Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering finalizes lab review, pushes R&D modernization

The Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering has finalized recommendations to overhaul the War Department’s research enterprise following a 90-day review of laboratories, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers, and University-Affiliated Research Centers. The effort is designed to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks and speed delivery of combat-ready technologies.

The push stems from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s directive for a sweeping modernization of the U.S. defense innovation ecosystem amid rapid, commercially driven technological change. Executed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Science and Technology, the assessment included 30 site visits—nearly a third of the Department’s R&D footprint—yielding ground-level insights into systemic challenges and reform opportunities.

“On one hand, our findings are reassuring, confirming that the research enterprise is fundamentally sound, with an unmatched concentration of world-class scientists, engineers and researchers who continue to drive capabilities to the tactical edge,” said Assistant Secretary of War for Science and Technology Joseph Jewell, whose office led the assessment. “But the findings also show the increasing drag that aging, costly infrastructure imposes on labs and test centers striving to tackle changing missions and pursue emerging technologies. We have researchers pushing the boundaries of 21st century technologies in facilities built when the cathode-ray tube and jet propulsion were the state of the art.”

A central recommendation seeks congressional approval for a dedicated laboratory military construction appropriation devoted to research, development, test and evaluation infrastructure, shielding those dollars from broader construction demands. The review also calls for significantly raising the cap on minor military construction funds so labs can respond quickly to emerging requirements for integrated research and heightened security.

“This assessment highlights how siloed the R&D enterprise has become as it expanded over the past half century,” said Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael. “The labs are more service-centric, and the networks of university and FFRDC partners are not as integrated as they should be. This comprehensive review mandates our path forward to address the overriding challenge of delivering technology from lab to our warfighters rapidly, without sacrificing our rigorous standards for safety and combat effectiveness.”

The review stops short of recommending closures or consolidations, finding that overlapping work generally reflects mission needs. Instead, it targets systemic fixes affecting how authority, money and decisions flow, and how institutions are funded, measured and governed.

The recommendations aim to remove major friction points, better align resources, and empower the Department’s scientific workforce, establishing a blueprint to modernize the R&D ecosystem and preserve a dominant and enduring technological edge. The assessment team is formalizing an implementation plan, with execution scheduled to begin shortly thereafter.

The full Lab Review is available at: https://www.cto.mil/lab-review-modernize-rd-enterprise/