U.S. Army Futures Command Research Program Realignment (2022) / Chapter Skim
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In 2017, Army Secretary Mark Esper led an intense effort to refocus Army science and technology (S&T) 1 work and funding on matching U.S.
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. DEVCOM houses several Army centers and laboratories, including the Army Research Laboratory, which serves as the Army primary agency for basic research.
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Nor did the committee pass judgement on the decision to standup AFC itself. The Value of Science and Technology for National Security It is worth noting the value of S&T to the national security.2 S&T's greatest value is not in the focus on the current threat and operational environments, although it is often called upon to develop solutions to critical near-term needs, such as the analysis of recovered chemical munitions, and immediate solution issues in Iraq and Afghanistan, such as the MRAP Expedient Armor Program (MEAP)
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Given this shift, the committee devoted extensive time to deliberating on these issues and -- recognizing the close connection between S&T decision-making and funding and its broadly felt impact on the S&T enterprise and c apability developed -- it devoted ample space to the subject in the report. The committee's analysis focused on authorities and responsibilities within the S&T enterprise, the requirements generation process, funding trends in S&T, and the need for clear S&T leadership within the Army.
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Prior to the establishment of AFC, requirements were generated separately from the budgetary process, with TRADOC traditionally serving as lead command for requirements generation. The committee is concerned that the consolidation 5 In November of 2021, after this report was completed and undergoing peer review, the Secretary of the Army issued Army Directive 2021-35, which "reassigns co-chairs, and clarifies responsibilities for the Program Objective Memorandum (POM)
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This focus has allowed DEVCOM and its subordinate component ARL to work more horizontally across the Army enterprise. However, the committee's examination of documents and interactions with key Army personnel reveals a lack of leadership emphasis on S&T's responsibility beyond those systems currently envisioned in the modernization program.
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Given the increased reliance on modernization, with a stated goal of a 60/40 split between modernization and innovation focused spending within Army S&T, the committee is concerned that too much focus on near-term modernization, focused on evolutionary incremental change, will create gaps in future capability development by underfunding longterm and revolutionary S&T programs. While the committee believes that a 60/40 split of S&T is prudent (see finding in Chapter 2)
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While the Army Research Office has the principal Army responsibility for sponsoring academic research, when UARCs see opportunities within their specific charters to partner with academic institutions, it should be encouraged. Further, UARCs may also find natural partners in the Research and Development Engineering Centers and with other institutions.
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This workforce development plan should clearly define technical career paths, from undergraduates through senior civilian technical leadership. Further, it should allow for that workforce to meaningfully engage, collaborate, and not only learn from industry and academic partners, but use that new-found knowledge to instantiate meaningful change that allows the S&T enterprise to thrive for the long term.
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to support Army modernization priorities, dem onstrate leadership support for future Army capabilities, support a robust Army innovation and technology discovery effort, and guarantee a viable intramural RDT&E capability where it is most critical, the Army should program for and request S&T (6.1, 6.2, and 6.3) budget levels that are increased by at least as much as Congress annually increases Army S&T and reflect real growth throughout the Army Modernization period.
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It should consider greater use of com petitions akin to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Grand Challenges as a mechanism to engage industry, academia, and the rest of the S&T community. Recommendation: The Army leadership should ensure that the labo ratory directors are empowered and effectively resourced to cultivate their workforce and are empowered to utilize all Science and Tech nology Reinvention Laboratory (STRL)
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are also well known for their strong leadership (Steven Jobs, Eric Schmidt, and Elon Musk) and that leadership's commitments to innovation.
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