Skip to content
Fiscal Receipts

Policy R&D Programs

OSDRDT&EPartial Reconciliation0305186D8Z
What it is
Policy R&D Programs — a research & development program run by OSD.
What changed
-$177.0K FY25→26
Who gets it
No award linkage at high confidence.

Budget Figures

FY24 Actuals
$6.08M
FY25 Total
$6.22M
FY26 Request
$6.04M
FY25→26 Change
-$177.0K
Budget Trajectory
FY24: $6.08MFY25: $6.22MFY26: $6.04MFY24FY25FY26
FY24
$6.08M
FY25
$6.22M
FY26
$6.04M

FY2026 award data is a partial year — USASpending awards are reported on a rolling basis and the fiscal year does not close until September 30. why →

No research dossier for this program — dossiers cover 50 of 326 programs, ranked by FY2026 requested dollars. why →

Budget Line Items(workbook-cited)

Exhibit R-1

AccountOrgTypeAmount
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-WideOSDFY24 Actuals$6.08M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-WideOSDFY25 Enacted$6.22M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-WideOSDFY25 Total$6.22M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-WideOSDFY26 Disc. Request$6.04M
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-WideOSDFY26 Total$6.04M

Budget Details(R-2/P-40 facts)

ProjectAll Prior YearsFY24 ActualsFY25 TotalFY26 BaseFY26 Request
Program Element$69.6M$6.08M$6.22M$6.04M$6.04M
186: Policy R&D Programs$69.6M$6.08M$6.22M$6.04M$6.04M

Program Narratives

MissionPolicy R&D Programs

The Policy R&D Program supports the interim National Defense Strategy by providing analysis to overcome military security challenges. The global security environment is dynamic and complex. Continuous research and analysis is necessary for understanding foreign military structures and capabilities, as well as for developing mid- to long-term anticipatory and strategic perspectives on security issues. These perspectives can then guide necessary changes to policies, strategies, processes, and capabilities that advance U.S. and interests. This program blends multiple research disciplines including policy, sciences, and engineering to better understand matters affecting strategy, planning, management of international alliances and partnerships, crisis preparedness and response, budgetary and operational oversight, cyber and space challenges, special operations, homeland defense, nuclear and missile defense, and other emerging threats to the national security of the US. The program also supports statutorily directed requirements related to OUSD Policy mission areas.

MissionPolicy R&D Programs

The Policy R&D Program supports the interim National Defense Strategy by providing analysis to overcome military security challenges. The global security environment is dynamic and complex. Continuous research and analysis is necessary for understanding foreign military structures and capabilities, as well as for developing mid- to long-term anticipatory and strategic perspectives on security issues. These perspectives can then guide necessary changes to policies, strategies, processes, and capabilities that advance U.S. and interests. This program blends multiple research disciplines including policy, sciences, and engineering to better understand matters affecting strategy, planning, management of international alliances and partnerships, crisis preparedness and response, budgetary and operational oversight, cyber and space challenges, special operations, homeland defense, nuclear and missile defense, and other emerging threats to the national security of the US. The program also supports statutorily directed requirements related to OUSD Policy mission areas.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (3)

Defense Planning Scenarios Activities

This program is classified.

Long Term Competitions (LTC) Program

Request supports the Long Term Competitions (LTC) program which is an analytical effort chartered to provide the DoD senior leadership with an understanding of key long-term developments and dynamics in specific areas of the global security environment, and to develop competitive strategies for their consideration as the Department seeks to address these long term challenges. The LTC Program will provide rigorously analyzed competitive strategy recommendations to these senior DoD leaders, and will require the support of organizations and experts outside of government to deliver the highest quality analysis, concepts and recommendations. Funding for the LTC program will be used to: bring outside experts into Task Force working groups and strategy review teams; contract studies; support wargaming and workshops; conduct analytical studies of key developments and dynamics, and their impact on the future security environment and U.S. military capabilities in that environment; and explore new approaches to addressing key analytical requirements. Assessments of the ability of future forces to achieve objectives at the campaign level. These assessments include wargaming, qualitative, and quantitative analytic methods. They will both inform and be informed by the Support for Strategic Analysis (SSA) defense planning scenarios (DPS). They will identify risk and potential trade-space among force structure, capabilities, and readiness to inform senior leader decision-making.

Future Security Challenges

Provides program management oversight and technical support to identify current and emerging future security challenges to the Department, and for international cooperation activities with Allies and international partners to confront these challenges. Anticipates exploitation of technology, including available and advanced capabilities, and work with the international commercial sector and academia concerning adversary’s application of technology. Program explores processes and policy to integrate international capabilities across the spectrum of security challenges.

No follow-the-dollar view — this program's awards haven't been crosswalked at high confidence (flows cover 17 of 326 programs). why →

Primary Sources