Accelerating New Technologies to Meet Emerging Threats Hearing Committee on Armed Services United States Senate
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S. HRG. 115–847 ACCELERATING NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO MEET EMERGING THREATS HEARING BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON EMERGING THREATS AND CAPABILITIES OF THE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES UNITED STATES SENATE ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION APRIL 18, 2018 Printed for the use of the Committee on Armed Services ( Available via http://www.govinfo.gov U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 41–257 PDF WASHINGTON : 2020 VerDate Nov 24 2008 11:34 Aug 26, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 5011 Sfmt 5011 C:\USERS\WR47328\DESKTOP\41257.TXT WILDA COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES JOHN MCCAIN, Arizona, Chairman JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma JACK REED, Rhode Island ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi BILL NELSON, Florida DEB FISCHER, Nebraska CLAIRE MCCASKILL, Missouri TOM COTTON, Arkansas JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire MIKE ROUNDS, South Dakota KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, New York JONI ERNST, Iowa RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut THOM TILLIS, North Carolina JOE DONNELLY, Indiana DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii DAVID PERDUE, Georgia TIM KAINE, Virginia TED CRUZ, Texas ANGUS S. KING, JR., Maine LINDSEY GRAHAM, South Carolina MARTIN HEINRICH, New Mexico BEN SASSE, Nebraska ELIZABETH WARREN, Massachusetts TIM SCOTT, South Carolina GARY C. PETERS, Michigan CHRISTIAN D. BROSE, Staff Director ELIZABETH L. KING, Minority Staff Director SUBCOMMITTEE ON EMERGING THREATS AND CAPABILITIES JONI ERNST, Iowa, Chairman ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi MARTIN HEINRICH, New Mexico DEB FISCHER, Nebraska BILL NELSON, Florida DAVID PERDUE, Georgia JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire TED CRUZ, Texas GARY C. PETERS, Michigan TIM SCOTT, South Carolina (II) VerDate Nov 24 2008 11:34 Aug 26, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 8486 Sfmt 8486 C:\USERS\WR47328\DESKTOP\41257.TXT WILDA C O N T E N T S APRIL 18, 2018 Page ACCELERATING NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO MEET EMERGING THREATS .................... 1 Griffin, Hon. Michael D., Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engi- neering .................................................................................................................. 2 Questions for the Record ......................................................................................... 16 (III) VerDate Nov 24 2008 11:34 Aug 26, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 8486 Sfmt 8486 C:\USERS\WR47328\DESKTOP\41257.TXT WILDA VerDate Nov 24 2008 11:34 Aug 26, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 8486 Sfmt 8486 C:\USERS\WR47328\DESKTOP\41257.TXT WILDA ACCELERATING NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO MEET EMERGING THREATS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18, 2018 UNITED STATES SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON EMERGING THREATS AND CAPABILITIES, COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES, Washington, DC. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:32 p.m. in Room SR–232A, Rus- sell Senate Office Building, Senator Joni Ernst (chairman of the subcommittee) pre- siding. Committee members present: Senators Ernst, Fischer, Perdue, Heinrich, and Peters. OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR JONI ERNST Senator ERNST. Good afternoon. The Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Ca- pabilities meets today to receive testimony from Dr. Michael Griffin, Under Sec- retary of Defense for Research and Engineering, on accelerating new technologies to meet emerging threats. Welcome, Secretary. It is good to have you here. The National Defense Strategy [NDS] acknowledges that our increasingly complex security environment is defined by rapid technological advancements, which have the potential to change the very character of war. These technologies include ad- vanced computing, Big Data analytics, artificial intelligence, autonomy, robotics, di- rected energy, hypersonics, and biotechnology. Moreover, their development is increasingly dispersed, expanding both to near- peer competitors and other actors with the means to use these technologies against our warfighters. These technologies also represent major opportunities for our own forces, and in- novation has always been a major strength of the Department of Defense’s [DOD] research and engineering enterprise, which includes the DOD laboratories and orga- nizations like DARPA and the Strategic Capabilities Office. However, getting these technologies in the hands of our warfighters can some- times be challenging for the Department of Defense, which has struggled to bridge the so-called ‘‘valley of death’’ for new technologies. This valley refers to the space between the research and engineering community and the acquisition community, which are responsible for fielding operational systems. In his confirmation hearing, Secretary Griffin testified that this transition is the ‘‘hardest problem we have.’’ I will look to Secretary Griffin to understand how he will use his own newly established position to help bridge this gap. The fielding of these critical new technologies contained within the National De- fense Strategy demands urgent attention and new approaches to ensure that our forces are postured to fight and win. Broadly, I look to Secretary Griffin to see how he plans to fulfill his charge as chief technology officer for the Department of De- fense to sustain and expand U.S. technological superiority in the future. Specifically, I hope to understand specific examples of research and technology ef- forts aimed at ensuring our forces are organized, trained, and equipped to succeed in our increasingly complex environment. Opening comments, Senator Heinrich? (1) VerDate Nov 24 2008 11:34 Aug 26, 2020 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6633 Sfmt 6633 C:\USERS\WR47328\DESKTOP\41257.TXT WILDA 2 STATEMENT OF SENATOR MARTIN HEINRICH Senator HEINRICH. Let me start by thanking Senator Ernst for holding this impor- tant hearing on technology transfer and the ways that we can move technologies and systems more rapidly into the hands of our operational forces. Welcome, Secretary. It has been almost 2 months since you were confirmed for this job, so you may not have fixed everything yet, but we hope that you are making good progress. I hope that today’s hearing will help us better understand the barriers to the smooth transition of next-generation technologies, whether they are from the fund- ing point of view, legal, regulatory, cultural, or other things that we have not thought about. We know that we are in a race to build future technologies and systems that our military will need to execute its missions against peer threats as well as emerging threats. We also know that the United States is still home to the world’s most inno- vative companies, small businesses, research universities, and government labs. The State of New Mexico alone is proud to host two national security laboratories, the Air Force Research Laboratory, White Sands Missile Range, and a number of high-tech small businesses, each employing some of the best and brightest minds in the country. Yet, one of our Nation’s biggest challenges remains in determining how we can best connect those innovators to the real current and future challenges facing our military, and how to move the best new technologies into the hands of our warfighters as quickly and effectively as possible. All of the members of this committee have heard frustrating stories of companies with great ideas or universities and government labs performing cutting-edge re- search that cannot seem to get traction and fight through the Pentagon’s arcane and bureaucratic procurement and funding processes, only to get stuck in that valley of death that Senator Ernst spoke about. This committee has taken a number of steps to help transition technologies, in- cluding strengthening science and technology prototyping efforts; emphasizing weap- ons of the future, like directed energy; supporting the Small Business Innovation Research program; and trying to cut back on the red tape and bureaucracy that slows this process. But I certainly believe we can do more. Tackling the issues that prevent the transition of technologies is a key emphasis of your work, Dr. Griffin, and you have an excellent opportunity to do so as our Na- tion’s Under Secretary for Research and Engineering. Dr. Griffin, I hope we can hear today your early estimate of the biggest challenges to effectively transition technology and learn what steps you are beginning to take to address them and how we can help. I also look forward to hearing what hurdles you are encountering in terms of setting up your organization and staffing in the Pentagon, and deconflicting authorities with the services and other parts of the Pen- tagon. Finally, I hope to learn what steps this committee and other committees in Con- gress can take to assist in these efforts. Our military’s technological edge may not depend solely on your success, but your success can greatly alter the ability of our military to stay ahead of our adversaries. I look forward to your testimony and learning more about how we can help. Senator ERNST. Go ahead, Secretary. Thank you. STATEMENT OF HON. MICHAEL D. GRIFFIN, UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING Dr. GRIFFIN. Chairwoman Ernst, Ranking Member Heinrich, Senator Peters, Sen- ator Fischer, Senator Perdue, thank you for being here. I really appreciate this op- portunity to talk to you about these issues. I am going to offer a very brief opening statement and ask that you submit my written testimony for the record. Senator ERNST. Without objection. Dr. GRIFFIN. So the recognition of the erosion of U.S. technological superiority, which was once unquestioned in the world, is what led the Congress to establish the position that I now hold, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engi- neering.