[Senate Hearing 117-]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


 
       DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022

                              ----------                              


                        TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2021

                                       U.S. Senate,
           Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations,
                                                    Washington, DC.
    The subcommittee met at 10:02 a.m. in room SD-192, Dirksen 
Office Building, Hon. Jon Tester (chairman) presiding.
    Present: Senators Tester, Durbin, Baldwin, Shaheen, Shelby, 
Moran, and Hoeven.

                         DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

                    Defense Innovation and Research

STATEMENT OF Ms. BARBARA McQUISTON, PERFORMING THE 
            DUTIES OF THE UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE 
            FOR RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING


                opening statement of senator jon tester


    Senator Tester. We'll call this committee to order.
    I want to start by telling everybody here what an honor it 
is to serve as chairman of this committee and with Senator 
Shelby, a true gentleman, and I also want to thank Dick Durbin 
for his long-time leadership on this committee, something that 
I have appreciated as a member and I have continued 
appreciation for his role as Whip and the chairman in the 
caucus, and so thank you, Senator Durbin.
    Today, we have Ms. McQuiston, and Dr. Tompkins virtually. 
Thank you all for being here today, and I want to thank you for 
your ongoing hard work to lead and shape the Department of 
Defense Innovation and Modernization efforts.
    When it comes to Federal funding priorities, few things are 
more important than innovation and research, and it is critical 
for Congress to continue to make strong research investments 
across the board.
    America is facing many difficult and evolving national 
security challenges right now. We have heard from combatant 
commands in recent weeks about the daily threats they face, 
particularly from Admiral Davidson, the Commander of the Indo-
Pacific Command.
    In this subcommittee, it is critical that we do our best to 
ensure our service members continue to have access to the 
world's most sophisticated and advanced technologies. So I hope 
to hear the witnesses' perspective on the global race for 
innovation, particularly as we compete with China and Russia, 
and I look forward to learning more about ongoing and future 
DOD (Department of Defense) technology innovation efforts and 
whether it has the tools and resources it needs to work with 
various partners across the country and that includes taking 
advantage of the incredible innovations happening across this 
country, including those at small businesses who can often 
bring fresh ideas, nimble operations, and cutting edge 
inventions to the table.
    With that, I will turn to Ranking Member Shelby for his 
comments.
    Senator Shelby.


                 statement of senator richard c. shelby


    Senator Shelby. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for this 
hearing. I think it's very important to have a hearing with 
DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency). Welcome.
    This committee has approved billions of dollars, Mr. 
Chairman, for basic research, applied research, and advanced 
technology development to support efforts that would allow our 
military to maintain a competitive advantage and strategic 
advantage over our adversaries.
    Our technological and industrial progress remains a 
constant target from China and Russia and other nation states 
that are actively working to undermine and surpass our 
military's advancements. I believe we need a ready and lethal 
force equipped with modernized systems capable of providing 
strong national security and, importantly, deterring war. Our 
investments in innovative research are critical in guaranteeing 
success here.
    Over the last 4 years, this committee has supported the 
necessary budget increases in cutting edge research areas, such 
as hypersonics, artificial intelligence, unmanned systems, and 
microelectronics to address warfighter needs and capability 
gaps, and with the top-line budget recommendations unveiled by 
the current Administration last week, I'm currently concerned 
about our ability to continue to make those essential strategic 
investments that will allow us to keep pace.
    I look forward to hearing from the witnesses today about 
the progress being made in innovation and technology within the 
Department of Defense and how resource constraints may impact 
the department's ability to field cutting edge technology in 
the future.
    I also recognize that we're significantly constrained from 
getting into many of the details here today that would provide 
for a comprehensive discussion in an open hearing setting.
    Perhaps, Mr. Chairman, I've suggested that we consider a 
classified discussion with DARPA at a later date when you can 
have it because what DARPA is doing is important to all of us 
and especially to our Armed Forces.
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Senator Tester. Absolutely, Senator Shelby, and we will 
take that up. We'll make that happen.
    I would recognize Ms. McQuiston for a statement. You have 5 
minutes. There is a Memorial Service at 11. So I'd ask you to 
try to keep your comments to 5 minutes and so we can get some 
questions. The rest of your statement for sure, your full 
statement will be a part of the record. So you have the floor.


               summary statement of ms. barbara mcquiston


    Ms. McQuiston. Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby, and 
Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for providing this 
opportunity to testify----
    Senator Tester. You need to turn your mike on, please.
    Ms. McQuiston. I apologize. Is it on?
    Senator Tester. Bring it closer to your mouth. It might 
help.
    Ms. McQuiston. It's not lighting up. Okay. I apologize.
    Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby, and Members of the 
Committee, thank you for providing this opportunity to testify 
before you today. It's an honor to be here alongside my friend 
and colleague, Dr. Stefanie Tompkins, Director of DARPA.
    I'm truly honored to represent the Research and Engineering 
Workforce. I'm also excited to return to public service. I 
began my first government tour in 2006 at DARPA and today I 
return to public service performing the duties of Under 
Secretary overseeing DARPA as well as DIU MDA Space Development 
Agency Service Labs, Direct Prototyping and Experimentation.
    R&E serves as the chief technology officer for the 
Department of Defense, strengthening national security and 
boosting economic security. Investments in science, technology, 
and innovation today can pay dividends tomorrow.
    When I first started at DARPA, scientists were conducting 
research in vaccine technology. Today, those discoveries have 
contributed to the success of the COVID-19 vaccines. I'm quite 
excited and proud that we are all benefiting from past 
investments as we address the global pandemic. This is just one 
example of the tremendous impact DOD investments have not just 
for our military but for our Nation as a whole.
    To continue this track record of success, we must reaffirm 
our commitment to science, technology, and innovation today to 
guarantee a strong tomorrow. This strategy for the future is 
critical because our competitors are moving quickly.
    The use of drones in the recent conflict between Azerbaijan 
and Armenia may foreshadow things to come as others move more 
quickly to adopt cheap emerging technology.
    As both Secretary Austin and Deputy Secretary Hicks have 
stated, the People's Republic of China is a pacing challenge to 
the U.S. military. Bringing new technology and innovations will 
be central to meeting that challenge. Presenting a credible 
deterrent to potential adversaries requires us to develop and 
field emerging technologies.
    We must innovate at speeds and scale. Success requires more 
than a go-it-alone approach. We must explore more flexible 
partnerships with the private sector and academia, with small 
businesses and HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities). We must reinvigorate our Federal research 
capabilities, elevate science, promote technology, and expand 
partnerships with our allies.
    R&E is committed to overcoming the value of death. We've 
shown that innovation and modernization can be done faster with 
more flexibility and commercial opportunities. From low-cost 
expendable drones to safer ion batteries, we must strive to 
eliminate gaps in planning or funding that can leave a project 
sitting on the shelf for years. We must do more to engage the 
services from day one.
    Our competitors and potential adversaries will not wait for 
our planning and budget cycles. We must balance oversight with 
the need to move quickly in order to maintain our advantages. 
This last year has demonstrated the importance of supply 
chains. The President and Congress have made it clear that 
onshoring the supply chain for microelectronics is critical to 
our national and economic security. The department has been 
taking actions to make microelectronics trustworthy, available, 
and sustainable.
    When I joined the government labs, our labs are the premier 
place to work. Although we employ some of the best and 
brightest minds, we are losing talent to the private sector and 
competitors. The hiring flexibility Congress has recently given 
to the department are helping, but we need to do more.
    One bright spot I want to highlight is DOD Bush Faculty 
Member John Rogers who pioneered the new field of 
bioelectronics. Rogers' research was the foundation of a new 
class of stretchable electronic devices. This research led to 
the 2020 release of a new flexible skin patch that can track a 
person's health through sweat. It allows for wearable devices 
to detect whether someone has COVID-19. His company is award-
winning and moving to commercialize the sensors based on this 
research.
    While I'm optimistic about R&E's ability to be successful, 
we have significant work ahead. Having an under secretary 
solely focused on innovation could not be more important than 
it is today.
    I look forward to partnering with Congress to advance our 
mission, to lead in technology dominance across the DOD, and 
ensure the unquestioned superiority of the Joint Force while 
strengthening the American economy.
    Thank you. And I look forward to your questions.
    Senator Tester. Ms. McQuiston, thank you for your 
testimony, and there will be questions.
    [The statement follows:]
              Prepared Statement of Ms. Barbara McQuiston
    Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby and Members of the 
Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you 
today. It is an honor to be here alongside my friend and colleague Dr. 
Stefanie Tompkins, the Director of the Defense Advanced Research 
Projects Agency, DARPA. And more importantly, I am honored to represent 
the men and women of the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for 
Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)). In addition to DARPA, OUSD(R&E) 
is home to diverse group of engineers, scientists, researchers, and 
staff officers who work in three separate agencies and in offices, 
laboratories, and universities across our nation. OUSD(R&E)'s mission 
is to maintain DoD's technological edge and to lead technological 
change and innovation throughout the DoD.
    In the three years since Congress directed the creation of 
OUSD(R&E), and gave the office a mandate to advance technology and 
innovation across the Department, OUSD(R&E) has developed and begun 
implementing modernization roadmaps in key technology areas. OUSD(R&E) 
has also strengthened lab and university partnerships for basic 
research and worked closely with the services to improve prototyping 
efforts in order to bridge the ``valley of death'' from prototype to 
program of record.
    Recently, Deputy Secretary Hicks assigned OUSD(R&E) the additional 
role of chairing a new Innovation Steering Group (ISG). This group will 
provide OUSD(R&E) with a mechanism for collaborating with leaders 
across the Department, for synchronizing innovation efforts and sharing 
lessons learned, and for driving initiatives to innovate at speed and 
scale. We convened this group for the first time last week, and the 
Deputy Secretary will hold her first Defense Management Action Group 
meeting on the subject of innovation and joint experimentation later 
this week. By creating the ISG, Sec. Hicks has signaled the importance 
of innovation and the attention it deserves. Simply put, it is a good 
time to be an innovator in the Department of Defense.
    OUSD(R&E) consists of three core organizations and a number of 
subordinate agencies and activities. The office of Research and 
Technology (R&T) is responsible for overseeing DoD's labs, Federally 
Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), University Affiliated 
Research Centers (UARCs), academic and basic research, manufacturing 
institutes, and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR). R&T's 
support for basic science provides the fuel that will power DoD's 
innovation and modernization efforts well into the future.
    OUSD(R&E)'s Modernization office (MOD) connects technologies 
developed in laboratories with future warfighting capabilities. MOD has 
developed roadmaps for DoD's 11 modernization priorities--that will be 
addressed later in detail-to guide these key technologies from early-
stage science through capability fielding.
    The office of Advanced Capabilities (AC) focuses on technology 
transition. By conducting war games, mission engineering analysis, 
prototyping, and demonstrations, AC converts technologies into 
warfighting capabilities and gets those capabilities ready to field.
    In addition to these headquarters organizations, OUSD(R&E) also 
houses the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Space Development Agency 
(SDA), the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), and DARPA. DIU connects DoD 
with private sector innovators who use commercial technology to address 
some of the Department's hardest problems. MDA develops and fields 
advanced capabilities to defend against rogue regime missile threats. 
SDA is rapidly developing a new space architecture that is capable of 
tracking advanced missile threats. Finally, of course, I am honored to 
have the DARPA director speaking alongside me today.
                        facilitating transitions
    The ``valley of death'' is the chasm between a technology and 
warfighting capability. Countless technologies fail to transition into 
warfighting capabilities and fall victim to this valley of death. To 
shepherd new technologies across the valley of death instead, 
OUSD(R&E)'s Advanced Capabilities (AC) directorate executes nine 
programs that are dedicated to technology transition. By focusing on 
different sources of innovation, technology readiness levels (TRLs), 
and customer groups, these programs form a balanced portfolio that 
transitions capabilities to the Services, Combatant Commands, or other 
operational user groups, at an average rate of approximately 80%. This 
80% ``sweet spot'' offers a responsible balance between using taxpayer 
dollars wisely, while also taking measured risks to maintain DoD's 
competitive edge.
    Transition rate is an important measure of success because the 
Joint Staff, Services, Combatant Commands, and warfighters will not 
accept capabilities that do not meet their mission needs. By working 
closely with these partners early in the prototyping process, AC 
maximizes its transition rate by ensuring that partners are ready to 
accept and field new capabilities when prototyping completes. Beginning 
this year, AC added Mission Engineering to its toolbox; this process 
rigorously evaluates Joint Staff and Combatant Command priority 
missions and identifies new opportunities to transition capabilities 
and deliver even greater impact to the Department.
          prototyping pathways to deliver innovation to users
    Results from OUSD(R&E)'s prototyping programs illustrate how, when 
combined with experiments and demonstrations, prototyping is an 
effective tool for bridging the valley of death. For example, the Quick 
Reaction Special Projects (QRSP) program seeks out prototyping ideas 
from across the innovation space, including small businesses, non-
traditional performers, and academia. By discovering innovative but raw 
ideas and creating prototyping programs to further their development, 
QRSP serves as a vehicle for ``technology push'' and offers the 
warfighter capabilities that they did not realize were possible.
    To ensure that DoD quickly transitions these new capabilities, QRSP 
awards contracts throughout the budget year of execution. For example, 
QRSP awarded a contract to the start-up Adronos which enabled it to 
compete in a ``shoot off'' demonstration. During this demonstration, 
Adranos achieved 15% better performance than other solid fuel 
formulations: a potential game-changer for hypersonics and long-range 
precision fires. QRSP's near real-time award enabled this small 
business to quickly refine their novel fuel and to demonstrate its 
utility to DoD.
    Speed is a critical enabler of technology transition, especially 
for emerging technologies. For this reason, the Emerging Capabilities 
Technology Development (ECTD) program identifies promising technologies 
when they first appear on the horizon. ECTD then quickly assesses the 
potential utility of these technologies and creates a prototype for a 
Service partner to rapidly evaluate. For example, in 2017, ECTD 
initiated a multi-Service project to prototype a cognitive software-
defined radar capable of operating in congested and contested 
electromagnetic environments. In less than three years, the SDRadar 
prototype transitioned to U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force programs of 
record.
    Finally, OUSD(R&E) maintains low-cost demonstration and 
experimentation venues to specifically support small business and non-
traditional performers. These venues enable DoD to access cutting edge 
capabilities and ideas from across the innovation base. They also 
enable small businesses and non-traditional performers to interact with 
DoD users, to learn about DoD's mission, to gain experience that can be 
leveraged to meet future DoD needs. Two such venues, Thunderstorm and 
Stiletto, demonstrated technologies from 60 small businesses in FY20.
 technology transitioned by ousd(r&e) that is making a difference for 
                             the warfighter
    Not only do OUSD(R&E)'s prototyping programs enjoy an 80% 
transition rate, they also deliver cutting-edge capabilities that make 
a different for the warfighter. For example:
  --Low Cost ``Attritable'' Strike Demonstration (LCASD) or XQ-58A 
        Valkyrie, Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD): 
        Facing potential adversaries with increasingly complex air 
        defenses, INDOPACOM issued a call for an ultra-low cost, long-
        range aircraft to conduct strike or reconnaissance missions. 
        OUSD(R&E) answered the call with the LCASD JCTD. This aircraft, 
        also known as the USAF XQ-58A Valkyrie, allows the United 
        States to avoid placing our pilots and high value aircraft at 
        risk during the early stages of a confrontation. The project 
        also demonstrated agile automated manufacturing processes, 
        gathered performance data (e.g., weight, strength, stiffness), 
        evaluated cost model data (e.g., cost, schedule lead time), and 
        developed in-house prototyping capability for low cost 
        attritable aircraft technology. LCASD also proved that it is 
        possible to rapidly manufacture a low cost, combat relevant 
        aircraft. This accomplishment has tremendous implications for a 
        future fleet of loss tolerant aircraft which could change the 
        nature and conduct of warfare itself. These capabilities 
        transitioned to the USAF Skyborg program and would not have 
        been possible without the strong support of Congress.
  --More Situational Awareness for Industrial Control Systems (MOSAICS) 
        Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD): MOSAICS 
        demonstrated a semi-autonomous solution to enhance the cyber 
        defenses of industrial control systems associated with DoD 
        critical infrastructure (e.g., fuel depots and electric grids). 
        MOSAICS provides warfighters with tools to quickly identify, 
        respond, and recover from cyber-enabled attacks on critical 
        power, water, communication, and transportation systems. Naval 
        Facilities Engineering Command is already planning to 
        transition and sustain the first MOSAICS leave-behind prototype 
        at Naval Base San Diego and is evaluating other opportunities 
        to deploy MOSAICS capabilities at facilities in the INDOPACOM 
        area of responsibility. Additionally, the Department is looking 
        to use of MOSAICS to improve the cybersecurity of other 
        critical DoD systems, including offensive cyber, long-range 
        strike, and nuclear deterrent systems.
  --Hack-A-Sat: Borrowing a common practice for testing system security 
        in the commercial sector, the Hack-A-Sat project invited 
        hackers from around the world to attempt to hack actual DoD 
        satellites. By watching the world's best hackers at work, DoD 
        identified new, cutting-edge hacking strategies and is 
        developing new offensive and defensive approaches for space and 
        cyber protection. In Q2FY21, space and cyber experts from 
        across DoD met to apply lessons learned from Hack-A-Sat to 
        develop new concepts for space and cyber operations. I welcome 
        the opportunity to share additional details about this effort 
        in an appropriate setting.
  defense innovation unit transitions commercial technologies to the 
                               warfighter
    In addition to prototyping to bridge the valley of death, DoD's 
investments must cultivate new workforce talent, attract first-time DoD 
vendors, and identify novel solutions from across the national security 
innovation base: together, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), the 
National Security Innovation Network (NSIN), and National Security 
Innovation Capital (NSIC) partner with industry and academia to do just 
that. As Chinese investments aim to compete with U.S.'s technological 
lead in key sectors, DoD's investments can play an important role 
laying the foundation for a successful startup ecosystem and for 
ensuring national and economic security.
    DIU, for example, rapidly prototypes, fields, and scales state-of-
the-art commercial solutions. Leveraging the innovation, cost-savings, 
and economies of scale of the commercial sector, DIU has awarded 
contracts to 189 unique companies, of which 143 are small businesses 
and 61 are first-time vendors to DoD. DIU has transitioned 19 solutions 
to the warfighter, including small drones, automated cyber 
vulnerability detection and remediation, mobile endpoint security, 
advanced data management and analytics, air threat response, predictive 
mission configuration, rapid analysis of threat exposure, and space 
situational awareness. DIU's predictive maintenance solution scaled 
from one aircraft to fielding across the Air Force and Army and its 
small drone solutions scaled from the Army to all levels of the U.S. 
government. At DIU, there is also an opportunity for larger defense 
contractors to integrate the innovative commercial technology of 
smaller firms to provide ready-made solutions to the warfighter.
    Like DIU, NSIN works to redefine what national security service 
means for academics, technologists, and entrepreneurs. NSIN runs 
problem-solving programs such as Hacking for Defense (H4D) to produce 
new concepts and capabilities for DoD end users. NSIN also works to 
commercialize dual-use technology developed at DoD laboratories and to 
support company formation and the scale-up of dual-use hardware 
manufacturing capabilities, including those in autonomy, 
communications, power, sensors, and space. NSIN partners with 66 
universities in 46 states and has placed 175 people in DoD STEM 
positions, of which 47% were women or minorities.
                          mission engineering
    Mission Engineering (ME) is an analytical approach for evaluating 
potential capabilities in the context of real-world missions and 
threats. Rigorous and data-driven, ME can help inform DoD's 
requirements definition and technology investment processes and can 
support the development of government reference architectures. In 
December 2020, OUSD(R&E), in collaboration with the Services, Joint 
Staff and the OSD engineering community, codified the ME process by 
releasing the first edition of the Mission Engineering Guide. This 
guide disseminates best practices, invokes critical thinking, and 
provides a consistent methodology for practitioners to use when 
performing ME analysis.
    In FY21, OUSD(R&E)'s Mission Engineering team initiated four 
analyses to answer priority questions for the Department; analysis 
topics include: high energy lasers for base defense, position, 
navigation, and timing in highly contested environments, 
electromagnetic spectrum maneuver and mission data integration, and 
rapid precision strike-next. These topics were identified through a 
OUSD(R&E)-led workshop which included participants from the Joint 
Staff, Combatant Commands, and other OSD organizations. The topics were 
subsequently approved by the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of 
Staff.
    To perform these and other analyses, ME requires a technical 
database capable of managing a large amount of data and models. 
OUSD(R&E)'s new Mission Engineering Digital Environment (MEDE) serves 
as one such database, providing analysts with a collaborative, agile, 
secure, interoperable, and responsive digital environment in which to 
conduct ME activities. OUSD(R&E) is also standing up a mission 
integration/mission engineering war room to facilitate collaboration 
across all classification levels and to meet the technical demands of 
multiple concurrent analyses.
    To further analyze the potential mission impacts of emerging 
technologies, OUSD(R&E)'s Strategic Intelligence and Analysis Cell 
(SIAC) established an Emerging Disruptive Technology (EDT) wargame 
series. Wargaming is an analytical approach that enables DoD to jump-
start the innovation process by grappling with the implications of 
emerging technologies well in advance of their maturation. EDT wargames 
holistically examine emerging technologies' technical capabilities and 
policy considerations, as well as their potential impact on operational 
requirements and threats. EDT wargames have examined topics such as: 
autonomy in undersea warfare, AI's applications to command and control, 
directed energy weapons, and emerging technology considerations for the 
Joint Warfighting Concept (JWC). Wargame outputs help inform future 
concept and capability development, mission engineering studies, 
prototyping and experimentation, threat forecasting, and S&T 
investments.
    EDT wargames also provide a unique opportunity to integrate a 
diverse set of subject matter experts across program office, 
technology, and Service stovepipes. EDT wargames include members of the 
technology, operational, and intelligence communities from OSD, the 
Joint Staff, the Services, Combatant Commands, and intelligence 
agencies. This inclusive approach creates a mutually beneficial 
feedback loop among the organizations and individual participants. For 
instance, the operational community gains a better understanding of the 
opportunities and risks of emerging technology and the technology 
community gains an appreciation for future concepts and capability 
requirements. Both communities further benefit by learning from the 
intelligence community's depiction of future threats.
    These feedback loops were readily apparent in 2020, during EDT 
Wargame 4. By assessing the 2030 technology landscape and identifying 
technical opportunities for the S&T community to align with the JWC, 
EDT 4 informed JWC's Supporting Concept capability requirements. 
Additionally, within OUSD(R&E), wargames are designed to inform 
prototyping activities, to shape modernization roadmaps, and to 
integrate across technology portfolios, thus enabling OUSD(R&E) to 
deliver the next generation of integrated capabilities to the 
warfighter.
            trmc delivers capability for test and evaluation
    The Test Resource Management Center (TRMC) ensures the readiness of 
the test and evaluation (T&E) infrastructure and workforce. TRMC also 
supports DoD modernization by forecasting future test infrastructure 
needs, assessing current test ranges and facilities, and developing 
critical test technologies and capabilities for use across the DoD T&E 
enterprise. TRMC, of course, also supports DoD-wide modernization by 
facilitating testing of key capabilities. Recent examples include:
  --Improved aeroshell testing by developing an arc heater that more 
        accurately produces hypersonic flight conditions and can 
        evaluate thermal protection system materials;
  --Upgraded a wind tunnel by developing a nozzle that provides air 
        flow up to Mach 18 and that enables the measurement of 
        hypersonic aerodynamics and weapon system stability;
  --Enhanced the realism of nuclear survivability testing by 
        prototyping a test capability that produces ultra-short, pulsed 
        neutron radiation and can be used to assess the survivability 
        of microelectronics and critical control circuits; and
  --Improved 5th/6th generation aircraft testing against modern air 
        defense systems by fielding sixteen threat-representative radar 
        signal to assess detectability, survivability, and system 
        performance.
    In addition to strategic modernization investments, TRMC also makes 
foundational investments to improve test capabilities and lower the 
cost of testing across the Department. For instance, TRMC fielded a 
common range instrumentation system at eight open-air ranges. This 
system tracks aircraft under test with sub-meter accuracy and securely 
transmits highly classified flight test data down to the ground at four 
times the rate of previous systems.
            where innovation research and technology begins
    The Deputy Director for Research and Technology champions the 
Department's relationships with academia, is piloting efforts to 
attract a new and more diverse talent pool to the Department's science, 
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce, is promoting 
the use of new hiring authorities and flexibilities, and through the 
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology 
Transfer (STTR) is working to bring small and innovative businesses 
into the Department.
     growing the pipeline of science, technology, engineering, and 
                       mathematics (stem) talent
    The Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) 
Scholarship Program provides scholarships to U.S. citizens to pursue 
bachelors, masters, or doctoral degrees, and in doing so, helps build a 
future workforce capable of addressing the Department's most 
challenging problems.
    Upon graduation, recipients work in a civilian position in a lab or 
agency of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or other DoD entity and have a 
one-year service requirement for each tuition year. In 2019, DoD 
targeted scholars with academic backgrounds that aligned with DoD's 
modernization priorities, including: quantum science, microelectronics, 
biotechnology, and artificial intelligence. Continuing to recruit 
stellar candidates into the SMART program will enable DoD to build a 
workforce that is capable of addressing even the most challenging 
science and technology problems in the future.
                      our commitment to diversity
    To attract and advance an inclusive DoD STEM workforce, the 
Department's STEM Education and Outreach efforts are working to 
increase women's and other underrepresented groups' involvement. For 
example, OUSD(R&E) conducts SMART Scholarship program outreach at 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving 
Institutions (HBCU/MI). DoD's long-standing partnership with HBCUs/MIs 
not only contributes to a diverse STEM workforce, it also focuses 
research grants on core DoD modernization priorities. Furthermore, 
although the DoD's HBCU/MI program research focuses specifically on 
defense, program investments also contribute to commercial innovation.
    The HBCU/MI Program also manages nine centers of excellence that 
provide leadership, research, and education in DoD priority areas. The 
newest centers focus on quantum sensing, artificial intelligence/
machine learning, networks, aerospace education, research, and 
innovation. The program is also working to establish to new centers 
focused on biotechnology and materials science. Finally, two other 
centers of excellence have a STEM workforce focus, and are cultivating 
a cohort of students through an education program that is coupled with 
exposure to the DoD's research and development enterprise. Many of 
these students also participate in DoD internships; after completing 
internships, 57 STEM scholars who also participated in the DoD HBCU/MI 
Program have accepted job placements with defense laboratories since FY 
2018.
                    leveraging international talent
    To stay ahead of our competitors, both economically and militarily, 
the U.S. must continue developing and attracting world-class scientists 
and engineers. The Department employs more than 130,000 scientists and 
engineers, and nearly half of this number work in one of the 
Department's laboratories or engineering centers. Despite challenges in 
recruiting and retaining technical talent, the Department maintains an 
exceptional workforce. Many of the U.S.'s top researchers and 
entrepreneurs have come here from other countries. To take advantage of 
this fact, in just the last year, OUSD(R&E) re-invigorated the 
Department's J-1 Visa waiver program. This effort will reduce barriers 
for foreign nationals who want to stay in the country to work in STEM 
fields.
    Today's U.S. universities welcome a high percentage of 
international students, scientists, professors, and industry 
collaborators, and our adversaries compete with the U.S. to recruit 
from this same talent pool. Immigrants have been awarded 38% of the 
Nobel Prizes won by Americans in Chemistry, Medicine, and Physics since 
2000 and immigrants or their children founded 45% of the 2019 Fortune 
500 companies. We want these individuals to come here, stay here, and 
choose to work with us no matter where they were born. It is our 
strategic imperative to continue recruiting the best, highly-skilled 
individuals-regardless of national origin-to work within the U.S. 
research enterprise.
                     utilizing hiring flexibilities
    The Department continues to make extensive use of recruitment and 
retention authorities to enhance its science and technology workforce. 
These authorities give Service laboratories the ability to conduct 
direct hiring in particular fields, such as cybersecurity, to support 
continuing education, provide recruitment bonuses, and reward employees 
with performance-based pay.
    These tools allow DoD laboratories to recruit and retain top S&T 
talent and remain competitive with the private sector. For instance, 
the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has used the Enhanced Pay 
Authority to hire subject matter experts in the areas of autonomous 
systems, data analytics, and communications and networking, which 
directly enhances their ability to support the Department's 
modernization priorities.
                       the role of small business
    The Department invests nearly $2 billion annually in innovative 
small businesses, entrepreneurs, and academic research institutions 
through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business 
Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. These programs provide the DoD 
access to the small business community, reaching experts and academics 
that may not otherwise be engaged.
    Small businesses that begin working with DoD through the SBIR/STTR 
programs have the option of partnering with existing contractors or 
larger businesses that may already be working on Programs of Record or 
fielded services. For many small businesses this is a ``foot in the 
door'' providing experience working with the DoD and providing DoD with 
access to new perspective and talent from the small business community. 
Moreover, SBIR/STTR projects are often dual-use, and are both 
transitioned to the military and commercialized for private-sector 
benefit. The Department facilitates both military transition and 
private sector commercialization opportunities through Component SBIR/
STTR Commercialization Readiness Programs (CRP) and the OSD Transitions 
SBIR/STTR Technologies (OTST) Program. The Department also held its 
first Virtual Symposium on transition in October 2020 with over 1,000 
participants from small businesses, primes, and academia.
    DoD has focused the SBIR and STTR investment programs on the 
Department's modernization priorities. Additionally, DoD has 
streamlined and modernized the SBIR and STTR proposal submission 
process, with the goal of making these programs more accessible to 
small, domestic firms.
    In order to promote small business within the defense contracting 
space, the DoD facilitates licensing opportunities through our national 
partnership intermediary, TechLink. Partnership with TechLink offers 
licensing support to small businesses working with the DoD, which is 
mutually beneficial, delivering value to the small business and 
enabling further innovation.
    Additionally, the Department encourages larger defense contractors 
to work with small businesses, including SBIR/STTR performers, through 
specific subcontracting requirements and through the Mentor Protege 
program managed by the Office of Small Business Programs within the 
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and 
Sustainment. These mechanisms further assist small businesses to 
contribute to Defense innovation, while also making it easier to do 
business with the DoD.
       how small business innovation in dod helps america broadly
    DoD reaps tremendous benefits from partnering with small 
businesses. A recent study of the SBIR/STTR programs found the 
Department achieved a 22-to-1 return on investment in small business 
research and development over the past 23 years, resulting in $347 
billion in total economic output. An economic impact study conducted in 
2018 on the DoD license agreements active during the 2000-2017 period 
revealed $27 billion in sales of new products and services, including 
at least $5 billion in confirmed sales to the U.S. military. Overall, 
these agreements generated over $58 billion in total economic impact 
and created approximately 215,000 jobs. In this study, small businesses 
accounted for approximately 80% of the licenses.
                     the defense manufacturing base
    Manufacturing is critical to the advancement of our technology 
modernization objectives. The DoD Manufacturing Technology program 
(ManTech) executes a portfolio of project investments across OSD, the 
Services, and Agencies, focusing on advanced manufacturing 
technologies. The ManTech program also serves as a lead Federal 
strategic investment partner to 9 of the 16 Manufacturing USA 
innovation institutes (MIIs).
    These MIIs promote domain-focused manufacturing ecosystems in areas 
of value to the Department and identify emerging areas of importance to 
the U.S. manufacturing base. The MIIs employ pre-competitive technology 
advancement and investment, and facilitate community building and 
workforce development. They bring together industry, academia, and 
federal partners to increase U.S. manufacturing competitiveness and 
promote a robust and sustainable national manufacturing R&D 
infrastructure.
    For example, the Manufacturing times Digital (MxD) Institute 
recently welcomed 5G on its Future Factory Floor to serve as a testbed 
for demonstrating the opportunities 5G, artificial intelligence, and 
machine learning bring to manufacturing. The ManTech team has also 
begun to accelerate advanced manufacturing technologies through public-
private partnerships in cybersecurity, photonics, and regenerative 
medicine.
    Solar power and our most advanced medical diagnostic machines both 
depend on advanced photonics. The American Institute for Manufacturing 
Integrated Photonics (AIM Photonics) is an engineering technology 
consortium that has established a U.S.-based Photonic Integrated Chip 
(PIC) manufacturing ecosystem. This ecosystem is leading efforts in the 
prototyping, validation, and final packaging of advanced node 
microelectronics and photonic chip fabrication, and the development of 
test, assembly, and packaging facilities.
    Last year the Department established its ninth DoD-lead 
Manufacturing Innovation Institute--BIOMADE, to specifically focus on 
bio-industrial manufacturing. This institute leverages emerging 
biotechnologies, including modern engineering biology techniques, to 
foster domestic leadership in bio-manufacturing. BIOMADE is already 
building partnerships across the U.S. bio-economy and strengthening 
linkages between defense needs and industry and academic partners.
    Hypersonic weapons depend on the manufacturability of carbon-carbon 
materials. Working to address this need, ManTech is sponsoring the 
manufacture of carbon-carbon composite for the Hypersonics Applications 
(MOC3HA) initiative. This effort works directly with domestic 
manufacturers of carbon-carbon material to streamline processes and 
improve quality and reliability volume and size, reduce cost and cycle 
time, and increase yield.
    The department has convened a DoD-wide Manufacturing Council to 
coordinate activities addressing defense-wide challenges as well as 
human capital investments and strategies, and to serve as a touchpoint 
for industry. Through this Council, we align the funds in the ManTech 
program, Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment effort, and Defense 
Production Act Title III authorities to achieve our modernization goals 
and to maintain our technical advantage.
        supporting dod's miis response to the covid-19 pandemic
    America Makes, the DoD-sponsored institute for additive 
manufacturing, rapidly partnered with the Food and Drug Administration 
(FDA), HHS/Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), 
National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Veterans Affairs (VA) to 
efficiently and safely match health care provider needs for PPE. This 
project also developed a rapid method for design submission and 
approval of 3D PPE designs under DoD funding.
    As of February 25, 2021, more than 624 published designs were 
available on the Exchange, with 34 designs optimized for clinical use 
and 28 designs optimized for community use. These designs have been 
downloaded over 200,000 times with more than 2.5 million views. Through 
the effort, America Makes assisted front line workers in obtaining 
hundreds of thousands of pieces of critical PPE supplies from qualified 
manufacturing across the U.S.
    The NextFlex Manufacturing Innovation Institute facilitated a 
project that uses novel RNA sequencing technology to prove the 
environmental contamination and transmission pathway, then refined and 
expanded production capacity of antimicrobial mats called ``clean 
surfaces'' to address surface contact infections. Virus and bacteria 
surface contact infections are frequent, and pathogens often remain 
viable and contagious between surface cleanings even if proper episodic 
procedures are followed.
    For this novel ``clean surface'' technology, any time microbes 
contact the mat surface, an embedded circuit board sends a micro-
electric impulse along printed conductive traces to that location to 
activate antimicrobial silver and copper ions that quickly eradicate 
the contaminants. The flexibility of these mats allows them to be 
placed around the side rails of hospital beds, on tables, or doorknobs. 
The application of this innovation to public, medical and retail 
infrastructure in the long-term could impact how future viral outbreaks 
are controlled, especially during flu seasons. The mats went through 
validation testing throughout the University of Pittsburgh Medical 
Center hospital system and are now being installed in six hospital ICUs 
for a six-month experiment to measure pre- and post-infection rates.
    The Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) is a DoD-
sponsored advanced fabrics institute and was selected to participate on 
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Manufacturing Emergency Response 
Team. Alongside the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, AFFOA 
helped administer $5.6 million in funds for PPE through the 
Massachusetts MII program for domestic manufacturers pivoting to 
manufacture PPE, identified opportunities to rapidly optimize the PPE 
supply chain, matched PPE manufacturers with producers of raw 
materials, and connected hospitals to manufacturers to quickly produce 
needed products. AFFOA also built a distributed PPE material-testing 
network to assist hospitals, state emergency management agencies, first 
responder organizations, and domestic manufacturers to test their 
materials and PPE products and ensure product performance and 
regulatory compliance.
                strengthening our defense research base
    Scientific discoveries occurring at universities and laboratories 
supported by the DoD, have led to dramatic commercial and national 
security advances and have significantly improved citizens' lives 
around the world. DoD's relationship with academia is an incredibly 
valuable force multiplier for the basic research enterprise.
    In addition to our Defense Laboratories, the Department's FFRDCs 
and UARCs are a critical element of our innovation base, providing the 
independent and objective scientific and technical expertise that the 
Department relies on to create technical superiority. Last year, we 
undertook a concerted effort to ensure the Department employs our 
FFRDCs for maximum strategic impact.
    In FY19, the FFRDCs and UARCs made numerous contributions to 
enhance the capabilities of the Joint Force. For example, the Aerospace 
Corporation was an integral part of the Government and contractor team 
that successfully launched a GPS III on a Falcon 9 rocket. This was the 
first flight of a competitively awarded National Security Space Launch 
mission in nearly 20 years. In another instance, the Johns Hopkins 
Applied Physics Laboratory developed a technically rigorous ``space 
game'' that enabled participants to grapple with realistic and 
technically informed timelines, authorities, questions, and rules of 
engagement, and the operational implications of pursuing different 
space architectures. Playing out these scenarios has informed the 
department's investment decisions.
                       international partnerships
    Our Allies are essential to our national security. This is true in 
research as it is in warfighting. We continue to develop our 
international partnerships through the SMART program. Two examples from 
the SMART program to highlight are the Alan Turing Institute in the 
U.K., where SMART scholars can perform research on artificial 
intelligence and machine learning, and the von Karman Institute for 
Fluid Dynamics in Belgium, where SMART scholars can perform research on 
hypersonics. Through these efforts, scholars work with their peers 
overseas improving our S&T community and contributing to the 
Department's international partnerships.
                         technology protection
    Our military's technological edge is at risk. Competitor nations 
are acquiring intellectual property and sensitive technologies from our 
academic research system and industry through illicit and legal means. 
The department is taking a multipronged approach to address this issue. 
We are applying protections for critical technologies and programs that 
prevent technologies from falling into the wrong hands. We are 
establishing procedures to reinforce the integrity of our research 
enterprise. We are also engaging the broader S&T community and our 
stakeholders to provide improved threat awareness, inform necessary 
controls, and develop best practices that can be institutionalized 
across the DoD S&T enterprise.
    We continue to look for new methods to secure our technology. 
Technology Area Protections Plans (TAPPS) are new initiatives we are 
using to provide a common understanding of what needs to be protected 
and a strategy to establish protections. TAPPs will help S&T 
organizations get information regarding emerging and disruptive 
research that can be used to apply safeguards through Program Plans. 
The TAPPs in development align with the 2019 DoD list of critical 
programs and technologies mandated by Section 1049 of the FY2019 NDAA.
    We have also taken other steps to protect open research at U.S. 
institutions. R&E is currently working with other federal research 
funding agencies to develop common standards for identifying and 
adjudicating conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment. We are 
fully engaged with the White House Office of Science and Technology 
Policy to develop Federal guidance for Research Security and Integrity.
    In March 2019, we issued instructions to our partners in academia, 
requiring that key research personnel funded by DoD grants, cooperative 
agreements, Technology Investment Agreements, and other non-procurement 
transactions disclose all current and pending projects and funding 
sources. We are also revising research grant and cooperative agreement 
procedures to exclude research funding for individuals posing an 
unacceptable risk to national security or participating in foreign 
talent recruitment programs. Moreover, DoD encourages academic 
institutions, associations, and councils to develop training modules 
for faculty to clearly explain the landscape of threats to research 
integrity.
    Technology protection requires a nuanced and multifaceted approach 
as well as partnerships with other government agencies, industry, 
academia, and allies. An uncoordinated, broad-brush approach to 
technology protection can result in damaging consequences that inhibit 
leading-edge research. At the same time as we work to protect our 
technological edge, we recognize that the free exchange of ideas and 
collaboration are critical to our continued success. We must preserve 
the long-standing norms that have benefited our research institutions 
while at the same time punishing bad actors who break the law. While we 
must guard against espionage and the theft of intellectual property, we 
must also nurture an open, pioneering and collaborative culture that 
has historically served our country so well.
                creating and promoting new technologies
    The office of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering for 
Modernization develops and coordinates Department-wide science and 
technology strategies to guide and drive technology development and 
inform requirements. By developing S&T roadmaps, we prioritize 
resourcing, support future technology insertion, and provide 
opportunities for investments to accelerate development efforts. Our 
current efforts are focused on 11 modernization areas; 5G, Hypersonics, 
Directed Energy, AI, Biotechnology, Microelectronics, Cyber, Quantum 
Science, Autonomous Systems, Fully Networked Command and Control, and 
Space.
Microelectronics
    Microelectronics is a critical focus area for DoD Modernization. 
Advanced capability microelectronics technology development directly 
influences success in fielding disruptive technologies, including 
Artificial Intelligence, Hypersonics, and 5G. The US is struggling to 
maintain global competitiveness in leading edge fabrication and design 
innovation, despite supporting a diverse infrastructure of research, 
design, intellectual property (IP) rights, and physical plants that 
should enable the US to be an attractive market for the semiconductor 
industry. Additionally, aggressive investments and actions by peer 
competitor nations threaten U.S. leadership. Russia and China have 
publicly stated that advanced microelectronics and AI are the keys to 
economic and military dominance. Nearly 90 percent of the world's 
semiconductor foundry market share belongs to companies with foundries 
in Taiwan, South Korea and China. This imbalance is prompting calls to 
boost domestic capacity.
    R&E's Trusted and Assured Microelectronics (T&AM) Program is 
executing the development of key technologies in accordance with the 
DoD Microelectronics roadmap. The broad goals of the T&AM program are 
to secure U.S. microelectronics interests, reverse the erosion of 
domestic innovation and supply, and establish a strong leadership 
foundation for the next-generation of microelectronics technology for 
DoD applications. We are involved in three lines of effort to reach 
these goals:
      1. Assurance of the integrity of microelectronic products as they 
        move through the supply chain through the development and 
        application of enhanced assurance technologies, services, and 
        standards.
      2. Availability of critical and common IP, manufacturing 
        capabilities, and assurance tools and services required for DoD 
        research, development and acquisition programs.
      3. Access to design modules, design capabilities, manufacturing, 
        and verification and validation services at commercial sources 
        with lowered barriers and integrity/confidentiality protection 
        measures.
    We plan to continue investing in advanced capability 
microelectronics, ensuring access to State of the Art microelectronics, 
advanced packaging and test, and to radiation hardened 
microelectronics. We are also moving forward with the establishment of 
the Joint Federated Assurance Center, and continuing to investment in 
the DARPA led Electronics Resurgence Initiative (ERI). ERI is intended 
to ensure U.S. microelectronics technology leadership well into the 
21st century. ERI will pursue electronics performance advancements by 
leveraging circuit specialization, to include materials, architectures 
and designs.
                        artificial intelligence
    We are in a global arms race in artificial intelligence technology 
and applications, most notably with China, who has set a goal to lead 
in AI technology by 2030. To maintain US dominance in AI, we will:
      1. Continue to invest in cutting-edge AI research through 
        organizations such as DARPA and Office of Naval Research (ONR).
      2. Democratize DoD AI innovation by developing modern data and 
        software development processes providing end-users and 
        warfighters the ability to engage with AI development directly.
      3. Accelerate AI adoption by supporting a rapid development 
        pipeline, from research to our engineering centers to the 
        service software factories and program offices.
    This three-prong approach will lead to: trusted AI capability that 
has high utility to the warfighter, decreased development timelines, 
lowered cost-structures and reduced maintenance; increased 
understanding and availability of DoD data which is so vital to AI 
development; and improved talent development and retention within the 
civilian and service member community. Although this revolution is in 
its early phase, the capability is currently being tested in such areas 
as predictive maintenance, business operations, and automated target 
recognition. More generally, AI will enable a myriad of capabilities 
across the force, including intelligence fusion and analysis, planning 
and prediction, and longer-term autonomy.
    Just as the second wave of AI research performed within the 
Department 20 years ago led to the explosion of commercial activity in 
the US today, R&E is heavily involved in a third wave of advanced AI 
techniques and capability that will further strengthen the American AI 
ecosystem and have future commercial impacts.
                                 cyber
    Our adversaries are engaged in wide-ranging and highly impactful 
malicious activities in cyberspace, often with near-impunity. 
Fortunately, through the implementation of the 2018 DoD Cyber Strategy, 
which embraces a defend-forward and persistent engagement approach, US 
Cyber Command and the Service Cyber Components are now blunting and 
disrupting many of our adversaries' malicious cyberspace activities. 
Through this approach, and by leveraging new capabilities made possible 
through significant and long-term DoD S&T investments, our cyber forces 
are now exacting far greater costs on our adversaries.
    To build on this momentum and ensure increasing dominance, our 
cyber strategy calls for increased investments to accelerate the 
development and rapid transition of technologies that provide the basis 
for 1) vastly enhanced resilience of DoD systems and critical 
infrastructure 2) substantially increased capacity and unrivaled 
capabilities for the conduct of cyber and cyber-enabled operations, 3) 
overmatching skills and expertise within the Cyber Mission Forces, and 
the Cybersecurity and Cyber S&T workforces.
    Further, thanks to Congress' support of FY20 and FY21 
appropriations totaling $20M, OUSD(R&E) is awarding the first three 
academic Cyber Institute consortiums in April 2021. Known as VICEROY 
(Virtual Institutes for Cyber and Electromagnetic Research and Employ), 
they will prepare future ROTC and DoD-minded civilians for challenging 
cyber and electromagnetic spectrum operations and research careers 
through experiential learning. These increased investments in both 
technology and human capital will compound the dividends of the now 
decade-long increased focus, by DARPA and the Services, on the 
development of innovative and increasingly sophisticated cyber 
technologies.
5G
    Technology to secure 5G communications is paramount to leveraging 
5G for operations and communications superiority. As an investor in and 
significant consumer of technological innovation, the Department drives 
a cycle that parallels civilian industry and leads to new capabilities 
and services that would otherwise not be available. The technologies 
being developed and tested in the 5G Initiative will drive U.S. 
technology and innovation. Further, the dual-use applications being 
developed will help U.S. industry get 5G-enabled products to the 
commercial market more quickly while also providing DoD with new 
operational capabilities.
    Security is often ``bolted on'' after a system has been developed. 
5G networks, prototypes, and operating procedures are being developed 
now, and the 5G Initiative is actively working with industry to address 
security early by engaging both large integrators and non-traditional 
performers in experiments at over a dozen DoD facilities around the 
country. Examples include new 5G techniques for device authentication, 
using network slices (virtual networks on top of the underlying 
network) for threat detection and protection, and using multiple 
network paths for added resilience. We are working with industry and 
the standards community to build security into the design from the 
start, so security is viewed as a key metric, comparable to factors 
like network speed and latency.
    Our 5G Initiative emphasizes Zero Trust principles, that is, moving 
away from defenses based on perimeters to defense in depth. Perimeter-
based defenses are ineffective in dynamic environments that include 
multiple mobile devices, potentially untrusted supply chain components, 
and massive scale--all of which are anticipated under 5G. A perimeter 
defense is like a castle and moat defense; one builds a moat and wall 
around the protected center to keep the threat outside the castle and 
moat. In dynamic 5G environments, there is no castle. Instead, we need 
to think in terms of an in-depth defense strategy that assumes an 
adversary may be anywhere in the 5G environment. Continuous monitoring 
and rapid detection of unintentional faults and malicious attacks allow 
us to adapt in real time.
    The 5G Initiative is developing multiple 5G testbeds across the 
country to demonstrate the efficiency and capability that 5G will 
enable for the Department of Defense. The testbeds provide the Services 
the ability to develop and test novel capabilities in at-scale 
environments that would otherwise not exist. The testbeds represent 10 
different projects spanning 14 military locations and representing over 
seven tactical and operational mission areas/use cases. At Hill AFB, 
the 5G Initiative develops technology to enable 5G networks to share 
spectrum with airborne radars dynamically. At Naval Base Coronado and 
Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, the 5G Initiative is developing 
smart warehouse technology enabled by 5G. The technology will enable 
more efficient, accurate, and timely delivery of warfighting material. 
At Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the 5G Initiative develops Augmented 
Reality/Virtual Reality for the training environment.
    Finally, ongoing dialogues with Service Programs of Record (PORs) 
ensure that the research projects address service requirements and that 
PORs are making plans to transition and incorporate successful 5G 
developments.
Autonomous Systems
    DARPA's ``Grand Challenges'' on autonomous vehicles served as the 
primary catalyst for significant interest--and investment--by academia, 
industry, and government in autonomous systems. Building on this 
legacy, DoD application of intelligent, autonomous behaviors to robotic 
and unmanned systems (across all warfighting domains) is poised to 
allow humans and machines to team and achieve an overwhelming 
warfighting advantage not possible by humans or machines acting alone.
    These behaviors increase efficiency by reducing the physical and/or 
cognitive loads on the warfighter; reduce risk to warfighters by 
reducing manned operation in harsh and unpredictable environments; and 
provide the potential to generate cost-effective combat mass. Moving 
beyond today's current limited fielding of intelligent autonomous 
systems that primarily support intelligence, surveillance, and 
reconnaissance activities with platform-level autonomous navigation, 
future capabilities will be applied across the spectrum of warfighting 
functions.
    In the near-to-mid-term, autonomy efforts within research and 
engineering will result in advances in a number of areas, including; 
responsive fires support based for both manned and unmanned sensor and 
weapon systems; effective, resilient resupply using autonomous systems 
from point of manufacture to delivery; and joint all-domain and control 
enabled by autonomous systems increasing reconnaissance and 
surveillance ability.
    To speed the development of these effective, appropriate, and safe 
intelligent autonomous systems, the DoD will continue to develop the 
digital engineering infrastructure necessary to design, fabricate, and 
test these systems throughout the entire Robotics and Autonomous System 
lifecycle. Successful fielding of these systems will leverage ongoing 
efforts to develop and implement a comprehensive Joint all domain 
command and control system as well as efforts to develop a secure cloud 
environment including a cloud-to-edge strategy suitable for contested 
environments. In concert, we must conduct virtual and live 
experimentation to fully explore future operational concepts as well as 
continue to develop sound, thoughtful, and ethical principles for the 
employment of Robotics and Autonomous Systems.
                             biotechnology
    Biotechnology will fundamentally change the future battlefield, and 
US adversaries (most notably China) are aggressively pursuing related 
capabilities. Furthermore, China has signaled willingness to use this 
and other emerging technologies against their opposition without 
respect for protocols, conventions, or human rights. Biotechnologies 
hold potential to broadly impact defense capabilities; however, until 
recently, DoD investments have almost exclusively focused on medicine 
and chem-bio defense missions.
    A key application of biotechnology to national security is the 
ability of bioindustrial manufacturing to generate novel, domestic, 
safe, and sustainable sources of critical supply chain components. For 
example, a project executed by ONR and NAVAIR China Lake demonstrated 
the use of engineered bacteria to produce linalool, which can be 
efficiently converted to jet fuel, diesel, gasoline, and high density 
missile fuels. Other DoD efforts, such as DARPA's Living Foundries 
program, have illuminated the potential for more than 1,000 DoD-
relevant molecules to be produced using biology.
    The Department is prioritizing partnerships with Industry, to 
include BIOMADE--the newly awarded Bioindustrial Manufacturing 
Innovation Institute (MII)--and in collaboration with the Services, is 
focusing biotechnology modernization on: (1) building a common 
foundation of physical and digital infrastructure to create a rapid 
prototyping pipeline, (2) identifying and prioritizing use cases for 
prototyping and demonstration, and (3) enhancing workforce development 
opportunities. Investing in a pipeline for advanced development of 
bioindustrially-sourced products will not only provide critical 
materials and capabilities for our warfighters and maintain our 
competitive advantage in the field, a robust industrial base will also 
ensure that the future global bioeconomy is made in America.
                            directed energy
    Directed Energy Weapons can provide US forces with a high rate of 
fire weapon with a reduced logistical burden. This capability will be 
especially important as potential adversaries continue to develop 
advanced missile capabilities. We are working with the Services to 
accelerate operational weapon system development and operational 
experimentation, to build the industrial base, to develop the needed 
science and technology, and to carry out the capability development and 
demonstrations leading into programs of record.
    Through our Laser Scaling Program, we are using industry to build 
300 kW high-energy lasers by the end of 2022, and then we are 
increasing power to 500 kW by the end of 2025, and to 1000 kW by the 
end of 2028, all while reducing the size, weight, power, and thermal 
needs of these systems. Through our Rapid Prototyping Fund, the Navy 
will operationally test new laser and high-power microwave weapon 
prototypes at sea in 2020 and beyond. Further, we have partnered with 
the Special Operations Command to accelerate programs for airborne and 
land-based laser strike weapons. We have partnered with the Army 
Futures Command and the Navy to accelerate land- and sea-based laser 
and high-power microwave weapons for integrated air-and-missile 
defense, with initial demonstrations in 2022, key decisions in 2023, 
and initial capability in 2025.
    In anticipation of new and more lethal directed energy weapons 
transitioning to programs of record, we are upgrading our test and 
evaluation capabilities with new infrastructure at the test ranges. 
Along with all this effort there is a tightly coupled science and 
technology effort aimed at lethality, beam control, propagation, power, 
and thermal management. Multi-domain mission analysis is being carried 
out to expand the range of missions and to enable directed energy 
weapons integration into the Joint Force.
        fully networked command, control & communications (fnc3)
    To improve command, control and communications (C3) the department 
is focused on providing the capability to evolve rapidly and 
independently between systems, equipment and users. This effort 
involves integrating stove-piped C3 systems into a layered 
architecture. The FNC3 effort is closely tied to Joint All Domain 
Command and Control (JADC2) and together these efforts are 
synchronizing investments across the DoD to ensure that the Joint 
Force's C3 are interoperable, resilient and capable.
    By breaking-up the current stovepipes, we can increase resilience 
and improve Quality of Service (QoS--data rate and latency).
    We are also making rapid developments in software defined radios 
and investing digital active electronically scanned antennas and 
optical communications systems. This will strengthen the resilience of 
individual links, grow capacity, improve interoperability and enable 
rapid fielding of better waveforms and algorithms. DoD is already 
transitioning and taking advantage of these new capabilities, such as 
the upgrades to the Multifunctional Information Distribution System 
(MIDS), which includes Link-16, and the Warrior Robust Enhanced Network 
(WREN).
    We are leveraging recent concepts in Software Defined Networking 
(SDN) such as network slicing, to manage all the available diversity 
and deliver the much needed resilience with the necessary Quality of 
Service. Our investments are targeted at optimizing SDN concepts to our 
DoD tactical and strategic networks, as they are different from the 
commercial networks where SDN has been implemented to date. The US 
Navy's Tactical Data Dissemination Initiative (TDDi) is an early 
transition of these SDN technologies. To improve interoperability 
between applications in the short term, machine-to-machine 
interoperability technologies (e.g. efficient translators) such as 
DARPA's STITCHES program are ready for transition.
    In the medium and long-term the Department (led by the DoD CIO's 
Office) is moving towards a federated data-centric architecture to 
reduce the overhead associated with current approaches to 
interoperability. In support, we are investing in a data-centric 
approach to C2 messaging (known as Universal Command and Control--UC2) 
that takes advantage of a recent encoding innovation, variable format 
binary (e.g. ProtoBuf and EXI), to produce a C2 messaging standard that 
is simultaneously efficient, evolvable and broadly applicable. An 
initial demonstration of the data-centric C2 techniques applied to the 
Counter Unmanned Ariel Systems mission is planned for the end of this 
year. Improving our C2 applications ability to better infer relevant 
information from the available data and provide decision support is 
also key to better C2 with investments coordinated across multiple 
modernization portfolios including AI, Autonomy and FNC3.
                              hypersonics
    Hypersonic systems take advantage of speed, maneuverability and 
sustained flight in the altitude gap between air defenses and ballistic 
missile defenses to provide transformational capability for survivable, 
long-range, lethal, time-critical strike of heavily defended and high 
value targets.
    Hypersonic systems are enabled by innovations in highly integrated 
aerodynamic configurations, high temperature materials and structures, 
high speed propulsion, and advanced guidance, navigation and control. 
Over the past decade, focused research, development, test and 
evaluation has created the opportunity to rapidly transition 
developmental system concepts to weapon system prototypes and to 
operational weapon systems. We are working in close coordination with 
the Services to accelerate development and fielding of multiple air, 
land and sea launched conventional hypersonic strike weapons to defeat 
targets of critical importance.
    Our potential adversaries are rapidly evolving high-end offensive 
and defensive systems creating highly contested anti-access/area denial 
(A2/AD) environments that challenge our tactical battlefield dominance 
and necessitate the development of hypersonic strike capabilities.
    Additionally, our potential adversaries are aggressively pursuing, 
and now fielding a variety of hypersonic systems. This compresses the 
timescale on the tactical battlefield, creating asymmetry, which we are 
working to address. We will continue to implement our integrated 
strategy to enable fielding of operational prototypes in quantity from 
land, sea and air by the mid-2020s.
    We are also working with the Missile Defense Agency to accelerate a 
comprehensive layered defeat capability against adversary tactical 
hypersonic weapons including kinetic defense in the terminal and glide 
phases of flight, as well as left-of-launch strike of missile launch 
complexes. The DoD hypersonics capability fielding strategy is being 
implemented through a highly coordinated set of programs across the 
services and agencies, to include a joint service memorandum of 
agreement and middle tier acquisition programs to effectively 
accelerate capability to the warfighter. Critical investments in our 
industrial base, our workforce, applied technology, and test 
infrastructure are being made to enable this acceleration and to pave 
the way for technical superiority for decades to come.
    The Joint Hypersonics Transition Office (JHTO), which resides in 
our Advanced Capabilities directorate, works in close coordination with 
our Principal Director for Hypersonics to accelerate the development 
and transition of hypersonic technology to the warfighter. As the 
engineering and execution arm for hypersonics in the Office of the 
Secretary of Defense, the JHTO works closely with the Principal 
Director for Hypersonics to identify and address critical science and 
technology and workforce gaps and opportunities to ensure the success 
of the Hypersonics Strategy. In a resource-constrained environment with 
an adversary operating with more resources and faster development 
timelines, the JHTO addresses the need to accelerate and more 
efficiently develop hypersonic technologies by tying S&T investments 
directly to identified military needs, providing mechanisms for closer 
collaboration and coordination across the government, and identifying 
opportunities to tap into non-traditional performers such as 
universities and foreign allies.
    The JHTO has five lines of effort aimed at increasing the speed of 
innovation in the U.S. and allied hypersonics enterprise:
      1. the JHTO develops capability-based S&T roadmaps covering basic 
        and applied research to guide the hypersonics S&T enterprise 
        and funded $48M in FY2020 in 28 projects to accelerate 
        technologies that address the most critical S&T gaps.
      2. the JHTO is sponsoring an effort with Boeing and Aerojet and 
        the AFRL to mature a propulsion design to enable a hypersonic 
        cruise missile option for aircraft carrier-based F/A-18s and a 
        joint USAF/USN missile.
      3. the JHTO in November 2020 stood up a university consortium of 
        applied hypersonics at the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment 
        Station (TEES) that enables nearly 100 universities to work on 
        applied hypersonics research, provide expertise to the 
        government, and to address workforce gaps. The JHTO is funding 
        $20 million a year in university research through the 
        consortium and has made this research ecosystem available to 
        the rest of the government to access applied hypersonics 
        research.
      4. As the lead for allied engagements in hypersonics, the JHTO is 
        the co-chair of the Australia-US Hypersonics Working Group 
        (HWG) formed in August 2020 to develop a bi-lateral strategy 
        and coordinate S&T and activities in hypersonics.
      5. the JHTO in October 2020 stood up the JHTO Systems Engineering 
        Field Activity at NSWC Crane in Indiana to provide the systems 
        engineering rigor to JHTO-funded S&T efforts to ensure that 
        they can transition into our programs.
                            quantum science
    Successes in the area of quantum science research at DoD 
demonstrates how early-stage research can have a multiplier effect in 
other areas important to national security. A clear line can be drawn 
to the 20+ years of basic research funding within the DoD, and the 
major successes we are now seeing in U.S. commercial industry related 
to atomic clocks, quantum computing, the growing importance of quantum 
sensors, and quantum networks. These quantum technologies have 
significant economic and national security impact, made possible as a 
result of long-term, dedicated basic research funding.
    Recent increases in federal funding through the National Quantum 
Initiative Act have led to increased levels of coordination with 
government partners. Increased commercial investments in quantum 
computing and quantum sensors are leading to new opportunities for DoD 
to engage and look towards transitioning this technology for military 
advantage. DoD is focused on the long-term opportunities of this 
technology for both military and civil applications.
    Advances in quantum science are only beginning, and there is much 
more potential to discover through research. As quantum technologies 
develop, their importance to our economy and to national defense are 
likely to increase.
                                 space
    The US cannot cede its dominance in space. Space related work will 
enable the US economy, diplomacy, and the military.
    The dominance of the US in space is being challenged. Potential 
adversaries are showing their ability to rapidly deploy space 
capabilities, they are extending their reach to the Moon, the area 
between the Moon and the Earth, and they are innovating with 
technologies that challenge norms of behavior and provide asymmetric 
advantages threatening both terrestrial and space capabilities.
    We are exploring numerous game-changing technologies with the labs 
and international partners such as advanced quantum encryption, 
artificial intelligence and smaller satellites that provide more 
capabilities, and austere on-demand responsive launch systems. Most 
notably, we have just initiated a new space research consortium program 
to mine the best and brightest researchers from universities and the 
tech base to focus on the hardest of space challenges identified 
collaboratively through a Board of Directors consisting of R&E, US 
Space Force, DARPA, DIU, Department of Energy, NASA and others. In 
addition to speeding the deployment of new space technologies through 
efforts like SpaceWerx and the space software factories, we are 
exploring cis lunar architectures and technologies such as space domain 
awareness, rapid maneuver and long-duration station keeping, through 
collaborative efforts in nuclear power and propulsion with the 
Department of Energy.
             missile defense and space development agencies
    The Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Defense Innovation Unit 
(DIU), and the Space Development Agency (SDA) fall under the R&E 
umbrella. MDA and SDA are working on programs providing our nation with 
defense against some of the most advanced threats in the world. DIU 
plays an essential role in providing an entry point for innovators in 
the private sector to engage with needs of the DoD.
                         missile defense agency
    The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is developing capability and 
technologies that address the evolving missile threat. MDA will develop 
a Next Generation Interceptor (NGI), which improves homeland missile-
defense performance and survivability against the assessed rogue nation 
threats as part of the Missile Defense System (MDS). In FY 2021, MDA 
will award the design and development activities for two competitive 
NGI development contracts. The initiation of the NGI program and the 
continued Ground-based Midcourse Defense Service Life Extension Program 
will extend the existing Fort Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force 
Base, California, capability to defend the homeland from ballistic 
missiles beyond 2030.
    The Department is investing in technologies and studying 
capabilities to defeat regional offensive hypersonic weapons, the first 
element of which is to detect and track incoming missile threats. MDA 
delivered a capability for USINDOPACOM for real-time sensing and 
display of hypersonic and maneuvering vehicle tracks. This capability 
is operational now in support of the Missile Warning and Missile 
Defense missions. In collaboration with industry partners, US Space 
Force, USNORTHCOM, USSTRATCOM, USSPACECOM, and the Space Development 
Agency, MDA is pursuing a Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space 
Sensor (HBTSS). Once deployed, HBTSS will become a key element of the 
MDS in hypersonic defense by providing a persistent, layered capability 
to detect and track dim boosting ballistic missiles, hypersonic glide 
vehicles, and raids in all phases of flight. MDA awarded two agreements 
earlier this year to industry to build an on-orbit prototype-
demonstration space vehicle for a planned launch in 2023.
    With the achievement of Initial Fielding in fourth quarter FY 2021 
and operational acceptance in first quarter FY 2023, MDA will add the 
Long Range Discrimination Radar in Alaska into the MDS architecture to 
provide a persistent capability to defend the United States homeland 
against IRBMs and ICBMs. This past year the Department demonstrated the 
ability of the Patriot missile defense system to intercept a short-
range ballistic missile target using THAAD/AN/TPY-2 track and 
discrimination data. MDA also is continuing to mature an integrated air 
and missile defense capability for regional defense.
    MDA, in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, demonstrated early 
capability against maneuvering threats during flight-testing of the 
Standard Missile (SM)-6 Sea-Based Terminal (SBT) defense, and it will 
further demonstrate this capability against an advanced maneuvering 
threat-representative target later this year. We will continue to 
advance our SBT capability to address the regional hypersonic threat 
and will test that capability in the FY 2024 timeframe. MDA plans to 
accelerate the hypersonic missile defense program under a newly 
designated Glide Phase Intercept initiative to develop a capability to 
defeat a regional hypersonic threat. The eventual goal is providing 
greater depth of fire in a regional layered defense architecture. MDA 
is also pursuing advances in joint all-domain and global command and 
control to support USNORTHCOM in countering very long-range cruise 
missiles.
    The Department's previous missile defense technology innovations 
have transitioned into weapon systems and vastly improved interceptor 
seeker capability, increased the speed and range of intercept with 
advances in propulsion, and increased the probability of single-shot 
kill using multifaceted tracking and discrimination algorithms. As an 
example, the technologies developed as part of the Multiple Object Kill 
Vehicle effort were presented to NGI bidders, and may be included in 
the proposals. Additionally, MDA invested in directed energy kill 
mechanisms, including multiple laser types, high-powered microwave, and 
component technologies to support development of sensors and 
interceptors, such as beam control and lethality. These investments 
allow the country to outpace the missile threat. We must continue to 
sustain, modernize, and expand the MDS by pursuing rapid, yet measured, 
development of advanced missile defense concepts and technologies for 
homeland and regional defense.
    MDA is continually assessing emerging and disruptive technology for 
potential applications to missile defense utilization. Investments are 
being made in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Nanosat 
technology, Left-through-Right integration, Cybersecurity, and Quantum 
Science. Key to understanding the potential of technology has been the 
development of testbeds that allow MDA to exercise and demonstrate 
capabilities and test new concepts, algorithms, simulations, and 
software. MDA works extensively with partners, leveraging and expanding 
technology opportunities through cooperative, collaborative engagements 
with DoD partners, DoE labs, academia and U.S. allies and international 
partners.
    MDA continues to drive for the inclusion of small businesses and 
universities through outreach, such as their Industry Innovation Summit 
and University Innovation Summit. These events present MDA's greatest 
technology challenges and offer one-on-one sessions for the Nation's 
most innovative minds to present their capabilities and solutions. MDA 
is committed to ensuring the use of small business to the maximum 
extent practicable, monitoring prime contractor performance to ensure 
contractors are achieving their proposed small business goals and 
objectives and have a mitigation plan in place to do so. MDA actively 
supports the DoD Mentor Protege Program (MPP), currently overseeing 
five active DoD MPP agreements.
    The MDA Small Business Advocacy Council (MDASBAC) consists of MDA 
large prime contractors dedicated to fostering and showcasing a 
superior collaborative environment to develop and promote successful 
small business relationships to achieve common goals. MDA has a robust 
outreach program and takes full advantage of the outreach resources 
administered by Procurement Technical Resource Centers/Small Business 
Development Centers to connect large defense contractors with viable 
small businesses to support the agency's mission.
                        space development agency
    The Space Development Agency (SDA) was established in March 2019 to 
develop and field an alternative National Defense Space Architecture 
and accelerate the deployment of next-generation space capabilities to 
the warfighter. SDA is developing capabilities to address a wide range 
of national security space needs identified in the DoD Space Enterprise 
Vision of August 2018. To address current near-peer threats, SDA is 
focused on the most urgent of these needs by delivering a mesh network 
that will provide low-latency data transport in space to enable 
advanced missile tracking and beyond-line-of-sight targeting of land 
and maritime targets.
    At its second anniversary in the Department, SDA has shown itself 
to be a ``constructive disruptor'' in national security space. Its 
model is tied to two main pillars: proliferation of satellites in Low-
Earth Orbit (LEO) and spiral development, delivering new capabilities 
on-orbit every two years, starting in FY22. SDA's mission begins and 
ends with the warfighter, guiding SDA to stick to schedule so that 
needed capabilities are available for end users to address the threat 
at or ahead of need. The Agency has established a Warfighter Council to 
ensure the needs of the Combatant Commands, Services, Joint Staff, and 
Intelligence Community determine the minimum viable product for each 
tranche, or generation of satellites.
    SDA is hitting its milestones and forming partnerships with the 
Services, Combatant Commands, and other DoD agencies to reduce risks 
and gain user insight. The agency delivered two satellites for launch 
nine months after receiving funding, was designated by the Department 
of Defense as the lead for the proliferated LEO Joint All-Domain 
Command and Control (JADC2) backbone, and awarded contracts for all 
four segments of its initial tranche. SDA is preparing to launch 
several capability demonstrations and risk-reduction experiments this 
year, in partnership with others from across the space enterprise, 
including DARPA, the Air Force Research Lab, Missile Defense Agency, 
and several small businesses developing state-of-the-art space 
technologies.
    SDA actively seeks ways to leverage commercial advances in 
technology to enable its space architecture. New space companies are 
supplying satellites for the first generation of the architecture as 
well as the launch vehicle for that tranche. To kick off 2021, SDA 
published an update to the National Defense Space Architecture (NDSA) 
Systems, Technologies, and Emerging Capabilities (STEC) Broad Agency 
Announcement (BAA) seeking studies, technologies, and prototypes that 
enable Real-Time Global Awareness and Connectivity; Comprehensive 
Space-Based Sensing; and Omniscient Command, Control, and Execution. 
This BAA is in place to establish an ``intellectual pipeline'' to 
access ideas from across the community to inform the future 
architecture, enable leap-ahead improvements for future tranches, and 
enable new capability layers that address emerging warfighter needs. 
SDA is also focusing on maturing and transitioning technologies from 
America's small businesses, start-ups, and research institutions 
through a series of SBIR/STTR opportunities this spring.
    In FY22, SDA will launch and operate the first tranche of 
satellites to demonstrate the Transport layer, the mesh network of 
communications satellites, and the Tracking layer, Overhead Persistent 
Infrared (OPIR) sensing satellites that provide missile warning, 
detection, and tracking capabilities. Tranche 1, the next generation of 
these capabilities, is slated for delivery in FY 2024, followed by 
future generations every two years that will incorporate battle 
management command and control and other layers of capability needed to 
provide persistent global access to protect national security. In FY23, 
the SDA will transition to the Space Force in accordance with the 
direction of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2020.
                               conclusion
    Our mission is to foster technological dominance across the 
Department of Defense, ensuring the unquestioned superiority of the 
American joint force. We are dedicated to ensuring that the 
technological edge remains in our favor. This statement while 
comprehensive, is not exhaustive in capturing all the activities being 
undertaken to maintain technological dominance in the present and 
future. The projects and programs contained in this statement do 
provide important examples of how crucial innovation is to the national 
security of the United States. I thank you for your time and I look 
forward to your questions.

    Senator Tester. Now we'll go to Dr. Tompkins for her 
statement.
STATEMENT OF DR. STEFANIE TOMPKINS, DIRECTOR, DEFENSE 
            ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY
    Dr. Tompkins. Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby, and 
Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to 
testify today and for your strong support of DARPA over the 
years.
    My name is Stefanie Tompkins, and I serve as the Director 
of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or DARPA.
    It's a real pleasure to be here with my friend and 
colleague Ms. Barbara McQuiston from the Office of the Under 
Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.
    While we work closely with Ms. McQuiston's organization, 
DARPA has a unique mission in both the DOD community and the 
broader U.S. technology ecosystem. That mission is to prevent 
strategic surprise by making investments in breakthrough 
technologies for national security.
    What that means is we anticipate, create, and demonstrate 
technologies that are nowhere on technology roadmaps and often 
outside most people's imaginations.
    For over 60 years now, in partnership with innovators, 
inside and outside government, DARPA has repeatedly delivered 
on our mission. We've transformed revolutionary concepts and 
seemingly impossibilities into practical capabilities.
    Examples of those capabilities include stealth technology, 
precision-guided weapons, unmanned aero-vehicles, as well as 
many icons in modern society, such as the Internet, automated 
voice recognition and language translation, and GPS receivers 
small enough to embed in nearly any consumer device.
    Technologies like these provide more options for our 
Nation's leaders and the military services and today, with 
increasingly complex challenges and a rapidly-changing world, 
DARPA's role has never been more vital.
    At DARPA, we think not just about scientific and 
engineering innovation now but also about the innovation 
ecosystem. That ecosystem includes many overlapping and 
adjacent communities from academia, industry, and government. 
It includes everything from fundamental research to global 
scale systems of systems. It includes innovation not only in 
technology but in processes and transition strategies, as well, 
and, most importantly, it includes a rotating cast of DARPA 
program managers who come from and will return to that 
ecosystem and who seek to solve not just today's problems but 
tomorrow's, as well.
    One of the best illustrations of how DARPA works is related 
to the COVID-19 pandemic. So about 5 years ago, when I was 
serving in a different role at DARPA, I spent a lot of time on 
the road trying to expand and diversify our pro forma base.
    One of the programs I talked about the most involved heavy 
investment into something called mRNA vaccines. So mRNA 
vaccines are pretty much a household word today, but at the 
time they were much, much more obscure and DARPA's investments 
were based on the insight of individual program managers who 
anticipated their need for both military and public health 
missions.
    The research that DARPA first initiated more than a decade 
ago is now playing a leading and catalytic role in today's 
fight against COVID-19. In typical DARPA fashion, we made 
significant investments in the technology years before it was 
known to be needed, leading to high-impact capabilities related 
to prevention, diagnostics, and treatment that have helped to 
mitigate the current crisis.
    From vaccines and diagnostics to defensive and offensive 
hypersonic technologies, state of the art artificial 
intelligence, quantum systems, micro-electronic solutions, and 
much, much more, DARPA has forged new paths and continues to 
deliver on our mission.
    I look forward to working with the members of this 
subcommittee and others in Congress to ensure the security and 
resilience of our Nation, and I would be most pleased to answer 
your questions.
    [The statement follows:]
              Prepared Statement of Dr. Stefanie Tompkins
    Chairman Tester, Ranking Member Shelby and Members of the 
Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you 
today. I am Stefanie Tompkins, Director of the Defense Advanced 
Research Projects Agency, DARPA. It is a pleasure to be here with my 
colleague, Ms. Barbara McQuiston, from the office of the Undersecretary 
for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)) in the Department of Defense. 
Our organizations work together every day to advance our Nation's 
defense technologies. DARPA plays a particular role in this community 
and in the broader U.S. technology ecosystem. That role is to 
anticipate, create, and demonstrate breakthrough technologies that are 
outside and beyond conventional approaches--technologies that hold the 
potential for extraordinary advances in national security capability.
    For more than 60 years, DARPA has held to a singular and enduring 
mission: to make pivotal investments in breakthrough technologies for 
national security. Working with innovators inside and outside 
government, DARPA has repeatedly delivered on that mission, 
transforming revolutionary concepts and seeming impossibilities into 
practical capabilities. The results have included game-changing 
military capabilities like precision weapons, stealth technology, and 
unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as icons of modern civilian society 
such as the internet, automated voice recognition and language 
translation, and Global Positioning System receivers small enough to 
embed in myriad consumer devices.
    DARPA creates and executes programs that rely on and inspire an 
innovation ecosystem of academic, corporate, and government partners. 
We focus on developing capabilities for national security leaders and 
the nation's military services, who work with us to create new 
strategic opportunities and novel tactical options. For decades, this 
interlocking ecosystem of collaborators has proven to nurture intense 
creativity. Today, DARPA's role has never been more vital. From being 
front and center in our nation's fight against the COVID-19 virus, to 
defensive as well as offensive hypersonics technologies, state of-the-
art artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and directed energy 
solutions, DARPA today is delivering on our most pressing security 
needs.
    DARPA pursues game-changing technologies and capabilities in a way 
that provides surprising advantage for U.S. and Allied warfighters and 
at a much faster pace than the state of the art. DARPA's work with the 
Services and other agencies aims to meet not just known but as-yet 
unrecognized needs and move swiftly to deployment. That includes an 
increased emphasis on prototyping and joint projects--and, especially, 
a tighter emphasis on designing, building, and testing aspects of 
technology. Today, I will focus my testimony on how DARPA seeks to: 1) 
counter near-peer adversaries, 2) extend DARPA innovation to the 
warfighter and beyond, and 3) promote continued American innovation 
throughout the broader S&T ecosystem of university and industry 
partners.
1. Countering Near-Peer Adversaries
    We seek to present adversaries with surprising warfighting 
scenarios that create dilemmas or completely disrupt their decision 
calculus. To do so, we must disrupt our own warfighting enterprises and 
provide decisive advantage across air, land, and sea, as well as space, 
cyberspace, and the electromagnetic spectrum. Big, monolithic platforms 
designed, built, and procured to do everything cost too much, take too 
long to field, and are usually technologically outdated by the time 
they are available. DARPA seeks a new asymmetric advantage--one that 
imposes complexity on adversaries by harnessing the power of dynamic, 
coordinated, highly autonomous, and flexible architectures.
            A. New Warfighting Constructs
    Modern warfare is becoming less about singular platform and weapon 
capabilities, and more about combinations of systems that can be 
rapidly developed and composed into more effective warfighting 
constructs. DARPA's Assault Breaker II (ABII) and Mosaic initiatives, 
along with their resulting technologies, seek to fundamentally change 
the way the military thinks about designing, buying, and deploying 
future systems.
    First, the ABII program addresses several challenges posed by our 
near-peer competitors. Patterned after the original Assault Breaker 
program in the late 1970's, a memorandum of agreement was signed by 
DARPA and the vice chiefs of all five Services to establish a joint 
service team creating technology solutions to these critical 
challenges. Interacting closely with the intelligence, military 
operator, and technology communities, the team's first objective is to 
design warfighting operational constructs based on new and emerging 
technologies and capabilities.
    The program's second objective is to develop an advanced modelling 
and simulation environment to support analysis of true cross-domain 
(seafloor to space) cross-service warfighting constructs. Finally, the 
program is tying the advanced modelling and simulation environment into 
an interactive experiment environment to support exploration of highly 
complex, interdependent approaches that characterize the future of 
warfighting.
    ABII seeks to organize this evolution in warfighting and act as a 
conduit to both communicate technology solutions to the services as 
well as articulate critical challenges to the technology development 
community in a manner where they can appreciate the larger picture. 
ABII will serve as the technical baseline for multi- domain operations 
moving forward.
    In addition to ABII, DARPA has also been spearheading the 
``Mosaic'' construct of future warfare. The Mosaic concept posits that 
using less expensive systems brought together on demand as the conflict 
unfolds, could facilitate the creation of ``effects webs,'' enabling 
diverse, agile applications--from a kinetic engagement in a remote 
desert setting, to multiple small strike teams operating in a bustling 
megacity, or an information operation to counter an adversary spreading 
false information in a population threatening friendly forces and 
strategic objectives. Mosaics, therefore, can rapidly be tailored to 
accommodate available resources, adapt to dynamic threats, and be 
resilient to losses and attrition. Two Mosaic-related technologies--a 
novel decision aid for mission commanders and a rapid software 
integration tool--played a critical role in the recent Air Force 
demonstration of the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS).
    The Adapting Cross-domain Kill-webs (ACK) program and the System-
of-systems Technology Integration Tool Chain for Heterogeneous 
Electronic Systems (STITCHES) were among a number of technologies 
employed late last summer in the ABMS on-ramp demonstration, which 
involved attacks using live aircraft, ships, air defense batteries, and 
other assets. ACK is developing a decision aid for mission commanders 
to assist them with rapidly identifying and selecting options for 
tasking--and re-tasking--assets within and across organizational 
boundaries. Specifically, ACK assists users with selecting sensors, 
effectors, and support elements across military domains (space, air, 
land, surface, subsurface, and cyber) that span the different military 
services to deliver desired effects on targets. Instead of limited, 
monolithic, pre-defined kill chains, these more disaggregated forces 
can be used to formulate adaptive ``kill webs'' based on all of the 
options available.
    ACK was used in an air defense scenario during the ABMS 
demonstration, where an air commander faced incoming aerial threats and 
needed to quickly decide the best way to counter them. In the demo, the 
ACK decision aid software analyzed thousands of options to form cross-
domain kill-webs and recommended assets and the best command-and-
control ``play'' to the mission commander.
    The machine-to-machine communications to enable this distributed 
fire control was performed by the STITCHES integration toolchain. 
STITCHES is a software-only and fully government owned (non-
proprietary) toolchain specifically designed to rapidly integrate 
heterogeneous systems across any domain. STITCHES innovation is in 
auto-generating middleware between systems without needing to upgrade 
hardware or breaking into existing system software. The toolchain does 
not force a common interface standard; rather it rapidly creates the 
needed connections based on existing fielded capabilities obviating the 
need to upgrade in order to interoperate.
            B. Responsive and Flexible Space Operations
    The Department of Defense has prioritized rapid acquisition of 
small satellite and launch capabilities. Through leveraging commercial 
acquisition practices, DARPA has been able to streamline a number of 
militarily-relevant missions in the last year from conception through 
services acquisition and launch. These missions are validating emerging 
concepts for resilient capabilities that would reside in low Earth 
orbit--a capability which will revolutionize communications, 
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
    Right now, satellites critical to our national security and 
warfighting capabilities traditionally are custom designed. In the 
increasingly contested space environment, these exquisite yet costly 
and monolithic systems have become vulnerable targets that would take 
years to replace if degraded or destroyed.
    Meanwhile, the evolution of commercial space has led to the design 
and manufacturing of LEO constellations intended for broadband internet 
service, which could offer previously unavailable economies of scale. 
DARPA is interested in leveraging these advances through our Blackjack 
program and driving them forward in order to demonstrate military 
utility.
    Blackjack aims to develop and demonstrate the critical technical 
elements for building a global high-speed network backbone in low Earth 
orbit. That would enable highly networked, resilient, and persistent 
DoD payloads that provide over-the-horizon sensing, signals, and 
communication, and hold the ground, surface, and air domains in 
constant global custody. To do that, researchers are investigating 
innovative vehicle delivery approaches that enable revolutionary 
advances in payload size, weight, power, and cost.
    For Blackjack, we are targeting a series of risk reduction 
rideshare flights that will continue through this year. With these 
flights, the goal is to develop and validate the technologies necessary 
for the Blackjack constellation.
            C. Attribution of Malicious Cyber Actors
    DARPA researchers are identifying and addressing critical cyber 
vulnerabilities that threaten global stability and security. Malicious 
actors in cyberspace currently operate with little fear of being caught 
due to the fact that it is extremely difficult, in some cases perhaps 
even impossible, to attribute malicious actions in cyberspace to 
specific individuals. The reason cyber attribution is difficult stems 
at least in part from a lack of end-to-end accountability in the 
current internet infrastructure.
    To address this problem, DARPA launched the Enhanced Attribution 
(EA) program. EA is making currently opaque malicious cyber adversary 
actions and individual cyber operator attribution transparent by 
providing high-fidelity visibility into all aspects of malicious cyber 
operator actions. Furthermore, if successful, EA will increase the 
government's ability to publicly reveal the actions of individual 
malicious cyber operators without damaging sources and methods. Over 
the last three years the program has developed techniques and tools for 
generating operationally and tactically relevant information about 
multiple concurrent independent malicious cyber campaigns, each 
involving several operators, and the means to share such information 
with U.S. law enforcement, intelligence, and Allied partners.
    Late last year, DARPA EA researchers used their data analytics to 
develop timely, accurate threat information regarding Russian-
attributed malicious cyber infrastructure and associated actor 
personas. EA shared this information with close partners at the FBI 
Atlanta and Pittsburgh field offices, contributing to the October 2020 
indictment of six GRU personnel associated with a worldwide destructive 
malware campaign and the remediation of that malware campaign in U.S. 
and Allied critical infrastructure.
            D. Hypersonics
    The ability to field hypersonic systems ranks high on the DoD's 
list of priority technologies, due in part to the pace of research by 
peer adversaries. Hypersonic flight at velocities of more than five 
times the speed of sound offers major advantages on the tactical 
battlefield, especially for conducting military operations from longer 
ranges, with shorter response times, and enhanced effectiveness 
compared to current military systems.
    DARPA is developing technology demonstrations in 2021 for a number 
of operational capabilities. For example, the Hypersonic Air-breathing 
Weapon Concept (HAWC) program is a joint effort with the U.S. Air Force 
(USAF) seeking to develop and demonstrate critical technologies to 
enable an effective and affordable air-launched hypersonic cruise 
missile. The program emphasizes efficient, rapid, and affordable flight 
tests to validate key technologies. HAWC is pursuing flight 
demonstrations to address three vital technology challenge areas: air 
vehicle feasibility, effectiveness, and affordability.
    The Tactical Boost Glide (TBG) program is another joint DARPA/USAF 
undertaking, striving to develop and demonstrate technologies to enable 
future air-launched, tactical-range hypersonic boost glide systems. In 
such systems, a rocket accelerates its payload to high speeds, the 
payload then separates from the rocket, and glides unpowered to its 
destination. TBG plans to include ground and flight-testing in 2021 to 
mature critical technologies and demonstrate system performance.
2. Innovations for the Warfighter and Beyond
            A. Stopping Pandemics
    A primary aim of the DARPA Biological Technologies Office (BTO) is 
to improve total force health protection and readiness. One of the 
biggest vulnerabilities to deployed military personnel and civilians is 
a lack of protection against many endemic and emerging bio-threats 
(e.g., the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, or mosquito-borne viruses such as 
Chikungunya and Dengue).
    DARPA's approach to pandemic prevention advanced the current state 
of the art by enabling antibody discovery in days to weeks rather than 
months to years. Additionally, DARPA investments in new diagnostic 
platforms allowed researchers to pivot rapidly to emergent viruses such 
as COVID-19. In 2011, DARPA began investing in gene-encoded vaccines 
based on DNA or RNA. Unlike traditional vaccines, which nearly all 
require laborious, expensive, and lengthy development times to counter 
each new threat, gene-based vaccines have the advantage of directly 
delivering coded genetic instructions to the body on how to produce its 
own protective antibodies against a specific threat. This means gene-
encoded vaccines can be easily manufactured at scale using largely 
synthetic processes, versus being cultured in eggs; transported and 
stored without many of the cold-chain logistics required by traditional 
medical countermeasures; delivered with near-immediate efficacy; and 
safely expressed in the body for only a limited duration, causing no 
permanent alteration to the genome. This approach has shown great 
promise as a means to provide safe, reproducible, long-term immune 
protection. However, vaccines often require more than one dose and 
weeks to months before protected status is achieved, creating 
vulnerability either directly to warfighters if they are deployed 
before immunity has been established or to the mission due to the 
delayed deployment of personnel until they achieve immune protection.
    DARPA's fundamental research and development (R&D) investments, 
fortunately, have resulted in discovery of several gene-encoded 
monoclonal antibody platforms, and has greatly de-risked the gene- 
based medical countermeasure (MCM) field. DARPA R&D investments have 
catalyzed significant commercial and transition interest. Several 
companies (including Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Inovio) have made major 
investments in the budding field of gene-encoded MCMs and have released 
vaccines to curb the spread of COVID-19. DARPA investments also spurred 
spin-out companies such as RenBio, which is optimizing the delivery of 
gene-based MCMs for increased efficacy and tolerability.
    Early in 2020, DARPA allied closely with department medical and 
chem/bio defense organizations as well as Health and Human Services 
(HHS) components to join the fight against COVID-19. Many of these 
intergovernmental allies--including the DoD's Joint Program Executive 
Office for Chemical and Biologic Defense (JPEO CBD), the HHS Biomedical 
Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), and the HHS 
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID)--partner 
with DARPA to perform advanced development after our initial 
investments, ensuring the scale-up and distribution of novel medical 
countermeasures.
    Building on existing DARPA investments to accelerate the discovery 
of novel countermeasures, DARPA-funded researchers were responsible for 
discovering therapeutics--antibodies--from blood samples of recovered 
coronavirus patients. DARPA also partnered with advanced developers 
(public and private) to manufacture at scale using DNA/RNA techniques 
in addition to traditional cell-based bio-manufacturing.
            B. Extending the ``Golden Hour"
    When a Service member suffers a traumatic injury or acute 
infection, the time from event to first medical treatment is usually 
the single most significant factor in determining the outcome between 
life and death. First responders must act as quickly as possible, first 
to ensure a patient's survival and then to prevent permanent 
disability. The Department of Defense refers to this critical, initial 
window of time as the ``golden hour,'' but in many cases the 
opportunity to successfully intervene may be less than sixty minutes, 
which is why the military invests so heavily in moving casualties as 
rapidly as possible from the battlefield to suitable medical 
facilities. However, due to the realities of combat, there are often 
hard limits to the availability of rapid medical transport and 
emergency care.
    DARPA created the Biostasis program in 2018 to develop new 
possibilities for extending the golden hour, not by improving logistics 
or battlefield care, but by going after time itself, at least how the 
body manages it. Biostasis is attempting to address the need for 
additional time in continuously operating biological systems faced with 
catastrophic, life-threatening events. The program leverages molecular 
biology to control temporarily the speed at which living systems 
operate, and thus extend the window of time following a damaging event 
before a system collapses. Essentially, the concept aims to slow life 
to save life.
            C. Serving Wounded Veterans
    With a focus on wounded warriors and facilitating their return to 
military service, the Hand Proprioception and Touch Interfaces (HAPTIX) 
program is pursuing key technologies to enable precision control of and 
sensory feedback from sensor-equipped upper-limb prosthetic devices. If 
successful, the resulting system would provide users near-natural 
control of prosthetic hands and arms via bi-directional peripheral 
nerve implants. The program has a strong focus on technology transition 
and aims to create clinically relevant technology in support of wounded 
warriors suffering from single or multiple limb loss.
    HAPTIX builds on prior DARPA investments in the Reliable Neural-
Interface Technology (RE-NET) program, which created novel neural 
interface systems that overcame previous sensor reliability issues 
(sensors now last for the lifetime of the patient). A key focus of 
HAPTIX is on creating new technologies to interface permanently and 
continuously with the peripheral nerves in humans. HAPTIX researchers 
are designing technologies to tap into the motor and sensory signals of 
the arm to allow users to control and sense the prosthesis via the same 
neural signaling pathways used for intact limbs. Direct access to these 
natural control signals will, if successful, enable more natural, 
intuitive control of complex hand movements, and the addition of 
sensory feedback will further improve prosthetic hand functionality by 
enabling users to sense grip force and hand posture. Sensory feedback 
may also provide important psychological benefits such as improving 
prosthesis ``embodiment'' and reducing the phantom limb pain that is 
suffered by approximately 80 percent of amputees.
    In addition to seeking to return sensation to amputees, DARPA is 
also aggressively investigating technical solutions to spinal cord 
injury (SCI), which is of significant concern to the Department of 
Defense. Of the 337,000 Americans with serious SCIs, approximately 
44,000 are veterans, with 11,000 new injuries occurring each year. SCI 
is a complex condition--the injured often face lifelong paralysis and 
increased long-term morbidity due to factors such as sepsis and 
autonomic nervous system dysfunction. While considerable research 
efforts have been devoted toward restorative and therapeutic 
technologies to SCIs, significant challenges remain.
    DARPA's Bridging the Gap Plus (BG+) program aims to develop new 
approaches to treating SCI by integrating injury stabilization, 
regenerative therapy, and functional restoration. Last year, DARPA 
announced the award of contracts to a handful of university researchers 
to advance this crucial work. Multidisciplinary teams at each of these 
universities are tasked with developing systems of implantable, 
adaptive devices that aim to reduce injury effects during early phases 
of SCI, and potentially restore function during the later chronic 
phase.
3. Promoting American Innovation
    One of the classic models of technology development begins with 
basic research that uncovers a new principle or phenomenon, which 
innovators then apply and develop into a new capability that enables 
people to do more than they could before. This model cannot account for 
the origin of all of the technologies DARPA has had a hand in, but it 
applies to many of them. Indeed, DARPA's job is to change what's 
possible--to do the fundamental research, the proof of principle, and 
the early stages of technology development that take ``impossible'' 
ideas through ``implausible'' and then to, surprisingly, ``possible'' 
or even ``likely.'' No other DoD agency has the mission of working on 
projects with such a high possibility of producing truly revolutionary 
new capabilities--or such a high possibility of failure. A big part of 
DARPA's expertise is seeking high pay off capabilities by managing risk 
in ways that help keep the innovation pipeline flowing. The following 
are examples of the kinds of foundational efforts that promise to 
impact national security just like other DARPA ``firsts,'' including 
the ARPAnet, miniaturized GPS, stealth aircraft, UAVs, and monoclonal 
antibody therapeutics.
            A. Artificial Intelligence
    DARPA has been a leader in artificial intelligence since the 1960s. 
We played key roles in realizing the first and second waves of AI 
(first rule-based, then statistical-learning-based), and now we are 
working to realize the third wave, which can be described as contextual 
adaptation. To better define a path forward, DARPA announced in 
September 2018 a multi-year investment of over $2 billion in new and 
existing programs called the ``AI Next'' campaign.
    Currently, DARPA is pursing more than 30 programs that are 
exploring ways to advance the state-of-the-art in AI, pushing beyond 
second-wave machine learning techniques towards contextual reasoning 
capabilities. In addition, more than 60 active programs are applying AI 
in some capacity, from agents collaborating to share electromagnetic 
spectrum bandwidth to detecting and patching cyber vulnerabilities.
    Under the AI Next campaign, key areas being explored include 
automating critical DoD business processes; improving the robustness 
and reliability of AI systems; enhancing the security and resiliency of 
machine learning and AI technologies; reducing power, data, and 
performance inefficiencies; and pioneering the next generation of AI 
algorithms and applications, such as ``explainability'' and commonsense 
reasoning.
    DARPA also announced a quick-turn funding mechanism called 
Artificial Intelligence Exploration (AIE) that allows us to quickly 
test the feasibility of AI concepts by rapidly developing prototypes. 
AIE Opportunities are released on a rolling basis from across DARPA's 
portfolio, providing awards in as little as 90 days of up to $1 million 
each for 18-month periods of performance. During these periods of 
performance, very high-risk, high-reward topics will be investigated 
with the goal of determining feasibility and clarifying whether the 
area is ready for increased investment. The ultimate goal of each AIE 
Opportunity is to invest in research that leads to prototype 
development that may result in new, game-changing AI technologies for 
U.S. national security. To date, we have made 141 contract awards for 
more than 20 AIE topics.
    A representative example of DARPA's AI Next campaign is the Assured 
Autonomy program, which is working to provide continual assurance of a 
learning enabled cyber physical system's (LE-CPS) safety and functional 
correctness. The program is developing mathematically verifiable 
approaches and tools that can be applied to different types and 
applications of data-driven machine learning algorithms in an LE-CPS to 
enhance their autonomy and assure they are achieving an acceptable 
level of safety. To help ground the research objectives, the program is 
prioritizing challenge problems in the defense-relevant autonomous 
vehicle space, specifically related to air, land, and underwater 
platforms.
    To assess the technologies in development, research teams 
integrated them into a small number of autonomous demonstration systems 
and evaluated each against various defense-relevant challenges. After 
18 months of research and development on the assurance methods, tools, 
and learning enabled capabilities (LECs), the program is exhibiting 
early signs of progress.
    During a recent demonstration, DARPA researchers integrated tools 
with an Iron Bird X-Plane simulation and a small test bed aircraft, and 
tested them against challenge problems relevant to ground operations, 
specifically assuring taxi operations on an airfield or aircraft 
carrier deck.
    During the live aircraft exercise, the assurance methods were able 
to detect the presence of an obstacle during taxi, which triggered a 
safety that identified and executed a response route around the 
obstacle. The assurance methods also detected when the camera feed was 
being noised or obscured, kicking-in a safety method that identified 
and executed what it deemed the safest response--stopping the aircraft 
until it could safely resume operations. Additionally, the tools were 
able to detect anomalies that could cause their LEC to misbehave, and 
allowed the system to maintain safe operations despite those anomalies. 
Further, the use of formal models and specifications provided 
assurances about the system's safety both at design and run time.
            B. Microelectronics
    In June 2017, DARPA announced the Electronics Resurgence Initiative 
(ERI) as a bold response to several technical and economic trends in 
the microelectronics sector. Among these trends, the rapid increase in 
the cost and complexity of advanced microelectronics design and 
manufacture is challenging a half-century of progress under Moore's 
Law, which holds that the number of transistors per silicon chip 
doubles about every two years. Meanwhile, non-market foreign forces are 
working to shift the electronics innovation engine overseas, while 
cost-driven foundry consolidation has limited DoD access to leading-
edge electronics, challenging U.S. economic and security advantages. 
Moreover, highly publicized challenges to the nation's digital backbone 
are fostering a new appreciation for electronics security--a longtime 
defense concern.
    Building on the tradition of other successful government-industry 
partnerships, ERI aims to forge forward-looking collaborations among 
the commercial electronics community, defense industrial base, 
university researchers, and the DoD to address these challenges. There 
is significant historical precedent to suggest the viability of this 
approach, as each wave of modern electronics development has benefitted 
from the combination of defense-funded academic research and commercial 
sector investment.
    Given today's cost, complexity, and security challenges, it is 
critical that the nation collaboratively innovate on the next 
generation of electronics advancement. DARPA envisions four key areas 
of development--3D heterogeneous integration, new materials & devices, 
specialized functions, and design & security--each of which have been 
central to ERI since its inception. Leveraging 3D heterogeneous 
integration, the next wave should support continuing electronics 
progress despite challenges to traditional silicon scaling. This 
integration will enable innovators to both add new materials and 
devices to the silicon foundation and create specialized functions 
precisely designed to meet the diverse needs of the commercial and 
defense sectors. To manage the complexity of working in three 
dimensions, the next wave will also demand new architectures and design 
tools that address rising design costs, enable rapid system upgrades, 
and make security integration a primary design concern. Several 
technological advancements developed in the DARPA CHIPS, PIPES, and HI3 
programs are in transition leveraging SOTA commercial manufacturers in 
the OUSD(R&E) the State-of-the-art (SOTA) Heterogeneous Integrated 
Packaging (SHIP) program. This is a critical microelectronics 
performance enabler for DoD modernization priorities, including 
hypersonics, Artificial Intelligence, 5G, Cyber, and Space.
            C. 5G Networks
    Emerging 5G mobile wireless networking technologies are slated to 
dramatically increase in both scale and speed, enabling much faster 
access to data collected from billions of connected devices (60 billion 
nodes by 2023). This supercharged information highway is envisioned to 
play an important role across many industries, ranging from medicine to 
manufacturing. Major advances in 5G will make it easier to customize 
the network at a wide variety of locations. This new flexibility offers 
many benefits, but at the same time introduces novel security 
challenges. Today's proprietary 5G technologies make it difficult to 
achieve the transparency necessary for security-related risk analysis 
and mitigation. This lack of security assurance makes it harder to 
deploy these technologies for defense capabilities.
    In 2020, DARPA created the Open, Programmable, Secure 5G (OPS-5G) 
program to tackle many of the security challenges facing future 
wireless networks. OPS-5G is exploring the development of a portable, 
standards-compliant network stack for 5G mobile networks that is open 
source, and secure by design. The program seeks to enable a ``plug-and-
play'' approach to various network software and hardware components, 
which reduces reliance on untrusted technology sources. OPS-5G will 
also explore the development of cost-effective SWaP-conscious 
cryptography with scalable security protocols. Overall, the goal of 
OPS-5G is to enable more secure 5G as well as future generations of 
networks beyond 5G.
            D. Quantum Information Science
    Quantum information science (QIS) includes computation, 
communication, and sensing technologies that exploit our understanding 
of quantum mechanics. Theory promises significant advances over the 
state of the art, with some practical successes, but much of the QIS 
field remains technically nascent. The successes are largely related to 
sensors that deliver exquisite sensitive measurements in small 
packages. For the DoD, this supports RF devices for radar and 
communications, it also enables precise stable measurement of time--
useful for communication and for navigation. Much has been published on 
the use of quantum technology for secure communications, a technical 
area that saw successful DARPA investments over a decade ago. The 
capabilities promised by theorists for quantum computation have been 
more elusive. The notion of a quantum computer that can outperform 
conventional computers to solve useful problems is attractive, but in 
practice has not been possible to achieve.
    DARPA is currently pursuing basic and applied QIS research. One 
program aims to produce small portable devices that maintain GPS-
quality time and position for weeks--in the absence of GPS signals. 
Another program seeks to understand what may be the limits of 
electromagnetic sensing using clouds of atoms. Several programs explore 
aspects of quantum computation to determine which approach offers the 
most promise for substantial practical advantage. These computation 
efforts include two of note: how to use a moderate number of imperfect 
quantum bits, while another seeks to bring rigor to the fledgling 
quantum computing marketplace with the introduction of insightful 
benchmarking. There is much valuable science that quantum-based 
computation may make possible in diverse fields including material 
science, machine learning, and biology, but it remains a DARPA-hard 
field in which to work.
            E. Nurturing the Innovation Base
    Over the past two years, DARPA's Embedded Entrepreneurship 
Initiative (EEI) pilot program has helped 30 pre-seed research teams 
raise over $100 million in U.S. investment, spin out a dozen new 
companies, establish numerous joint development agreements with 
corporate partners, and commission multiple manufacturing facilities. 
In February of this year, DARPA launched an expansion of EEI with the 
goal of accelerating 150 DARPA-backed technologies out of the lab and 
into products that promise to fundamentally change the way we live, 
work, and fight. The initiative augments technical research teams with 
critical entrepreneurial expertise, top-tier commercialization mentors, 
and provides connections to investors. This important work delivers an 
effective counter to aggressive foreign investors by building stronger 
companies that have the ability to attract U.S. capital.
    In this effort, DARPA is teaming with IQT Emerge, a new 
organization within In-Q-Tel (IQT) that provides entrepreneurial 
expertise as well as connections to early-stage U.S. investors. IQT 
Emerge leverages IQT's unique place at the intersection of venture 
capital, government, and the startup community to keep the national 
security community at the forefront of technology innovation.
    EEI provides catalytic funding, mentorship, and investor and 
corporate connections for select DARPA researchers. Resources include: 
an average of $250,000 in non-dilutive funding to hire a seasoned 
entrepreneur or business executive for one to two years with the goal 
of developing a robust go-to-market strategy for both defense and 
commercial markets; dedicated commercialization mentors with extensive 
private sector experience; and engagement with DARPA's private sector 
Transition Working Group comprising over 100 top-tier U.S. investors 
and corporations key to scaling and supply chain development.
    DARPA-funded scientists and engineers are an invaluable resource 
for national competitiveness. Supporting these researchers with 
tailored business expertise to advance their innovations for public and 
military use is critical to obtain the full benefit from taxpayer 
funded R&D investments.
    Since 2018, roughly the same time frame from the inception of EEI, 
DARPA has also stepped up its outreach to university researchers. 
Security concerns in recent years have significantly increased the 
barriers to university research for the DoD, and better communication 
of opportunities and expectations is critical to minimizing those 
barriers. DARPA's academic outreach initiative began in earnest with 
visits to a handful of public universities. During the pandemic, 
however, the agency was forced to change tactics and hosted a large 
virtual event in September 2020 called the ``DARPA Vice Presidents and 
Chancellors of Research Summit.'' The Summit attracted 223 
representatives from 126 schools across the nation; twenty percent of 
the schools had never done business with the agency. During the three-
hour summit, participants learned about the agency's near-term 
investment priorities and how to pursue funding opportunities through 
existing contract vehicles.
    In addition to small business and university outreach efforts 
currently underway, DARPA also has three formal programs aimed at 
supporting the next generation of researchers. The first effort is the 
Joint University Microelectronics Program (JUMP). JUMP is a major 
public/private initiative that includes several leading companies from 
the semiconductor and defense industries such as Intel, IBM, Micron, 
Analog Devices, EMD Performance Materials, ARM, Samsung, TSMC, 
Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and Lockheed Martin who have tasked six 
research centers to undertake high-risk, high-payoff research that 
addresses existing and emerging challenges in microelectronic 
technologies. JUMP comes at an inflection point in the history of the 
semiconductor industry where application and system research are 
critical to enabling the development of superior electronic systems to 
meet DoD and commercial needs.
    Under JUMP, the challenges of the ``application-centric'' research 
centers focus on accomplishing application-oriented goals and spurring 
the development of complex systems with capabilities well beyond those 
available today. Diving deep into cognitive computing, intelligent 
memory and storage, distributed computing and networking, and radio 
frequency (RF) to terahertz (THz) sensor and communications systems, 
among other areas, these research centers are developing systems that 
will be transferable to military and industry in a five year timeframe 
and ready for field deployment in ten years.
    Also, earlier this year, DARPA announced a post-doctoral fellowship 
program for talented young scientists, engineers, and mathematicians in 
the field of computer science with grants sized to support each fellow 
for up to two years. Participation in DARPA's new program is open to 
current U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have received a Ph.D. 
degree no earlier than June 2019 or who will have received a Ph.D. 
prior to the date of award, and who will be appointed to a postdoctoral 
position at a U.S. institution of higher education during the 2021-22 
academic year.
    The longest running program that DARPA has supporting university 
researchers is the Young Faculty Awards (YFA), which has been providing 
funding opportunities since 2006 as a forward-looking way to 
familiarize rising researchers in junior positions with national-
security-relevant work within the DoD. The YFA program provides 
funding, mentoring, as well as industry and DoD contacts to awardees 
early in their careers with the long-term goal of developing the next 
generation of academic scientists, engineers, and mathematicians who 
will focus a significant portion of their career on national security 
issues. To date, 447 researchers from 40 states have participated in 
the YFA program.
                               conclusion
    From DARPA's perspective, the technological future--the endless 
frontier--is enormously attractive, bright with opportunities, but also 
fraught with unanticipated risks. For more than 60 years, the men and 
women of DARPA have taken very seriously their unique mission to serve 
the Nation by preventing--and when necessary fomenting--technological 
surprise.
    Although I have just recently returned to DARPA, it is clear to me 
that we are stronger and more committed to that mission than ever. I 
look forward to working with the members of this subcommittee and 
others in the Legislative and Executive branches to ensure that the 
United States maintains its historic lead in the investigation and 
development of powerful technologies, in addition to their safe and 
responsible application in support of a more stable, secure, and 
sustainable world.

    Senator Tester. Thank you, Dr. Tompkins, for your 
testimony.
    Because Senator Durbin has a commitment for the Memorial 
Service, I'm going to recognize him first.
    Senator Durbin: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and 
thank you to the witnesses who have joined us today.
    I guess my opening question is not going to be specific to 
any area of innovation but just very generic.
    If you ask the Department of Defense and previous 
Administrations and I'll bet in this one, as well, who are our 
hard targets, who are our major adversaries in the world, they 
would usually report four pretty obvious ones, China, Russia, 
North Korea, and Iran, and then if you'd ask a follow-up 
question, how much do each of these major adversaries spend in 
their annual budget for their military, you would find numbers 
that range from very small to still very modest in comparison 
to the United States.
    The reason I raise this question regularly is we spend more 
than all of the other nations in the world on defense and 
security. We certainly want to be safe as a Nation, but it's 
our job here in this committee to ask a question, are we 
getting our money's worth out of this, and when it comes to 
innovation, I noticed, Ms. McQuiston, in your statement, as 
well as the statement by Dr. Tompkins, there was reference to 
competition with adversaries.
    You would think when you consider the hundreds of billions 
of dollars that we spend each year, that that would hardly ever 
be the case. It's like a high school team regularly beating the 
New York Yankees. You just don't expect that to happen when you 
compare the resources that are being dedicated.
    Can you put innovation in that context and ask whether or 
not our investment in innovation gives us a natural lead, an 
acquired lead in this competition that the budget figures 
belie?
    Ms. McQuiston. I will take that answer. We're very lucky. 
We just started the Innovation Steering Group under Deputy 
Secretary Hicks, and what we're doing in innovation is looking 
across the DOD as transforming a lot of the processes in order 
to be better adaptors of technology and to more efficiently and 
rapidly modernize.
    Our services have the burden sometimes of having the legacy 
systems and the newer technologies and disruptive technologies 
coming onboard. We're moving modernization ahead, but we can 
always do it better and more innovatively.
    When I think of innovation, I think of two things: 
efficiency and effectiveness. So efficiency is doing things 
right and effectiveness is doing the right thing. So with the 
range of new technologies that can be adopted at a greater 
speed for us, I believe that we can come up to par and actually 
exceed the market and our competitors.
    Senator Durbin. So I've read some histories of DARPA, 
Pentagon's Brain, and books like that, very impressive, and I 
notice that time and again there was disruptive thinking and 
planning and some of it fell flat on its face but that's to be 
expected.
    So I guess my question is as we fund things already 
discovered with massive amounts of taxpayers' dollars, how do 
you combat the fighting the last war syndrome and establishment 
syndrome that says we've got to keep doing more of what we've 
done before, and how do you get into asymmetrical thinking in 
an establishment as large as the Department of Defense?
    Ms. McQuiston. The Disruptive Innovation Unit that we have 
under Research and Engineering has that mission entirely 
because they're working with the National Security Innovation 
Network, the National Security Capital, and bringing in market 
innovations and commercialized technologies. With the 
activities to date, they have a 189 companies now on contract. 
75 percent are small business, 32 percent are first-time 
vendors, and 10 percent have already transitioned into military 
use, and that's the key, to be flexible and to work at speed, 
at commercial speed in order to integrate the technology 
rapidly into the service.
    At the same time, we need to understand what the disruptive 
technology can mean for our advantage and also for the needs 
within the military, so war gaming and putting together 
exercises and demonstration to show what could be capable.
    As DARPA can show you, a lot of times we put the needs and 
the requirements forward but oftentimes the newer technology is 
a capability that no one even concede would have been possible. 
So it's the merging of the future with the needs of today that 
actually will keep technology in the leading edge and keep us 
competitive with the national security and the economic 
security of our country.
    Senator Durbin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Senator Tester. Senator Shelby.
    Senator Shelby. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for this 
hearing. I think it's very important.
    As I said earlier, I don't know what we can get into that's 
sensitive in this open hearing today, but the Chairman has 
indicated that we will have a closed hearing and hope to get 
you back and so forth.
    In the area of quantum and artificial intelligence, China 
and Russia, you know, we all know, are advancing their military 
technologies always, and increasing their defense budgets at 
alarming rates.
    How is the department continuing to reform its processes 
and investment decisions to ensure that the U.S. will maintain 
the technical dominance necessary to deter our adversaries, and 
what can you speak to in this area? I don't know.
    Ms. McQuiston. Well, there's a few things I can speak to. 
We have been looking at quantum from the scientific side 
probably at least 20 years or more, but we've had success----
    Senator Shelby. Touch on how important quantum computing is 
if we can ever work it all out, and it's also important to our 
adversaries, is it not?
    Ms. McQuiston. Yes, actually, the future of network 
technology and security will greatly rely on quantum 
technology, and DARPA, I know, has had initiatives in this 
area.
    I'm happy to say that a lot of them are starting to see 
commercialization, as well. So I think our investment in that 
area is starting to pay off. So I think you will actually see 
more activity on there.
    Some of the technologies we can brief you in another venue.
    Senator Shelby. What trade-offs in the area of hypersonics 
are we having to make as it relates to weapon development and 
fielding which would come with it due to resource constraints? 
Are you getting what you need at DARPA for this sensitive, very 
important research?
    Dr. Tompkins. Yes, sir. To the extent that I can----
    Senator Shelby. Go ahead.
    Dr. Tompkins [continuing]. Discuss this in this hearing, 
the support that we have on our hypersonics program, both 
offensive and defensive, is adequate and we can go into more 
details on trade-offs in a different venue.
    Senator Shelby. Okay. In the area of space development, 2 
years ago the Space Development Agency was created to 
accelerate the development and fielding of the next generation 
space capabilities.
    Where we are there today and where are our adversaries?
    Ms. McQuiston. Well, I'm happy to say for what the Space 
Development Agency has put together is rapidly developing new 
space architectures and commercial development processes in 
alignment with capabilities and speed.
    We're integrating ground stations for advanced data links 
at Fort Greely, Alaska. We're working with putting forward 
constructive disruptors for operations at LEO (Low Earth 
Orbit). The first satellite demonstrations for communication 
are scheduled for fiscal year 2022, and working on what I would 
call commercial speeds, commercial launch speeds and setting up 
satellite operations at Grand Forks and at Redstone Arsenal.
    I really do believe that speed and adaptation of spiral 
development and what we already see in commercial launch 
processes is where we need to step up in timing for being able 
to put our capability up in space. So, again, if we want to 
talk specifics on where we are tactically in another venue, we 
would be happy to go into that.
    Senator Shelby. Thank you. Dr. Tompkins, in the area of 
cyber technology, how important is quantum computing and 
hopefully good research coming out of there? What will that do 
for us, hopefully do for us?
    Dr. Tompkins. So in cyber technology, quantum computing 
offers a few different opportunity spaces.
    One obviously is in the area of quantum encryption which I 
think has been most broadly discussed. The other, I think, is 
in the area of quantum computing and simulation, which then 
allows us to solve different kinds of optimization and sort of 
complexity-type problems, which would allow us to focus on 
analyzing, understanding, modeling, and predicting a much wider 
range of potential cyber behaviors and activities, and then, 
similarly, defending against them.
    Senator Shelby. Dr. Tompkins, one more question, if I 
could. In the area of hypersonics, we all know that we've got a 
challenge there as far as developing the hypersonic offensive 
weapon and also defending against it.
    Where are we today, and what kind of timeframe do you think 
we have before we can really field what we need for the 
security of the country?
    Dr. Tompkins. So DARPA has two initiatives in the defensive 
hypersonics arena. Details of both obviously, as you had 
mentioned, are going to have to go into a different session.
    There is one very specifically, the Program Glide Breaker, 
in which we're working closely with NDA to derisk certain key 
aspects of the overall technology space. The timing of exactly 
when the transition of those technologies would go into a 
broader end-to-end system.
    I think it's both a conversation that goes beyond just 
DARPA but also does require the ability to talk in a closed 
setting.
    Senator Shelby. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, thank you for your 
indulgence.
    Senator Tester. Yes. Thank you, Senator Shelby.
    Ms. McQuiston, I want to touch on a couple things. I want 
to touch on, Number 1, our competitiveness compared to where we 
were 5 or 10 years ago and how you assess our success. I know 
you talked about war gaming, I want to get into that a little 
more, but let's start with our competitiveness compared to 
where we were. Are we ahead, behind?
    Ms. McQuiston. I think the United States is one of the best 
innovators of technology overall. I think that we have some of 
the brightest people, the determination, the freedom, the 
flexible financial systems, and the determination to really 
succeed.
    To match that with the Department of Defense, we need to 
have the same innovative culture as we have in our commercial 
industry. That's why adoption of commercial technology at the 
speed of which activities occur in the commercial world will be 
critical to more rapidly be able to gain the capabilities that 
the new technology and modernization will give to the military.
    We are in a good position but we can always be in a much 
better one.
    Senator Tester. So is it fair to say, by what you've just 
said, that we are more competitive today than we were 5 or 10 
years ago?
    Ms. McQuiston. I believe we are, and I believe it's because 
we are modernizing.
    Senator Tester. Okay. And then how do you assess that 
competitiveness? How do you assess, you know, defining where 
we're at?
    Ms. McQuiston. Well, you know, in an open session along 
this line, I would actually point to the vaccine technology. 
We've been thinking a lot about new frontiers, about challenges 
that the world is facing right now, and we've been thinking 
about them and doing things for awhile, and so surprises never 
come--disruptive technology never comes out of the blue.
    DARPA has been our great jewel in being able to anticipate 
these things and start the technology ecosystem in new 
capabilities that have really been transformational for the 
United States.
    Senator Tester. Okay. So one more, and that is, innovative 
technologies cover a wide range, how are we prioritizing those 
investments, and could you give me a preview of the 
Administration's priorities? They may be the same answer for 
both questions.
    Ms. McQuiston. At Research and Engineering, the Office of 
Modernization currently has 11 priorities. They fold into a lot 
of what is going on relative to being able to add capabilities, 
such as in AI (Artificial Intelligence), hypersonics, other 
areas of the 11 modernization techniques. Some of them will be 
more mature and able to have rapid adaptation. Other 
technologies will need more time, based on its development. 
That said, I do believe we can move faster to adopt those 
technologies.
    With regards to where they stand with the Administration, 
the Secretary of Defense and the prioritizations, I would defer 
to the agency overall.
    Senator Tester. Okay. Dr. Tompkins, DARPA invented the 
Internet for the Department of Defense. It was adopted 
worldwide.
    You talked about the mRNA vaccines. Are you working on any 
other technologies that have broader appeal beyond the 
Department of Defense, Dr. Tompkins?
    Dr. Tompkins. Certainly. One example would be work that 
we're doing in 5G technologies for communications. So, you 
know, 5G is one of those areas which suffers a little bit from 
siloed, proprietary, vendor-driven capabilities, and so DARPA 
has a program called Open Co-fundable and Secure 5G, which 
basically seeks to create an open source 5G capability which 
would open up both from military perspectives and also 
ultimately from commercial/economic perspectives the power of 
5G for a wide range of sort of dual-use capabilities.
    Senator Tester. All right. I'm going to go to Senator 
Moran.
    Senator Moran. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. Thank 
both of our witnesses for joining us.
    Let me begin by asking a question of Dr. Tompkins about 
cybersecurity. This has been a priority of mine and we have 
lots of reasons for that to be the case. It's important, but 
could you describe for me how mosaics and other related cyber 
initiatives will not only support the department's cyber 
defense but the industrial partners that are critical to our 
Nation's security?
    Dr. Tompkins. Certainly. So DARPA has a fairly large number 
of different programs focusing on cybersecurity with priorities 
in the areas of prevention, so things like network operations 
analytics, but as well as looking at topics in the area of 
attack attribution and graceful degradation and recovery 
because we do understand that as long as we are in defense, we 
also have to be prepared for the attack that does get through.
    In those cases, they are looking not only at military 
systems but they translate very naturally to corporate systems. 
They translate to infrastructure systems, such as, you know, 
the power grid, water supply security, and many others.
    Senator Moran. Are those programs receiving the support 
they need to deploy new capabilities from the lab to the force?
    Dr. Tompkins. Yes, sir, I do believe they are. One of the 
really nice things about cyber technologies, especially if they 
are mainly for system software, is that they transition much 
more naturally and much more quickly than a lot of hardware-
focused technologies.
    So some of these again are things we would have to discuss 
in a different venue, but we have excellent collaboration, 
particularly with organizations, like Cyber Command, where we 
often go into demonstrate and experimental capability and can 
very quickly turn it into something that transitions to their 
operational use in the course of a program.
    Senator Moran. Doctor, thank you very much.
    Ms. McQuiston, let me follow up with what Senator Shelby 
was conversing with you about, hypersonics. Can you please 
provide an update on the industrial base partnerships that DOD 
has entered into to support carbon-carbon manufacturing 
initiatives?
    Ms. McQuiston. Additive manufacturing for hypersonics has 
been key. In fact, it's been a real enabler in commercial 
technologies, as well. It's not only sort of the breakthrough 
technology for hypersonics, but it's also being used in the 
automotive industry to really dramatically change fuel 
efficiency.
    I personally have not had the time to go through other 
agreements that we may have within the industry, but I would 
welcome that opportunity to come back to you with the details 
on that.
    Senator Moran. I'd welcome further conversations with you.
    As our hypersonic batteries come online and we begin to 
manufacture hypersonic missiles to scale, do we have the 
industrial base capacity to manufacture at scale?
    Ms. McQuiston. I believe we do. I believe that we are up 
for the challenge and can meet it.
    Senator Moran. So what are the challenges that we have in 
ramping up our production?
    Ms. McQuiston. Well, right now, we have a roadmap as to 
where we're moving it for fielding and production use. It is 
moving ahead and I'm unaware of any specific challenge that we 
might have right now.
    Senator Moran. I'd appreciate additional conversation with 
you. Maybe we can have a meeting or----
    Ms. McQuiston. I think in another venue we could actually 
get into more detail, exactly.
    Senator Moran. Thank you. Let me ask a final question, this 
one about space. I now co-chair the Senate's Space Force 
Caucus, and I'm the Ranking Member of the CJS (Commerce, 
Justice, Science), the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration) Appropriations Subcommittee, along with Senator 
Shaheen.
    How is your office working with commercial and government 
partners to make certain that satellite constellations remain 
secure from cyber and kinetic attacks?
    Ms. McQuiston. That's very important to us in looking at 
that. In fact, recently we had used adopted commercial 
processes which often in the past financial institutes would 
use to basically open up a satellite opportunity to hack-a-sat, 
we called it. So you could have hackers try to break in and 
disrupt options of the satellite.
    This has actually been a very good learning platform and to 
strengthen our own security within our satellite systems. So, 
again, adopting both commercial and putting together new 
technologies for defensive security operations within LEO and 
our satellite operations is going to be a very high priority 
for the Department of Defense.
    Senator Moran. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, thank you.
    Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Moran.
    Senator Baldwin.
    Senator Baldwin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Our military is reliant on lithium ion batteries to power 
critical systems, including plant energy-intensive 
applications, like advanced radars and sensors. Unfortunately, 
we are also reliant on foreign companies, including in China, 
for components that go into these batteries.
    We have really struggled to stand up domestic R&D 
capability to discover and validate new battery chemistries and 
technologies that would improve performance and safety and 
reduce costs for both military and commercial applications.
    Currently, most of our innovation and resulting 
intellectual properties have been in Asia. On this latter 
point, I believe the U.S. needs to build a robust independent 
commercial cell development and testing capability to support 
advanced battery technologies needed for our military systems 
and commercial applications, like electric vehicles and 
electric grid storage.
    Ms. McQuiston, I would like to hear your thoughts on how 
DOD can make investments to address these challenges and 
support next generation battery technology.
    Ms. McQuiston. Safe uses of lithium batteries actually has 
been a priority for the science and the university work that 
we've been doing.
    That said, battery technology has quite a range within the 
military, from the amount of batteries that need to be in the 
field to moving forward with high-power weapon systems.
    I would say that battery technology is going to be key for 
micro grids that we would need at basing and forward sites. I 
think batteries are a priority. The science and the materials 
can actually move forward, I think, if we focus our energies.
    DARPA is always good at looking at materials and batteries 
have always been a capability that they've had at modernizing 
and perhaps inventing new technologies and safer approaches at 
higher density, energy density.
    Senator Baldwin. Thank you. I've been advocating for 
strengthening our Buy America policies, including extending 
domestic content requirements down the supply chain to support 
the U.S. industrial base. Those efforts are critical but more 
focused on the acquisition side of DOD investment policy.
    I also believe that we need to do more on the research, 
development, and innovation side, those areas, Ms. McQuiston, 
over which you have responsibility.
    If we look at the pacing threat of China, let's say in the 
shipbuilding sector, DOD has reported that it has become the 
top ship-producing nation in the world and produces most of its 
critical components, like engines, weapons, and electronic 
systems.
    The Chinese Government is investing massive sums to ensure 
that those components are high-performing and manufacturable at 
scale.
    I believe that the DOD using existing authorities should 
provide funding to our domestic shipbuilding industrial base, 
particularly small- and medium-size businesses, to increase 
their technical capability, grow their capacity, and improve 
their manufacturing technology, design, and engineering 
processes.
    Across the DOD research and engineering enterprise, what 
are your priorities for supporting the industrial base and what 
programs and investments will you make to support the 
technological competitiveness in manufacturing capacity of our 
critical defense suppliers?
    Ms. McQuiston. Manufacturing is key to a number of 
technologies across the board and being able to modernize and 
work with manufacturing and make investments is also key to our 
economic security.
    When you look at manufacturing, it's not only for perhaps 
DOD enabling capability and scale, but it's also to derisk some 
of the newer technologies that are required, and we have a 
number of manufacturing programs in this area that we're moving 
forward, but we are working with aspects of this from 5G and 
the micro electronics side straight through to materials, 
battery technology, as we just discussed, and moving into a 
program that we have at a university that's working in 
materials that would be supported for difficult marine 
environments.
    So I concur with you on the need for manufacturing.
    Senator Baldwin. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I yield back.
    Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Baldwin.
    Senator Shaheen.
    Senator Shaheen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and to Ms. 
McQuiston and Dr. Tompkins, thank you both very much for your 
work and for testifying today.
    I appreciate the importance of DARPA and of our investing 
public dollars in innovation and research for our national 
security, but you alluded to this, I think, earlier, Ms. 
McQuiston, when you talked about the private sector, and the 
fact is much of the innovation that we benefit from comes from 
the private sector, is that correct?
    Ms. McQuiston. I would say that it's quite an engine for us 
in innovation, absolutely.
    Senator Shaheen. And one of the programs that has been 
really successful in promoting small businesses to do that kind 
of research is the SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) 
Program. Can you speak to how important you think that is?
    Ms. McQuiston. I think it's very important. You know, SBIRs 
and STTRs (Small Business Technology Transfer) have been quite 
an engine for us economically and moving investments forward in 
this area can have a great net gain in the economy, as well.
    Small businesses from the investment side are 22:1 return 
on the DOD investment. So anything we can do to encourage and 
bridge the gap, so to speak, between defense needs and small 
business capabilities will be critical. We have a protege 
program going forward with large companies so that the smaller 
companies can sort of be able to contribute in a way that's 
more meaningful to the DOD mission.
    We are also looking through DIU (Defense Innovation Unit) 
to bring on more small businesses and non-traditional 
performers, to bring capability to the warfighter' mission. So 
I think that's a huge focus.
    We have to be able to work at the speed of commercial 
flexibility because we don't want to just be able to understand 
what their technology is, we need to be able to capitalize on 
it and field these systems for the warfighter. So that's going 
to mean that we have to move at speeds that are within a 
commercial timeframe. So that's going to be critical in not 
only encouraging small business but actually being able to 
retain fielded systems and the support of growing our economy 
with small businesses.
    Senator Shaheen. Well, thank you very much. We extended the 
SBIR Program or reauthorized it for 5 years back in 2017, but 
that means it's going to expire again in 2022.
    So, Mr. Chairman, I would just say based on what we've 
heard and what we know is significant about the SBIR Program, 
we should start from now to extend/reauthorize that, and I 
would argue we should reauthorize it permanently. So thank you.
    Can you speak to what happens when we develop innovative 
technologies that are then adopted by our adversaries and used 
to undermine the United States? How do we prevent that? What 
can we do to better make sure that what we're doing in 
innovation doesn't get pirated by our adversaries?
    Ms. McQuiston. Well, I think securing our technology is 
key. WE have the TAPS (Transition Assistance Program) Program, 
which is working to make sure that our research and development 
dollars are secure, looking at university funding and having 
transparency in an area of research that we think is critical, 
so that we understand other areas of funding that are coming 
in.
    We also want to carefully work with scientists and 
researchers who we do not feel that there's an individual that 
could be a risk to the performance there, but I do believe we 
need to be smart and strategic about what we need to protect 
and keep the pace of surprise moving forward. That's the great 
thing about DARPA because there's always a new frontier and 
there'll always be, you know, people adopting and catching up, 
but if we're always moving ahead, we make the process of 
catching up that much more difficult, though security, I think, 
especially at the rate of cybersecurity and really protecting 
our own investments, has got to be in the forefront as we move 
forward, but to do it smartly.
    Senator Shaheen. Thank you. I only have a few seconds left, 
but I did want to ask you because you were talking about the 
challenge of legacy systems and innovation and how to balance 
phasing one out or addressing new innovative technology.
    When we do that, is it usual that contracts are awarded 
when we've got a technology that has not been proven or tested 
or fielded in any way? Can you answer that?
    Ms. McQuiston. Off the top of my head, I would say that we 
definitely need to make sure that we have trust in the system 
before it's fielded which is why we've stood up three offices 
between the Systems Engineering Office at SCO (Strategic 
Capabilities Office), DIU, with the Experimentation and 
Fielding, and then Emergent Technology Capability and working 
with that to demonstrate its capability.
    But in some technologies, it can move quite rapidly. So if 
we're looking at evolving technologies, such as in 
cybersecurity, we should have a rapid pace at being able to 
develop, test, and field this capability rather quickly.
    Obviously other technologies would take more time and 
testing, but we have to be flexible in how we approach the 
technology, which goes back to innovation, and it goes back to 
what I was saying in the beginning. You have to be doing the 
right thing and doing it correctly, but you have to adopt the 
flexibility in the program to account for the type of 
technology you're managing with the goal of fielding it as 
rapidly as you can.
    Senator Shaheen. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Shaheen.
    Senator Hoeven.
    Senator Hoeven. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Appreciate it. And 
thank you for the opportunity to meet with you today.
    Secretary McQuiston, earlier you mentioned SDA, the Space 
Development Agency, working with Grand Forks Air Force Base. We 
appreciate that very much. As you know, we've worked very 
diligently to develop all things unmanned aviation there and 
obviously that whole link and the development with the 
satellites is incredibly important. We think we have an 
absolutely unique resource there. So we appreciate it and we 
appreciate the working relationship we have with the Space 
Development Agency.
    We think that SDA needs to continue, to accelerate the 
development of technology for the warfighter. We think that's 
incredibly important.
    So tell me, how will you ensure that SDA can provide 
innovative and independent support for our warfighters, even as 
you transition to Space Force in October of 2022, and obviously 
we're very concerned about supporting that effort because we 
think it's very worthwhile but also because we think it's 
important. Grand Forks Air Force Base is part of that.
    Ms. McQuiston. Yes, I believe keeping in place the spiral 
development process that they've put in to work at commercial 
speeds and to very quickly be able to field capability will be 
the best way to work with this development of technology for 
space.
    I think it's already a proven pace that you see with 
commercial entities and I believe that what we have started 
right now with the Space Development Agency will prove itself 
by their 2-year cycle time for being able to update 
capabilities that we're bringing to the warfighter.
    Senator Hoeven. Good. And we appreciate very much the 
working relationship that we've had with you.
    Is there anything that we can do at this time that you 
think is particularly helpful to make sure that we continue to 
advance this initiative?
    Ms. McQuiston. Well, we appreciate your support for this 
effort and that is invaluable in itself. So thank you.
    Senator Hoeven. And same questions for Dr. Tompkins. Did 
you have anything that you would add?
    Dr. Tompkins. I agree with Ms. McQuiston regarding the 
support and appreciation for all the support you've provided, 
and DARPA works very closely with the SDA specifically in 
developing new technologies which then derisk, you know, 
elements of the technology for them to deploy and we look 
forward to seeing the fruition of some of those efforts in the 
near future.
    Senator Hoeven. Good. And again we want to make sure that 
we continue to offer any and all assistance so that that 
development continues as it is. We think it's incredibly 
important.
    Back to Ms. McQuiston. Now talk to me in terms of the next 
step, which is not just that communication with the satellites, 
but then also the communication between satellites and unmanned 
aviation, and again that's one of the things that we've 
developed in a way like no other, and obviously that's going to 
be an incredibly important part of this whole effort.
    So talk to me about development on that second step, as 
well.
    Ms. McQuiston. Yes. Looking at being able to have the 
battle space information, backbone in place, we have JADC2 as a 
program, and we also have AB2 moving forward, and looking at 
the information moving within the network and able to be used 
between ground and space will be critical. So the network and 
the data availability will actually be quite a platform for 
innovation and being able to constantly grow our capabilities 
at a rapid speed for the warfighter.
    Senator Hoeven. Yes. And tell me a little bit more about 
that interagency cooperation because one of the things we've 
done is we've broken down barriers. I mean, we're working with 
everybody. It's not just at the State and local level but all 
the different agencies, including NASA, Department of Defense, 
FAA, and everybody else.
    How are you working to make sure that you're integrating 
all of the agencies in there, as well, in this effort?
    Ms. McQuiston. We are working with all the agencies, and I 
believe the relationships are very good because everybody wants 
to move forward in this area. So I would say right now, we keep 
the pace moving forward.
    Senator Hoeven. Great. Thank you so much. And, Dr. 
Tompkins, anything else that you might want to add on that 
issue?
    Dr. Tompkins. I completely agree with everything Ms. 
McQuiston has said. I think in the interest of time, I'll leave 
it there just with our thanks and our excitement about the 
future.
    Senator Hoeven. I just want to thank both of you for your 
innovation and your creativity and your strong leadership. We 
truly appreciate the working relationship. Thanks so much, and 
we'll continue to support your efforts in this very important 
area.
    Ms. McQuiston. Thank you.
    Senator Tester. Thank you, Senator Hoeven.
    Just one more question from me and then we'll close out. 
This is for both of the testifiers and it's been talked about 
with previous questions. I think it's important that we add 
value by tapping into academia and private sector, small 
business and large business.
    From your guys' perspective, has there been greater 
participation by folks outside your agencies over the last 
years, has it been pretty static, or less?
    Ms. McQuiston. I think there's been larger participation 
and mostly because of the outreach programs that we've put 
together, especially through the Defense Innovation Unit, 
because we're seeing a lot of non-traditional companies coming 
in, and we're seeing an increase of small business that are 
excited to work with the Defense Department and able to 
demonstrate their capabilities, but more is required.
    Senator Tester. Okay. Dr. Tompkins?
    Dr. Tompkins. Yes, similarly. Of course, DARPS's funding 
goes entirely to those external partners. So what we would be 
tracking is sort of the diversification of that pro forma space 
and what we've looked for are organizations that have never 
worked with DARPA before, have never worked with the DOD, and 
through those kinds of outreach activities that Ms. McQuiston 
just mentioned, we are seeing that increase and we hope to see 
it even more.
    To get the best ideas and to get the best capabilities we 
need to be reaching the broadest possible and most diverse pro 
forma pool possible.
    Senator Tester. Do either of you see any existing barriers 
to working with your particular agencies and if you do, are 
those barriers things that you can break down or do you need 
congressional help?
    Ms. McQuiston. Well, right now at R&E, launching the 
Innovation Steering Group, I'm looking for areas of continual 
improvement and I think that we will be able to articulate sort 
of changes that need to take place internally in order to 
become more rapid in an adaptation of technology and to be more 
flexible in being able to do that.
    Senator Tester. So no barriers?
    Ms. McQuiston. At this time, I would say it's a matter of 
rolling up our sleeves.
    Senator Tester. Okay. Dr. Tompkins?
    Dr. Tompkins. The one thing I would suggest is that we're 
going to be taking a hard look at some of the sort of potential 
barriers for organizations that have traditionally worked with 
the Department of Defense, looking at the cost of compliance, 
and looking at sort of the murkiness of how organizations can 
successfully comply.
    I think this is particularly tough on smaller businesses, 
commercial organizations that haven't worked with Defense 
before, and many different classes of universities where the 
amount of overhead that they can afford to put in to being able 
to be sufficiently compliant can be really challenging and so 
we would be looking for ways to sort of meet them in the middle 
and find ways to make it easier for them to participate while 
still being fully compliant with our requirements.
    Senator Tester. Okay. Thank you.
    Senator Shelby, do you have anything you wanted?
    Senator Shelby. I have nothing else.
    Senator Tester. Okay.
    Senator Shelby. We do look forward to some classified 
hearings with this group because I think it's very important.
    Senator Tester. We will make sure that our staffs together 
and make that happen.
    I just want to express my appreciation for the testimony 
that was presented here today.

                     ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE QUESTIONS

    Senators need to know that they may submit additional 
written questions and we would ask you to respond to them in a 
reasonable period of time.
    [The following questions were not asked at the hearing, but 
were submitted to the Department for response subsequent to the 
hearing:]
              Questions Submitted to Ms. Barbara McQuiston
             Questions Submitted by Senator Jeanne Shaheen
    Question. Ms. McQuiston, the Department has been working to improve 
domestic manufacturing for semiconductors and ``microelectronics'' 
through a number of initiatives, including through the National 
Security Technology Accelerator. At the same time, the Department has 
stated that is aware of the threats posed by overseas control of 
printed circuit board manufacturing.
    Does the Department consider Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) to be 
microelectronics'' within the scope of existing funding authorities?
    Answer. Yes, the Department considers printed circuit boards to be 
critical for higher level assemblies for microelectronics, but they are 
not addressed by the effort ``access to State of the Art (SOTA) 
Microelectronics'' in the Trusted and Assured Microelectronics program. 
The issues surrounding Printed Circuit Boards are industrial base 
related, and are being addressed by the Under Secretary for Acquisition 
and Sustainment in coordination with the DoD PrCB Executive Agent.
    Question. How does the Department intend to encourage the reshoring 
of PCB manufacturing capabilities?
    Answer. The Department is developing strategies for re-shoring 
critical microelectronics, including printed circuit board technology 
products with the help of the DoD Executive Agent for Printed Circuit 
Boards. Partnership with the interagency, especially the Department of 
Commerce with respect to infrastructure funding associated with the 
CHIPS Act, will ensure DoD unique requirements and demand are included 
in any execution plan.
    Question. Ms. McQuiston, I understand that the Army recently 
awarded a fixed price Production Agreement for the Integrated Visual 
Augmentation System (IVAS) using Other Transaction Authority (OTA). 
However, this technology has not completed full testing or fielding for 
its night vision capabilities.
    Could you describe the importance of testing and fielding for night 
vision technology in particular?
    Answer. Fundamentally, the purpose of Test & Evaluation (T&E) is to 
enable the DoD to acquire systems that support the warfighter in 
accomplishing their mission. To that end, T&E provides engineers and 
decision makers with knowledge to assist in managing risks; to measure 
technical progress; and to characterize operational effectiveness, 
operational suitability, interoperability, survivability (including 
cybersecurity), and lethality. This is true for all technology 
acquisitions including for night vision technologies.
    Question. How might fielding equipment that has not gone through 
rigorous operational testing impact the end user?
    Answer. Fielding technology prior to operational testing introduces 
risk and potentially compromises the reliability and value of the 
technology fielded. Integrated testing, and the sharing of information 
across Developmental Test and Operational Test provides necessary data 
for the operational test agency to evaluate operational effectiveness, 
operational suitability, and overall mission capability. While IVAS did 
not conduct an initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E), they 
did undergo an Operational Assessment. In this instance, the IVAS 
system milestones and fielding decisions are made by the Service 
Acquisition Executive, and therefore R&E would need to defer to the 
Army on their programmatic decisions.
                                 ______
                                 
               Questions Submitted by Senator Jerry Moran
    Question. In order to achieve a multi-band/multi-orbit resilient 
and redundant enterprise architecture, leveraging non-LEO SATCOM assets 
is essential.
    What are your plans, if any, to leverage Medium Earth Orbit SATCOM 
capabilities?
    Answer. Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) SATCOM capabilities are actively 
leveraged from the commercial space sector via the procurement 
activities of the Commercial Satellite Communications Office (CSCO), at 
the direction of the Chief of Space Operations, United States Space 
Force (USSF), and in accordance with public law. USSF CSCO is the sole 
authority for procurement of said services for the Department of 
Defense (DoD) and satisfies COMSATCOM requirements on behalf of the 
Combatant Commands, the Services, other DoD and Federal agencies, as 
well as NATO and FVEY partner nations. Currently, USSF CSCO has 
approximately 18 MEO-based task orders awarded to the commercial space 
sector on behalf of DoD and others, providing SATCOM services in 
various geographic Areas of Responsibility.
    Question. The research, development, and production of hypersonic 
missiles will continue to be a major strategic priority for the 
Department of Defense.
    Can you please provide an update on the industrial base 
partnerships that the DoD has entered into to support carbon-carbon 
manufacturing initiatives?
    Answer. The Department of Defense Manufacturing Technology program 
has engaged the carbon-carbon industrial base through multiple 
investment mechanisms. The Manufacturing of Carbon-Carbon Composites 
for Hypersonic Applications Initiative has ongoing projects to improve 
the automation of 2D and 3D processing of carbon-carbon materials. The 
Manufacturing Innovation Institute network has issued two Manufacturing 
Challenges to their respective networks to address additive 
manufacturing techniques for Hypersonic applications, high-temperature 
Composites, integrated computational materials engineering tools, and 
advanced manufacturing methods specifically for Hypersonic 
applications.
    Additionally, the Department's Defense Production Act Title III 
authorities allow opportunities to invest in industrial capabilities 
such as carbon-carbon manufacturing. In particular, there is a request 
for proposals for Ultra-High and High Temperature Composite materials 
open now, which allows our industrial partners to be considered for 
funding for manufacturing initiatives.
    Question. As our hypersonic batteries come online and we begin to 
manufacture hypersonic missiles to scale, do we have the industrial 
base capacity to manufacture at scale?
    Answer. The Department is working with industry to rise to the 
challenge of producing hypersonic missiles at scale. R&E has partnered 
with A&S on a deep dive effort to assess the state of the current and 
future industrial base. This will help address current Service program 
needs, and pave the way to have a responsive industrial base to meet 
future requirements. The Department is using the results of this deep 
dive to inform the decisions necessary to build at scale, but a number 
of challenges still remain, particularly relating to supply chain 
management and supplier capacity. Providing a clear demand signal to 
our industry partners, in the form of validated requirements and steady 
procurement, will provide them with the confidence and business case to 
invest in their sub-tier suppliers and internally build capacity 
necessary for full scale hypersonic production.
    Question. What are the challenges to ramping up production?
    Answer. The challenges to ramping up hypersonic production are not 
unique--workforce and talent, data management, long lead production, 
and capacity and testing bottlenecks. However, they are exacerbated by 
the increased complexity of the technology and systems necessary to 
enable these game changing weapons that provide the Department with 
transformational capability. As these programs are still in 
development, their configuration and manufacturing processes are new 
competencies for industry. Some of the manufacturing processes are 
highly manual and labor intensive, and require specialized skills. Many 
need to be transitioned to industrial partners with sufficient 
throughput, automation, facilities, and technical understanding to 
produce reliably at scale.
                                 ______
                                 
              Questions Submitted to Dr. Stefanie Tompkins
            Questions Submitted by Senator Richard J. Durbin
    Question. Climate change is one of the top issues facing our 
nation, and both President Biden and Secretary Austin have made clear 
that we must address climate change as a national security issue--one 
that impacts the resilience of DoD facilities and operations. We must 
also invest in power and energy R&D to improve performance at our 
installations and optimize military capability. And this past year, the 
COVID-19 pandemic has made clear that we must also support research and 
development when it comes to public health and public agriculture, and 
the intersection of climate change, pests and diseases, food security, 
and more.
    Please provide an overview of DARPA's public health and public 
agriculture research that can help ensure we are better prepared 
against a future pandemic.
    Answer. DARPA is currently funding several public health and 
agriculture research efforts that tackle current limitations in 
preparation against a future pandemic. Through the Defend Against Crop 
System Attack program, technologies are being developed to protect 
staple crops, especially mature plants, that are particularly 
vulnerable to the most severe threats relevant to disease and climate 
change. The Pandemic Prevention \1\ program is focusing on novel 
methods to accelerate medical countermeasure discovery, pre-clinical 
testing, and manufacturing. Pandemic Prevention will enable an 
integrated therapeutic development platform that leverages state-of-
the-art technologies to prevent disease outbreaks. The Deployable 
Medical Countermeasures for Warfighter Readiness program will make 
nucleic acid-based medical countermeasures available to the warfighter 
where and when they are needed. The Preventing the Emergence of Disease 
(PED) program is investigating how animal pathogens are transmitted to 
humans and exploring novel approaches to prevent these events. The 
Expanding Human Resiliency program aims to maximize warfighter 
resiliency by leveraging the signals of the human microbiome to improve 
physiology. This program will develop new technologies to control and 
manipulate the microbiome and reduce attraction and feeding of insect 
vectors, such as mosquitoes, that carry disease.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\ All programs named/cited refer to the Research and Development 
Descriptive Summaries (RDDS) from the Department of Defense fiscal year 
2021 Budget Estimates.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    DARPA received and has obligated $113 million in CARES Act funding. 
These funds have been used to accelerate the development and deployment 
of technologies for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-
19. Activities and impacts include the following:
  --Diagnostics ($18.0M): DARPA research is producing tests that offer 
        earlier, more sensitive, and widely distributable diagnosis of 
        SARS-CoV-2-infected patients.
  --Novel Prevention and Treatment Approaches ($64.0M): DARPA is 
        rapidly screening previously approved drugs using methods such 
        as organ-on-a-chip systems and using AI and machine learning 
        methods.
  --Pharmaceutical Supply Chain ($29 million): DARPA researchers are 
        developing and commercializing technology that directly 
        addresses supply chain vulnerabilities to enable an end-to-end, 
        deployable, and scalable capability for the production of 
        medicines made from readily available ingredients that can be 
        sourced within the U.S.
  --Environmental Monitoring ($2 million): DARPA is developing and 
        enabling a persistent, broad-scale screening system to detect 
        the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
    Question. We lack robust surveillance systems to identify new pests 
and diseases and track where they are moving. How can DARPA fix that?
    Answer. DARPA focuses on developing technologies to rapidly detect 
and characterize threats, prevent surprise, and maintain force 
readiness. Several programs at DARPA focus on creating novel detection 
platforms for rapid identification of potential pathogens and 
biosurveillance of animal disease transmission. The Preventing the 
Emergence of Disease (PED) program is investigating how animal 
pathogens are transmitted to humans and exploring novel approaches to 
model, predict, and prevent these events. Promising intervention 
approaches will be developed to prevent viral species jumps from animal 
reservoirs to humans. Predicting such jumps is a key capability to 
mitigating outbreaks in human populations. The Forensic Indicators of 
Threat Exposure (FITE) program is developing a field-deployable 
resource for indicators of an individual's exposure history. This 
program has already supported COVID-19 Health Action Response for 
Marines (CHARM) by providing rapid delivery of accurate diagnostic 
results for Marine recruits to ensure training continuity at Parris 
Island. The Biology for Security (BIOSEC) program seeks to investigate 
novel approaches to address the DoD need for rapid detection of unknown 
and/or emerging biological threats by identifying pathogens based on 
specific behaviors, such as how they interact with and are toxic to 
host cells. Advances in this area will produce a completely new 
capability to assess the emergence of pathogens and to detect pathogens 
that can evade detection by traditional methods. The Gene Editing 
Enabled Diagnostics & Biosurveillance program will develop fieldable, 
low-cost gene editing based diagnostics for rapid, specific, sensitive, 
and multiplexed detection of biological threats in military and public 
health scenarios. The distributed biosurveillance device will deliver 
the strategic awareness needed to prevent outbreaks of known diseases, 
while having the flexibility to quickly detect new emergent bio-
threats, thereby serving as a firebreak and significantly contributing 
to DoD humanitarian and stabilization efforts.
                                 ______
                                 
               Questions Submitted by Senator Jerry Moran
    Question. Many experts are concerned about future animal pandemics 
threatening U.S. agricultural systems, affecting trade, jobs and rural 
communities. Many areas of the world are currently facing African Swine 
Fever--it has now spread from Africa, to Asia and Europe. There is a 
strong likelihood that the virus will eventually arrive in the US, 
which could be devastating to pork producers and processors, as well as 
to corn and soybean growers who provide feed. Just as in the COVID 
response, we will need coordinated public private partnerships (PPP) to 
drive vaccine development and affordable diagnostics. We will also need 
to increase our surveillance capabilities including platforms to track 
disease threats. These tools will not only help us protect our 
agriculture and food producers, but will also create systems to prepare 
us for future biological threats that could materialize in the coming 
years.
    For big challenges in agriculture that require urgent responses, 
such as protecting our agricultural and food systems from the impacts 
of climate change and bioterrorism, do you see the need for increased 
investments in agricultural research and a role for PPPs in prepare us 
for future pandemics?
    Answer. DARPA is currently pursuing research investments that offer 
the ability to stabilize vulnerable coastal areas from erosion and 
flood-related disasters as well as identify, track, and respond to 
emerging agricultural threats expected to develop on faster timescales. 
This research should lead to developments that assist the Department of 
Defense in risk and vulnerability mitigation strategies related to 
vulnerabilities that reside in the global food system. The development 
of capabilities that provide early detection and identification of 
emerging threats and/or disruptions to the global food system will 
likely benefit from coordinated public private partnerships that ensure 
broadest dissemination and sharing of data related to global food 
system security.
    Question. Your office is focusing heavily on technology transition 
projects to improve cyber defenses for the Department and its 
industrial partners.
    Can you please describe how MOSAICS and other related cyber 
initiatives will not only support the Department's cyber defense, but 
the industrial partners that are critical to our national security?
    Answer. DARPA's cyber initiatives support both the Department's 
cyber defense and the industrial partners that are critical to our 
national security.
    DARPA is developing the computing, networking, and cyber security 
technologies required to protect and enhance systems that are essential 
to DoD, USG, and U.S. civil infrastructure.
    Information technologies are a focus of intense computation with 
both peer and non-peer adversaries, and this competition will be 
ongoing.
    Systems. DARPA programs are developing the technologies to enhance 
the security, resiliency, and adaptability of complex software systems. 
Enhanced security and resiliency are essential to meet increasingly 
sophisticated cyber threats. Adaptability is needed to rapidly 
assimilate new capabilities in an evolving operational environment. 
Systems with rich supply chains pose particular challenges. Our work 
includes not just techniques for the development of new systems, but 
also, importantly, techniques that can enhance security and 
adaptability for a wide range of existing systems.
    Operations. DARPA programs explore data-intensive analytics for 
enterprise cyber defense, including fusion to support attribution of 
attacks for targeted response, new confidentiality techniques based on 
applied cryptography applicable to privacy and Internet Freedom, 
resiliency techniques to enable resilient recovery from attacks, and 
social engineering defense for phishing attacks. Programs also enhance 
the capability of cyber operators through improved data sourcing and 
analytics, tools and frameworks, and operator experience design, 
including environments for command centers.
    In addition to developing information technologies, DARPA works to 
transition the results of its R&D to operations through applications 
such as the following:
  --Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity: With regard to cyber-defense 
        of the power grid, DARPA-developed cyber tools and a test bed 
        were transitioned to the Department of Energy and commercial 
        utilities under a MOA between 16th Air Force, U.S. Cyber 
        Command, and DARPA that establishes a Joint Electric Power 
        Range (JEPR) at Fort Carson. The JEPR will be an enduring 
        national resource for power grid cyber resilience 
        experimentation and development.
  --Cyber Attribution: DARPA-developed cyber analytics were used to 
        generate timely, accurate threat information regarding 
        malicious Russian cyber activities. This information was shared 
        with partners at the FBI Atlanta and Pittsburgh field offices, 
        contributing to the indictment of six GRU personnel associated 
        with a worldwide destructive malware campaign and the 
        remediation of that malware campaign in U.S. and allied 
        critical infrastructure.
  --Cyber Protection for Combat Vehicles: DARPA-developed technology 
        has been selected by the Army Combat Capabilities Development 
        Command Ground Systems Vehicle Development Center to provide 
        cyber protection to their Next Generation Combat Vehicle. The 
        technology will be matured to TRL-6 for Army ground vehicle 
        environments under this transition.
  --Cyber Command and Control: DARPA initiated the Plan X program in 
        2013 to develop a command and control platform for military 
        cyber operations. Plan X technology was transitioned to the 
        Strategic Capabilities Office in July 2019, where it was 
        further developed under Project Ike, and has now been 
        transitioned again, this time to the Joint Cyber Command and 
        Control (JCC2) program management office.

                          SUBCOMMITTEE RECESS

    Senator Tester. The Defense Subcommittee will reconvene on 
Tuesday, April 20, at 9:30, for a hearing on the Defense Health 
Program.
    With that, this subcommittee stands in recess.
    Ms. McQuiston. Thank you.
    [Whereupon, at 10:55 a.m., Tuesday, April 13, the 
subcommittee was recessed, to reconvene at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, 
April 20.]