Transforming Defense Basic Research Strategy
Abstract
Defense basic research is primarily concerned with the discovery and development of fundamental knowledge and understanding to enable future technologies that benefit national defense capabilities. Public funding of basic research for the DoD during the Cold War was successful because it minimized risk through taking maximum advantage of long term research projects that produced rather mature technologies for development. With a basic research budget less than half that of the National Science Foundation and a mere fraction that of the NIH the DoD can no longer afford to pursue lofty science education goals and satisfy the DTOs and JWTOs necessary to meet the needs of future war fighting. To demonstrate relevance research programs including unsolicited programs must identify and prioritize individual research goals and demonstrate the linkages back to National initiatives or overall relevant research goals. Additionally no single approach to funding basic research will be able to satisfy the tremendous technology needs of the future force. The ability of the DoD to leverage research within the university and industrial base is predicated on using government scientist to shape the basic research into key war-fighting technologies. Immediate action is necessary to reverse the funding and management trends at the Service Laboratories in order to recruit and retain the high quality dedicated scientists and engineers necessary to conduct and manage cutting-edge research.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 19, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA424085
Entities
People
- Augustus W. Fountain Iii
Organizations
- United States Army War College