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1 [1] (December 15, 2016)

handle is hein.crs/crsmthmbbzu0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressiona Research Service ~~Info rmig the liltive debate since 1914 December 15, 2016 Defense Primer: RDT&E Advanced technology plays a critical role in ensuring U.S. national security. To maintain technological superiority on the battlefield, the Department of Defense (DOD) relies on scientific and technical knowledge developed in large measure through research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) funded by the department and performed by industry, universities, federal laboratories, and others. DOD also relies on technology developed by the private sector for commercial markets. This In Focus describes DOD's RDT&E appropriations structure and funding levels. DOD appropriations are provided annually through the defense appropriations act, one of the 12 regular appropriations acts that provide most of the discretionary funding for operation of the federal government. In FY2016, Congress appropriated $72.7 billion for DOD RDT&E, nearly half of all federal research and development appropriations and more than twice that of the next largest federal recipient. DOD RDT&E funding is provided in four of the act's titles (see box). DOD RDT&E can be characterized by the receiving organization or program and by the character of the work. RDT&E by Organization and Program RDT&E Appropriations Under Title IV More than 95% of DOD's RDT&E funding is appropriated in Title IV (Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation), which includes appropriations for the Army, Navy, Air Force, a Defense-wide RDT&E account, and the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation. The Defense-wide account includes the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Missile Defense Agency (MDA), and 16 other DOD organizations. Within each of these accounts are program elements (PEs) that provide funding for particular activities (e.g., night vision technology, aviation survivability). RDT&E Under Other Titles RDT&E funds are also appropriated for programs in other titles. For example, RDT&E funds are appropriated as part of the National Defense Sealift Fund in Title V and for the Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction Program and Defense Health Program in Title VI. In some years, RDT&E funds have also been appropriated in Title IX as part of DOD's funding for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO, formerly the Global War on Terror). Typically, the RDT&E funds appropriated for OCO activities support specified PEs in Title IV, though they are requested and accounted for separately. Alternatively, they may be provided to the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Fund or certain transfer funds. DOD Appropriations Titles That Fund RDT&E Title IV: Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Army Navy Air Force Defense-wide Operational Test and Evaluation Title V: Revolving and Management Funds e National Defense Sealift Fund Title VI: Other Defense Programs Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction Defense Health Program Inspector General Title IX: Overseas Contingency Operations Any of the above joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Fund e Transfer Funds RDT-&E by Character of Work While DOD Title IV funds are appropriated only by organization or program, DOD budget justifications and congressional appropriations reports and explanatory statements also typically describe this funding by the character of the work to be performed. This characterization consists of seven categories, each with a budget activity code (6.1 through 6.7) and a description. (See Table 1.) Table I. DOD RDT&E Budget Activity Codes Code Description 6.1 Basic Research 6.2 Applied Research 6.3 Advanced Technology Development 6.4 Advanced Component Development and Prototypes 6.5 System Development and Demonstration 6.6 RDT&E Management Support 6.7 Operational System Development Source: Department of Defense, Financial Management Regulation (DoD 7000.14-R), Volume 2B, March 2016. Funding in codes 6.1 to 6.3 is referred to by DOD as the science and technology (S&T) budget. This portion of DOD RDT&E is often singled out for attention by analysts, as it is seen as the pool of knowledge necessary for the development of future military systems. In contrast, 6.4, 6.5, and 6.7 funds are focused on the application of existing scientific and technical knowledge to meet current or near- term operational needs. The funds in 6.6 are for RDT&E management and support work in any of the other RDT&E budget accounts. Within the S&T program, basic research wwwcrs.gov i 7-5700

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