Department of Defense (DoD).

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    Synthetic Biology (SynBio) Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII)

    Response Date - February 28, 2020

    AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY

    The purpose of this Notice of Intent is to announce the U.S. Government's intent to launch a competition for the ninth Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) led by the Department of Defense (DoD). The technical focus area for this Institute will be Synthetic Biology.

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    Path Forward for Artificial Intelligence

    Feb. 12, 2019, By Press Operations

    The Department of Defense on Feb. 12 released the summary of its strategy on artificial intelligence. The strategy, Harnessing AI to Advance Our Security and Prosperity, outlines how DOD will leverage AI into the future.

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    Strong Missile Shield Protects U.S., Allies

    Jan. 17, 2019, By David Vergun

    WASHINGTON --President Donald J. Trump, Vice President Michael R. Pence and Acting Defense Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan announced the release of the 2019 Missile Defense Review today at the Pentagon.

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    DOD Issues Second Special Notice Seeking Input from Industry on 5G Technology Development

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    DoD Awards $10 Million in Funding

    January 17, 2019 - Press Operations

    The Department of Defense has awarded $10 million in funding to the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute (DMDII), with an option of $20 million more over the upcoming five years to lead the digital future of manufacturing Feb. 21.

DoD Chief Technology Officer Delivers First Congressional Testimony

APRIL 7, 2022

Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Heidi Shyu testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee's Emerging Threats and Capabilities subcommittee on April 6, 2022. It was the first Congressional testimony Shyu provided since being confirmed in her current position in July, 2021.

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