DOD Seeks Nearly $18B Budget for S&T Initiatives

The Pentagon’s budget request for the fiscal year 2024 includes $17.8 billion for science and technology projects, 8.3 percent higher compared to its approved S&T funding in FY 2023. Speaking at a National Defense Industrial Association-hosted webinar, Heidi Shyu, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering and a three-time Wash100 awardee, said $1.7 billion of the requested S&T funding would go to microelectronics research, development and prototyping.

Over the past few years, the Department of Defense has prioritized mitigating microelectronics supply chain risks and reducing its reliance on components produced overseas through the creation of a secure domestic chip production base, DefenseScoop reported.

At the same event, the DOD undersecretary shared that the department is likely to release its National Defense Science and Technology Strategy soon, noting that the document is awaiting the approval of the defense secretary. The strategy aims to improve joint operations, rapid prototyping and science and technology workforce development. 

According to Shyu, accelerating the prototyping and experimentation phase is essential in enabling joint force operations. In 2022, the official launched the Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve to speed up the development and turnover of promising technologies to combatant commanders and address joint capability gaps.