ACS joins Coalition for National Security Research to offer FY22 budget recommendations

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December 3, 2020

Dear Acting Secretary Miller, Acting Under Secretary Kratsios, Director Vought, and Director Droegemeier,

As you develop the fiscal year (FY) 2022 U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) budget request, the Coalition for National Security Research (CNSR), representing the undersigned members of industry, academia, scientific and professional organizations, and non-profit organizations, respectfully requests you include funding for the Defense science and technology (S&T) program at levels equal to 3 percent of the DoD budget and funding for the defense basic research programs at 20 percent of the Defense S&T budget.

If the United States military is to maintain its global technological superiority, it is imperative that we robustly invest in the Defense S&T program. Many of the technologies that have sustained our military dominance stem from prior investments in the Defense S&T program. These include, stealth and counter stealth technologies, night vision, radar, sonar, nuclear propulsion, precision munitions, jet engines, near-real-time delivery of battlefield information, and global positioning technologies, just to name a few. Furthermore, the Defense S&T program is already laying the foundation and advancing capabilities in Industries of the Future (IotF) such as artificial intelligence/machine learning, quantum technologies, autonomy, hypersonics, advanced manufacturing, and directed energy. Investing in the Defense S&T program is essential to meeting many of the objectives in the National Defense Strategy (NDS) including sustaining Joint Force military advantages, establishing an unmatched twenty-first century national security innovation base, and ensuring we have the technologies to deter adversaries or succeed in future conflicts¹.

With DoD being the second largest federal agency funding medical research², the Defense S&T program is contributing to the fight against COVID-19. Developing point-of-care rapid testing, 3D printing personal protective gear, predicting pandemic trends, supporting decision-making about interventions, and understanding the national security implications of the COVID-19 crisis all stem from capabilities developed by investments in the Defense S&T program, including the defense basic research programs³. These efforts are consistent with the FY 2022 Administration Research and Development Budget Priorities, specifically the first priority of strengthening American public health security and innovation⁴. Additional investment can further enable scientific research to safeguard the health and quality of life of individuals, families, and communities, which is the top priority for the Administration⁵.

The United States is at a critical crossroads in terms of global S&T leadership and national security. China is likely to become the world’s leader in research and development (R&D) investment soon⁶. From 2010 to 2017, United States federal investment in R&D fell nearly 15 percent while China’s R&D investment increased by nearly 13 percent⁷. Using a simple inflation calculation, funding for Defense S&T provided in the enacted FY 2020 Defense Appropriations bill is nearly $1.5 billion below levels appropriated in FY 2005. As noted by the Defense Science Board (DSB), inadequate levels of Defense S&T funding could threaten U.S. military dominance and leadership in the future⁸. The decline in R&D investment is particularly concerning considering that China now has the world’s largest Army and Navy, and the third largest Air Force⁹. Innovation and sustained investments are keys to maintaining our global military superiority.

In an effort to reverse declining R&D investment trends and support the innovative scientific research needed to ensure global S&T leadership, CNSR joins the DSB¹⁰, bipartisan House Armed Services Committee Future of Defense Task Force¹¹, National Academies12 and Council on Competitiveness¹³ to urge that the Defense S&T budget request comprise 3 percent of the overall DoD budget request. Additionally, CNSR urges that the defense basic research budget request comprise at least 20 percent of the Defense S&T budget, as recommended by the National Academies¹⁴ and Council on Competitiveness¹⁵. We also note that the DSB encouraged one-third of the Defense S&T budget be dedicated to revolutionary research such as the defense basic research programs¹⁶.

Thank you for consideration of our views. If we can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,