Science and Technology (S&T) Analytic Assessments
Abstract
This program supports the Department's initiatives to Defend the Homeland, Deter Aggression and Prevail in Conflict, Build Sustainable and Long-Term Advantage, and Build a Resilient Joint Force and Defense Ecosystem. This Program Element (PE) directly supports the Strategic Intelligence and Analysis Cell (SIAC) for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)) that focuses on understanding the capabilities and vulnerabilities of potential adversaries, assessing U.S. capabilities, tracking global technology trends, assessing emerging threats, and identifying potential opportunities that warrant action and investment. Throughout this process the analysis will be tightly coupled with both the Intelligence community (IC) and the operational community. Global science and technology (S&T) awareness and context is gained and incorporated through the Technology Watch/Horizon Scanning (TW/HS) project, and when combined with threat-based operational and technical analyses, integrates DoD technology, engineering, and acquisition planning to inform the strategic technology development decisions of the OUSD(R&E). Analysis and assessments are focused on challenges related to National Defense Strategy (NDS) objectives and competitors' research and development trends. Two main lines of effort accomplish this mission: 1)All-source intelligence integration into the analytic and conceptual baseline, framework, and development efforts across the R&E enterprise provides a bridge between the IC and OUSD(R&E). The most relevant intelligence analysis and coordinated integration of intelligence with technology development trends informs strategic investment direction. -An annual S&T Intelligence Needs Plan (INP) is delivered to the IC, providing production centers with the intelligence requirements of the S&T community. The INP improves short-term intelligence integration through the direct return of products relevant to enterprise needs; as well as long-term collection and planning processes in the IC as a customer demand signal. -Open-source analysis, technology watch, and horizon scanning identify emerging and disruptive technology trends in areas of future military utility to inform strategic investment decisions; 2)Net technical assessments (NTA) are conducted using integrated information from the acquisition, intelligence, operational, and technical communities to quantify key attributes of emerging critical challenges and assess counter technology options. Independent analysis is performed by industry, academic, and Federally Funded Research and Development Center/ University Affiliated Research Center (FFRDC/UARC) partners. -Technology wargames inform NTAs and identify opportunities stemming from emerging technologies; evaluate the demands of the future operational environment; and integrate the operational, technology, and intelligence communities across the DoD and IC. Due to the emergent nature of these challenges and threats, specific analytic foci are unlikely to be identified beyond the current budget year. The process for developing and executing assessments can span fiscal years and may have multiple phases as trends progress and new information arises.
Document Details
- Document Type
- R2 Budgetary Justification
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2023
- Source ID
- 0603288D8Z_3_0400_PB_2023
- Change Summary Explanation
- FY 2023 funding increase reflects the fact that the FY 2022 President’s Budget request did not include out-year funding.
- Service Agency Name
- Office of the Secretary Of Defense
Entities
Organizations
- Office of the Secretary of Defense
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