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Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering

The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, abbreviated USD (R&E), is a senior official of the United States Department of Defense. The USD (R&E) is charged with the development and oversight of technology strategy for the DoD. The post (or effectively the same post) has at various times had the titles Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (ASD(R&E)), or Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E). The latter title has itself historically varied between the rank of under secretary and that of assistant secretary.

Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
Logo of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
Incumbent
Heidi Shyu[1]
since July 25, 2021
Office of the Secretary of Defense
Reports toSecretary of Defense
Deputy Secretary of Defense
NominatorThe President
with the advice and consent of the Senate
Term lengthNo fixed term
WebsiteOffice of the Under Secretary

USD (R&E) is the principal staff advisor for research and engineering matters to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense. In this capacity, USD (R&E) serves as the chief technology officer (CTO) for the Department of Defense charged with the development and oversight of DoD technology strategy in concert with the department's current and future requirements. The goal of USD (R&E) is to extend the capabilities of current war fighting systems, develop breakthrough capabilities, hedge against an uncertain future through a set of scientific and engineering options, and counter strategic surprise. USD (R&E) also provides advice and assistance in developing policies for rapid technology transition.

From 1987 until 1 February 2018, ASD(R&E) was subordinate to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. On 1 February 2018, the research and engineering were split into an independent office, with the head position being elevated from an assistant secretary to an under secretary level. The remaining acquisition office became the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (A&S).[2]

Organization

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Organizations included under the USD (R&E) include the following. As of February 2018, organizational relationships remained to be finalized as the organization was being formed.[2][3] The organizational structure was finalized in July 2018. Agencies marked with an asterisk (*) are not part of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.[4]

Upon the February 2018 reorganization, the USD (R&E) assumed responsibility for administering the Small Business Innovation Research and Rapid Innovation Fund programs.[3]

History

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The National Security Act of 1947 and its 1949 amendments established the Department of Defense, including the establishment of two statutory boards: a Munitions Board, and a Research and Development Board. In June 1953, President Eisenhower's Reorganization Plan No. 6 abolished the boards as such, and created six new Assistant Secretaries of Defense. Two of these assistant secretary positions—Applications Engineering, and Research and Development—were combined in March 1957 to become the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (ASD(R&E)).

Under the DoD Reorganization Act of 1958 (PL 85-599, effective 6 August 1958), the position of ASD (R&E) was abolished and replaced by a Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E).

From 19 May 1961, until 15 July 1965, a Deputy Director of Defense Research and Engineering held the additional title of ASD(R&E), on the theory that this position reported to, in rank, an under secretary—the DDR&E. On 21 October 1977, PL 95-140 made the rank of the DDR&E unambiguous by renaming it to the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD (R&E)).

The history of Department of Defense management of science and technology up to the 1980s is described at greater length in a report available from the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC).[25]

The Military Retirement Reform Act of 1986 expanded the scope of USD (R&E) position to encompass acquisition and logistics, as well as technology, and it was renamed USD(AT&L). A subordinate position at the assistant secretary level was reestablished with the previous title DDR&E. However, budget control of the technology portfolio was kept by USD(AT&L), diminishing the importance of the DDR&E position subsequently.

On 7 January 2011, President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act with several redesignated titles within the Department of Defense. These changes included renaming the DDR&E as, once again, ASD(R&E).[26]

On 1 February 2018, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics was split into two new offices: the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (R&E) and the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (A&S), as a result of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017.[2][3]

The latest restructuring establishes three new Assistant Secretary of Defense positions, along with eight Deputy Assistant Secretaries of Defense, replacing the role of Deputy Chief Technology Officer.[27]

Office holders

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The table below includes both the various names which this position has been named over time, as well as all the holders of those various offices.[28] Acting officers have a beige background.

Name Tenure SecDef(s) Served Under President(s) Served Under
Chairman, Research and Development Board
Vannevar Bush 30 September 1947 – 14 October 1948 James V. Forrestal Harry Truman
Karl T. Compton 15 October 1948 – 14 March 1950 James V. Forrestal
Louis A. Johnson		 Harry Truman
William Webster 15 March 1950 – 31 July 1951 Louis A. Johnson
George C. Marshall		 Harry Truman
Walter G. Whitman 1 August 1951 – 29 June 1953 George C. Marshall
Robert A. Lovett
Charles E. Wilson		 Harry Truman
Dwight Eisenhower
Assistant Secretary of Defense (Research and Development)
Donald A. Quarles 1 September 1953 – 14 August 1955 Charles E. Wilson Dwight Eisenhower
Clifford C. Furnas 1 December 1955 – 15 February 1957 Charles E. Wilson Dwight Eisenhower
Assistant Secretary of Defense (Applications Engineering)
Frank D. Newbury 18 August 1953 – 17 March 1957 Charles E. Wilson Dwight Eisenhower
Assistant Secretary of Defense (Research and Engineering)
Frank D. Newbury 18 March 1957 – 17 May 1957 Charles E. Wilson Dwight Eisenhower
Paul D. Foote 10 September 1957 – 31 October 1958 Charles E. Wilson
Neil H. McElroy		 Dwight Eisenhower
John H. Rubel (as Deputy DDR&E) 19 May 1961 – 15 June 1963 Thomas S. Gates
Robert S. McNamara		 Dwight Eisenhower
John F. Kennedy
Eugene G. Fubini (as Deputy DDR&E) 3 July 1963 – 15 July 1965 Robert S. McNamara John F. Kennedy
Director, Defense Research and Engineering
Herbert F. York 30 December 1958 – 30 April 1961 Neil H. McElroy
Thomas S. Gates
Robert S. McNamara		 Dwight Eisenhower
John F. Kennedy
Harold Brown 8 May 1961 – 30 September 1965 Robert S. McNamara John F. Kennedy
John S. Foster, Jr. 1 October 1965 – 21 June 1973 Robert S. McNamara
Clark M. Clifford
Melvin R. Laird
Elliot L. Richardson		 Lyndon Johnson
Richard Nixon
Malcolm R. Currie 21 June 1973 – 20 January 1977 James R. Schlesinger
Donald H. Rumsfeld		 Richard Nixon
Gerald Ford
William J. Perry 11 April 1977 – 21 October 1977 Harold Brown Jimmy Carter
Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
William J. Perry 4 November 1977 – 20 January 1981 Harold Brown Jimmy Carter
Walter B. LaBerge 21 January 1981 – 10 March 1981 Caspar W. Weinberger Ronald Reagan
James P. Wade, Jr. 11 March 1981 – 6 May 1981
Richard D. DeLauer 7 May 1981 – 4 November 1984
James P. Wade, Jr. 1 December 1981 – 5 July 1985
Donald A. Hicks 6 August 1985 – 10 October 1986
Director, Defense Research and Engineering
Robert C. Duncan 17 December 1987 – 30 November 1989 Frank C. Carlucci III
William H. Taft IV (Acting)
Richard B. Cheney		 Ronald Reagan
George H. W. Bush
Charles M. Herzfeld 12 March 1990 – 18 May 1991 Richard B. Cheney George H. W. Bush
Victor H. Reis 3 December 1991 – 31 May 1993 Richard B. Cheney
Leslie Aspin, Jr.		 George H. W. Bush
William Clinton
Anita K. Jones 1 June 1993 – 23 May 1997 Leslie Aspin, Jr.
William J. Perry
William S. Cohen		 William Clinton
Hans M. Mark 1 July 1998 – 10 May 2001 William S. Cohen
Donald H. Rumsfeld		 William Clinton
George W. Bush
Ronald M. Sega 14 August 2001 – 3 August 2005 Donald H. Rumsfeld George W. Bush
John J. Young Jr. 2 November 2005 – 20 November 2007 Donald H. Rumsfeld
Robert M. Gates		 George W. Bush
Alan R. Shaffer 21 November 2007 – 1 July 2009 Robert M. Gates George W. Bush
Barack Obama
Zachary J. Lemnios 2 July 2009 – 7 January 2011 Robert M. Gates Barack Obama
Assistant Secretary of Defense (Research and Engineering)
Zachary J. Lemnios 7 January 2011 – 30 November 2012 Leon Panetta Barack Obama
Alan R. Shaffer 1 December 2012 – 12 June 2015 Leon Panetta
Chuck Hagel
Ashton B. Carter
Stephen P. Welby 13 June 2015 – 13 December 2015 Ashton B. Carter
Stephen P. Welby 14 December 2015 – 20 January 2017
Mary J. Miller 20 January 2017 – 1 February 2018 James Mattis Donald Trump
Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
Ellen Lord 1 February 2018 – 15 February 2018 James Mattis Donald Trump
Michael D. Griffin 19 February 2018[29] – 10 July 2020 James Mattis
Mark Esper
Michael Kratsios 10 July 2020[30] – 20 January 2021 Mark Esper
Terry Emmert 20 January 2021 – 24 July 2021 Lloyd Austin Joe Biden
Heidi Shyu[1] 25 July 2021 – present Lloyd Austin Joe Biden

References

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  1. ^ a b Christine Thropp (23 Jul 2021) Senate Confirms Heidi Shyu as DOD’s Undersecretary for Research & Engineering
  2. ^ a b c Mehta, Aaron (2 February 2018). "The Pentagon's acquisition office is gone. Here's what the next 120 days bring". Defense News. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Report to Congress: Restructuring the Department of Defense Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Organization and Chief Management Officer Organization" (PDF). 1 August 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  4. ^ Mehta, Aaron (17 July 2018). "Revealed: The new structure for the Pentagon's tech and acquisition offices". Defense News. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  5. ^ Johnnson, Derek B. (5 March 2018). "White House names deputy undersecretary for DOD R&E". FCW. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
  6. ^ Cumbers, John. ""With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility" — Meet Alexander Titus The Department Of Defense's Head Of Biotechnology". Forbes. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  7. ^ "Dr. Alexander Titus > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Biography". www.defense.gov. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Dr. Kate Sixt". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Dr. Daniel J. Ragsdale > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Biography". www.defense.gov. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Dr. Thomas J. Karr > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Biography". www.defense.gov. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  11. ^ 'FNC3' is an abbreviation of 'Fully-Networked Command, Control and Communications'
  12. ^ "Department of Defense Press Briefing on Hypersonics". U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  13. ^ "Ms. Nicole M. Petta > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Biography". www.defense.gov. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  14. ^ "Dr. Paul Lopata > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Biography". www.defense.gov. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  15. ^ Derek M. Tournear, Director of the Space Development Agency
  16. ^ Theresa Hitchens (6 Jan 2021) SMC, SDA Missile Warning Sat Ground Systems Won’t ‘Talk’ – For Now
  17. ^ "Draft BAA, Time-Sensitive Target Mission Payloads Demonstration (TSTMPD) Solicitation Number: HQ0034-19-BAA-TSTMPD-0001".
  18. ^ Sandra Erwin (17 February 2019). "Pentagon seeking proposals for how to use sensors in space to quickly target enemy missiles". SpaceNews.
  19. ^ Nathan Strout (11 Feb 2021) SDA to launch several demonstration satellites in 2021
  20. ^ ESRI app, Satellite Map
  21. ^ Theresa Hitchens (1 Apr 2021) Theater Commands OK SDA’s Sat Plans: EXCLUSIVE
  22. ^ (8 Oct 2020) SATELLITE SYSTEMS, SATCOM AND SPACE SYSTEMS UPDATE
  23. ^ Nate Turkin (28 Apr 2021) What focus areas are key to America’s future space capabilities?
  24. ^ Andrew Eversden (20 Aug 2020) US Army network team sets timeline for satellite constellations
  25. ^ O'Neil, William D. and Gene H. Porter, “What to Buy? The Role of Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E): Lessons from the 1970s,” IDA Paper P-4675 (Alexandria, Virginia: Institute for Defense Analyses, Jan 2011) http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA549549.
  26. ^ Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Archived 26 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  27. ^ "DOD Establishes Assistant Secretaries of Defense in the Office of the Under Secretary for".
  28. ^ "A History of the Office of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering". DoD. 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
  29. ^ Tritten, Travis J. "Senate picks up the pace with confirmations of Pentagon chief manager, top Air Force weapons buyer". Washington Examiner. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  30. ^ "Department of Defense Key Officials: September 1947–July 2020" (PDF). U.S. Department of Defense. 21 July 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
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