Heidi Shyu: DOD Has Programs to Ensure US Maintains Technological Edge

Heidi Shyu, the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, said the Pentagon needs to boost its science, technology and development capabilities to counter China’s attempts to overtake the United States in terms of emerging technologies and military capabilities.

Speaking at the Potomac Officers Club’s 10th Annual Defense R&D Summit on Wednesday, Shyu, a 2024 Wash100 awardee, shared that the DOD’s Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve program is an example of the department’s commitment to supporting military technology development – from prototyping to validation. According to Shyu, the program focuses on joint warfare in contested environments, C3ISR, unmanned systems, contested logistics and information sharing.

She also mentioned offering loans to small businesses to pursue innovative critical technologies, the Department of Defense said Wednesday.

The U.S. military is actively pursuing technology advancements through various initiatives, including partnerships with allied countries.

In January, Michael Horowitz, deputy assistant secretary of defense for force development and emerging capabilities, said the U.S., the United Kingdom and Australia made breakthroughs in jointly using artificial intelligence solutions and robotics. According to Horowitz, one of the successful tech partnerships the AUKUS cooperation made was the creation of an algorithm that allows allies to access data from each other’s platforms to support anti-submarine warfare.