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FY 2016 Budget Request: Department of Defense Science and Technology Programs

FEB 05, 2015

The Obama Administration has requested an increase of 0.1 percent in the budget for the three science and technology programs of the Department of Defense in FY 2016. Under this request, sent to Congress on Monday, the total budget would increase from $12,252.0 million to $12,266.6 million.

The FY 2016 budget request for Defense science and technology programs is found in a 101-page report prepared by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller): RDT&E Programs (R-1) . The document is a series of line item budget numbers without narrative. The Comptroller also issued an Overview ; on PDF pages 53 and 54 under Science and Technology stating:

“The Department’s FY 2016 Science and Technology (S&T) Program mission is to invest in and develop capabilities that advance the technical superiority of the U.S. military to counter new and emerging threats.

“The FY 2016 President’s Budget Request for S&T is $12.3 billion, which is 2.3 percent of the Department’s ($534.3 billion) base budget. The FY 2016 request is slightly more than the FY 2015 enacted amount of $12.2 billion for continued S&T focus on the rebalance of forces from Iraq and Afghanistan to the Asia Pacific region (Anti-access/Area-denial), and to implement a new Defense Innovation Initiative (DII) that will help to identify investments in innovations to sustain and advance DoD’s military dominance for the 21st century.

“The FY 2016 President’s budget S&T highlights include:
• Maintaining a robust Basic Research program of $2.1 billion.
• Modestly increasing to $3.0 billion to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency budget (from the FY 2015 enacted appropriation of $2.9 billion) to develop technologies for revolutionary, high-payoff military capabilities.
• Providing $137.0 million for the President’s National Advanced Manufacturing Initiative at six centers to support the President’s National Network for Manufacturing Innovation plan and the National Economic Council’s manufacturing goals.

“Overall S&T funding for the Army, Navy and Air Force are each approximately $2.2 billion.”

Related summary information in a chapter entitled Pursue Investments in Military Capabilities starts on PDF page 49.

The numbers from the R-1 are as follows:

Total 6.1 Basic Research:
The FY 2015 appropriation was $2,277.8 million
The FY 2016 request is $2,089.0 million, a decrease of $188.8 million or 8.3 percent

Total 6.2 Applied Research:
The FY 2014 appropriation was $4,647.8 million
The FY 2015 request is $4,713.2 million, an increase of $65.4 million or 1.4 percent

Total 6.3 Advanced Technology Development:
The FY 2015 appropriation was $5,326.4 million
The FY 2016 request is $5,464.4 million, an increase of $138.0 million or 2.6 percent

Total 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3:
The FY 2015 appropriation was $12,252.0 million
The FY 2016 request is $12,266.6 million, an increase of $14.6 million or 0.1 percent

Total Army 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3:
The FY 2015 appropriation was $2,554.9 million
The FY 2015 request is $2,200.6 million, a decrease of $354.3 million or 13.9 percent

Total Navy 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3:
The FY 2014 appropriation was $2,155.3 million
The FY 2015 request is $2,114.4 million or a decrease of $40.9 million or 1.9 percent

Total Air Force 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3:
The FY 2015 appropriation was $2,281.7 million
The FY 2016 request is $2,378.4 million or an increase of $96.7 million or 4.2 percent

Total Defense-Wide (i.e., DARPA, etc.) 6.1, 6.2, and 6.3:
The FY 2015 appropriation was $5,260.1 million
The FY 2016 request is $5,573.1 million, an increase of $313.0 million or 6.0 percent

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