Since World War II, owning the technology advantage has been a cornerstone of our national military strategy. Technologies like radar, jet engines, nuclear weapons, night vision, Global Positioning System, smart weapons, and stealth have changed warfare dramatically. Today's technological edge allows us to prevail across the broad spectrum of conflict decisively and with relatively low casualties. Maintaining this technological edge has become even more important as the size of U.S. Forces decreases and high technology weapons are now readily available on the world market. In this new environment, it is imperative that U.S. forces possess technological superiority to prevail. The technological advantage we enjoyed in Desert Storm and still enjoy today is a legacy of decades of investment in Science and Technology (S&T). Likewise, our future warfighting capabilities will be substantially determined by today's investment in S&T.
In peace, technological superiority is a key element of deterrence. In crisis, it provides a wide spectrum of options to the National Command Authorities and Commanders in Chief, while providing confidence to our allies. In war, it enhances combat effectiveness, reduces casualties and minimizes equipment loss. In view of declining defense budgets and manpower reductions, advancing military technology is a national security obligation of ever greater importance.
To fulfill this obligation, the Director, Defense Research and Engineering has continually enhanced the strategic planning process for Defense Science and Technology (S&T). The foundation of this process is the Defense S&T Strategy that is supported by the Basic Research Plan, Joint Warfighting S&T Plan, and this Defense Technology Area Plan. These documents present the DoD S&T vision, strategy, plan, and objectives for the planners, programmers, and performers of Defense S&T. Revised annually, these documents are a collaborative product of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Joint Staff, Military Services, and Defense Agencies. The Strategy and Plans are fully responsive to the White House National Security S&T Council National Security S&T Strategy and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's Vision and Joint Vision 2010 as shown in Figure 1.1. The Strategy and Plans and supporting individual S&T Master Plans of the Military Services and Defense Agencies guide the annual preparation of the Defense Program and Budget. The Strategy and Plans are made available to the United States Government, defense contractors, and our allies with the goal of better focusing our collective efforts on superior joint warfare capabilities and improving interoperability between the United States and our allies.
The Basic Research Plan (BRP) presents the DoD objectives and investment strategy for DoD sponsored research performed by universities, industry, and Service laboratories. In addition to presenting the planned investment in 12 broad research areas,
this year's plan highlights 10 strategic research objectives holding great promise for the development of enabling breakthrough technologies for revolutionary 21st Century military capabilities.
The Joint Warfighting S&T Plan (JWSTP) takes a joint perspective horizontally across the Services and Defense Agencies to ensure that the requisite technology and advanced concepts for superior joint and coalition warfighting are supported. It ensures that the near-, mid-, and long-term needs of the joint warfighter are properly balanced and supported in the S&T planning, programming, budgeting and assessment activities of the DoD. The JWSTP is focused around 12 Joint Warfighting Capability Objectives. These objectives support the Joint Warfighting Capabilities Assessment and the four leveraged concepts emphasized in the Joint Vision 2010: dominant maneuver, precision engagement, full-dimension protection, and focused logistics. A significant feature of the JWSTP is the identification of mechanisms for the timely transition of technology to the warfighter in the field before it is obsolete or found in the hands of our adversaries.
This Defense Technology Area Plan (DTAP) presents the DoD objectives and investment strategy for technologies critical to DoD acquisition plans and the Joint Warfighting S&T Plan. The DTAP also takes a horizontal perspective across the Service and Defense Agency efforts, thereby charting the total DoD investment for a given technology. The DTAP documents the focus, content, and principal objectives of the overall DoD science and technology efforts. This plan provides a sound basis for acquisition decisions and is structured to respond to the DDR&E emphasis on rapid transition of technology to the operational forces.
Taken together these three documents provide programming guidance for the DoD S&T Community.
DTAP DEVELOPMENT Process
The DTAP is one of the principal products of an integrated science and technology strategic planning process, supported by Defense Science and Technology Reliance. Development of the DTAP is the responsibility of the Defense Reliance Executive Committee (EXCOM) now chaired by the Deputy DDR&E. The EXCOM oversees the work of ten Defense Technology Area Panels, each responsible for a specific Technology Area. The Technology Area Panel membership consists of Service ad appropriate Defense agency technical specialists and is chaired by a senior Service S&T manager. These individuals have basically continued the integrated planning activities initiated under Tri-Service S&T Reliance. The ten Technology Area Panels, the Service chairs and DDT&E staff points of contact are shown in Figure 1.2. To ensure that the DTAP achieves its stated purpose, the Defense S&T Reliance network has developed the following goals to guide the effort.
This DTAP identifies the anticipated return on the S&T investment through nearly 200 Defense Technology Objectives (DTOs) in ten broad technology areas. Each DTO identifies a specific technology advancement that will be developed and/or demonstrated, the anticipated date of technology availability, and the specific benefits resulting from the technology advance. These benefits not only include increased military operational capabilities, but also address other important areas including affordability and dual use applications, which have received special emphasis in the Defense S&T Strategy.
Enabling and Support Technologies
The Defense Technology Objectives (DTOs) provide focus for the development of technologies that address an identified military need. This DTAP also addresses the continued development of the enabling technologies which are critical to sustaining the DTOs, laying the foundation for future DTOs, and to prevent technological surprise. These technology development activities involve proof of concept experiments, laboratory demonstrations, and evaluations supported by models and simulations. The technology developments also provide for the investigation of innovative technologies that could have significant impact on military applications across a broad spectrum of applications.
More than half of the DTOs are supported by two or more Services and/or Defense Agencies. Allocation of Defense S&T resources must also consider Service unique requirements which are not addressed in detail in this DTAP. The execution of the S&T programs to attain the DTOs and objectives unique to the Services and Agencies is accomplished through the Service and Defense Agency plans, as shown in Figure 1.1.
Resources
Figure 1.3 depicts the combined Exploratory Development (6.2) and Advanced Technology Development (6.3) Science and Technology funding associated with the DTAP. The portion of this DTAP funding related to DTOs is also depicted.
The DTAP identifies the advanced concepts and enabling technologies essential to enhancing high priority joint warfighting needs and which will receive funding precedence in the President's Budget and accompanying FYDP.
| FY 1997 DEFENSE TECHNOLOGY AREA PLAN (DTAP) $ in thousands | ||
|---|---|---|
| DTAP | Total Funding | DTO Funding |
|
Air Platforms CB Defense and Nuclear Info Systems and Tech Ground Vehicles and Watercraft Materials and Processes Biomedical Sensors and Electronics Space Platforms Human Systems Weapons TOTAL |
393,268 188,953 1,533,831 254,679 724,185 266,890 1,003,904 131,348 255,194 1,171,359 5,923,611 | 361,000
121,600 763,200 163,100 458,800 79,600 712,700 94,300 106,600 270,800 3,131,700 |
The following chapters describe the technology development plans for each of the ten technology areas. The strategic goals and acquisition and warfighting needs identified for the technical area are presented, along with a list of the applicable Defense Technology Objectives. These are followed by discussion of each sub-area wherein the specific warfighter needs, goals and timeframes, major technical challenges, related federal and private efforts, and the S&T investment strategy are identified. The chapters conclude with Technology Development Roadmaps for the attainment of the DTOs, and related funding information. The full text of each of the DTOs is given in the DTO Appendix to the DTAP and The Joint Warfighting Science and Technology Plan.