Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER)

Abstract

The Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER) program supports core program management and integration activities necessary to plan and execute a multi-year campaign of experimentation. The RDER initiative is a whole of DoD effort focused on joint experimentation to provide rapid capabilities that address our most difficult military challenges. The Secretary of Defense established the RDER initiative in the Defense Planning Guidance for Fiscal Years 2024-2028, to enable multi-component experimentation through a campaign of learning that accelerates technology transition and scale-up with the Services through the Deputy’s Management Action Group. This experimentation is executed using validated mission vignettes to assess Measures of Effectiveness and Measures of Performance identified in Modeling and Simulation. Integrated Assessment plans are developed for each prototype in the experiment and the data is collected through a campaign of experimentation utilizing Service demonstration venues or Combatant Command Training Exercises such as Project Capstone or Northern Edge/Valiant Shield respectively. The final prototype assessment will consist of a body of evidence that consists of Modeling and Simulation data, range or exercise performance, and doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, and facilities (DOTMPLF) issues. The assessment will drive a Department decision point for transition or acceleration of RDER projects. The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering OUSD(R&E) process for incubating promising prototypes starts with a novel experimental design based on a web of interconnected systems addressing specific Defense Planning Scenarios. This approach is unique from other experimentation that focuses on determining individual system efficacy. Additionally, the experimental design is unique in using the web of systems to explore new warfighting concepts that capitalize on contributions of multiple Services as a true joint force. The experimentation yields live data which is evaluated to depict system operational analysis against the predicted performance from modeling and simulation. The Operational Utility Assessment establishes the body of evidence for the "best of breed" and the rapid adaptation of the capability by the Services. OUSD(R&E) manages the Department’s multiple RDER experimentation events and conducts integration activities with the Joint Force. OUSD(R&E) recommends new projects, reviews project progress, and incorporates the most promising innovative prototypes into existing exercise venues such as: Project Capstone, Northern Edge, Valiant Shield, Talisman Sabre, Grey Flag, Joint Battle Problem, and TREX. RDER utilizes funding to plan, integrate, and oversee joint experiments; provide assessments on project viability; and, deliver results to facilitate decisions on transitioning promising capabilities with the Services.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2025
• Source ID: 0604790D8Z_4_0400_PB_2025
• Change Summary Explanation: FY 2023 change in Current President's Budget from Previous President's Budget is due to SBIR/STTR (-$0.723 million) and Cancelled Accounts (-$0.002 million) reductions. FY 2025 a reduction of $20.629 million consists of $0.737 million applied to meet DoD overall funding reductions, which were spread to mitigate impact.
• Service Agency Name: Office of the Secretary Of Defense

Entities

Organizations

• Office of the Secretary of Defense

Tags

Readers

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