Emerging Capabilities Technology Development

Abstract

In alignment with the National Defense Strategy, the Emerging Capabilities Technology Development (ECTD) Program Element (PE) supports the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)) with experimentation and mid-term, mission-focused capability development that crosses functional domains and enhances warfighter lethality, technical superiority, adaptability, and resilience. ECTD funding supports joint prototype development, joint experimentation for concept of operations (CONOPs) development, and red teaming validations that enable disruptive innovation to sustain the United States' operational superiority. Joint demonstrations and ECTD-sponsored venues of defense-wide experiments provide opportunities for emerging technologies to succeed, or fail fast. Demonstration venues include: Stiletto, a maritime experimentation and demonstration platform; Thunderstorm, a multi-domain venue focused on small and non-traditional businesses; Silent Hammer, an advanced electronic warfare venue; and, other tailored experimentation and demonstration events. The red teaming funding line explores vulnerabilities in emerging technologies and enables USD(R&E), and the broader defense science and technology community, to make informed decisions before investing in new capabilities. Red teaming enables adaptation to unforeseen vulnerabilities or opportunities early in capability development when design changes are cost effective and programs can be re-directed if developmental dead ends are discovered. ECTD prototypes, demonstrations, experimentations, and red teaming validations enable developers to showcase new and maturing capabilities in realistic environments and against realistic threats with operational user involvement. ECTD prototyping projects increase the speed of technology innovation by reducing technology risk for emerging capabilities. With an emphasis on joint and interagency partnerships, ECTD matures capability options to anticipate and inform new acquisition pathways in addition to formal requirements and acquisition processes. Project selection is guided by Department-level strategies and priorities, such as the National Defense Strategy, the Chairman’s Capability Gap Assessment, and Department of Defense (DoD) modernization priorities.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2022
• Source ID: 0603699D8Z_3_0400_PB_2022
• Change Summary Explanation: A Congressional rescission of $36.000 million was enacted as part of the FY 2021 Appropriation reducing the available FY 2020 budget to $69.998 million.
• Service Agency Name: Office of the Secretary Of Defense

Entities

Organizations

• Office of the Secretary of Defense

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Air Platforms
• Autonomy
• Cyber
• Engineered Resilient Systems
• Ground and Sea Platforms
• Human Systems
• Sensors
• Space
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Air Force
• Artificial Intelligence
• Command And Control
• Composite Structures
• Fighter Aircraft
• Multi-Domain Operations
• National Security
• Reliability
• Signal Processing
• Space Force
• Space Systems
• Test And Evaluation
• United States Special Operations Command
• Unmanned Aerial Systems
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
• War Games
• Warfare

Readers

• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.
• Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

• Microelectronics