Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Prototyping

Mission— DIU Prototyping

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) mission is to strengthen U.S. national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology throughout the military and growing the national security innovation base. DIU partners with organizations across the DoD and the interagency to rapidly prototype, field, and scale commercial solutions that can save lives, lead to new operational concepts, increase efficiencies, and save taxpayer dollars. With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin, Chicago, and in the Pentagon, DIU is able to attract the best and brightest talent and cutting-edge solutions. The National Defense Strategy for FY 2026 asserts that we have returned to an era of inter-state strategic competition with Russia and China, heightening the sense of urgency with which the nation, and Department of Defense (DoD), must reform our acquisition policies and approach to sustaining military-technical superiority. Notably, 11 of the 14 critical technology focus areas are dual use and rapidly developed by the commercial sector. While adversaries are challenging the U.S. across several dimensions, most importantly, our near peer competitors are at par or ahead of the United States in critical technology areas. Consistent with the Administration's research and development budget priorities, this new era of competition requires technological superiority to ensure the United States’ ability to project power, maintain international norms and rule of law, provide credible deterrence, and prevail in conflict. DIU increases the Department's access to commercial technologies and talent, with the ultimate goal of fielding technology at a pace that effectively deters our adversaries and helps ensure victory if we are forced to fight. Working across the country, and in collaboration with our allies and partners, DIU is developing new ways of doing business, growing our national security innovation base to include more "non-traditional" companies that had previously not collaborated with the military, working with traditional vendors in novel ways to increase efficiency, and challenging innovators to share their knowledge and expertise in support of our nation's defense. Through a competitive prototype process, DIU identifies and provides access to technology companies and products on behalf of DoD organizations. Additionally, DIU executes projects to leverage commercial sector technology analogous to military applications thereby increasing dual-use technology agility for the DoD. DIU Prototyping funds facilitate the award of projects that can augment commercial technologies, existing government-owned capabilities, or concepts for defense application. DIU focuses on six technology areas where commercial industry is the lead: • Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) – Applying AI/ML learning to accelerate critical decision making and operational impact. • Autonomy – Adopting and countering autonomous systems with a focus on human-machine interaction and scalable teaming. • Cyber – Making enterprise combat information open, accessible, and secure for defense personnel across the globe. • Energy - Leveraging proven advancement in energy and materials technology to enhance capabilities and strengthen resilience across installation and distributed operations. • Human Systems – Optimizing the human system and its enabling platforms through enhanced equipment, innovative training, and novel health applications. • Space – Developing on-demand access to space, persistent satellite capabilities, and broadband space data transfer.

Mission— Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Prototyping

This program supports the Department's initiatives to Build a Sustainable and Long-Term Advantage and Build a Resilient Joint Force and Defense Ecosystem. The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) mission is to strengthen U.S. national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology throughout the military and growing the national security innovation base. DIU partners with organizations across the DoD and the interagency to rapidly prototype, field, and scale commercial solutions that can save lives, lead to new operational concepts, increase efficiencies, and save taxpayer dollars. With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin, Chicago, and in the Pentagon, DIU is able to attract the best and brightest talent and cutting-edge solutions. The National Defense Strategy for FY 2026 asserts that we have returned to an era of inter-state strategic competition with Russia and China, heightening the sense of urgency with which the nation, and Department of Defense (DoD), must reform our acquisition policies and approach to sustaining military-technical superiority. Notably, 11 of the 14 critical technology focus areas are dual use and rapidly developed by the commercial sector. While adversaries are challenging the U.S. across several dimensions, most importantly, our near peer competitors are at par or ahead of the United States in critical technology areas. Consistent with the Administration's research and development budget priorities, this new era of competition requires technological superiority to ensure the United States’ ability to project power, maintain international norms and rule of law, provide credible deterrence, and prevail in conflict. On April 4, 2023, the Secretary of Defense issued a memorandum re-elevating the DIU Director as a direct report to the Secretary of Defense and refocusing DIU on delivering strategic impact at scale and at speed through direct operations and catalyst of the innovation community for the Department. DIU increases the Department's access to commercial technologies and talent, with the ultimate goal of fielding commercial technology at a pace that effectively deters our adversaries and helps ensure victory if we are forced to fight. Working across the country, and in collaboration with our allies and partners, DIU is developing new ways of doing business, growing our national security innovation base to include more "non-traditional" companies that had previously not collaborated with the military, working with traditional vendors in novel ways to increase efficiency, and challenging innovators to share their knowledge and expertise in support of our nation's defense. Through a competitive prototype process, DIU identifies and provides access to technology companies and products on behalf of DoD organizations. Additionally, DIU executes projects to leverage commercial sector technology analogous to military applications thereby increasing dual-use technology agility for the DoD. DIU Prototyping funds facilitate the award of projects that can augment commercial technologies, existing government-owned capabilities, or concepts for defense application. DIU focuses on six technology areas where commercial industry is the lead: • Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) – Applying AI/ML learning to accelerate critical decision making and operational impact. • Autonomy – Adopting and countering autonomous systems with a focus on human-machine interaction and scalable teaming. • Cyber – Making enterprise combat information open, accessible, and secure for defense personnel across the globe. • Energy - Leveraging proven advancement in energy and materials technology to enhance capabilities and strengthen resilience across installation and distributed operations. • Human Systems – Optimizing the human system and its enabling platforms through enhanced equipment, innovative training, and novel health applications. • Space – Developing on-demand access to space, persistent satellite capabilities, and broadband space data transfer.

Mission— Operational energy capability improvement non-S&T

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) mission is to strengthen U.S. national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology throughout the military and growing the national security innovation base. DIU partners with organizations across the DoD and the interagency to rapidly prototype, field, and scale commercial solutions that can save lives, lead to new operational concepts, increase efficiencies, and save taxpayer dollars. With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin, Chicago, and in the Pentagon, DIU is able to attract the best and brightest talent and cutting-edge solutions. The National Defense Strategy for FY 2026 asserts that we have returned to an era of inter-state strategic competition with Russia and China, heightening the sense of urgency with which the nation, and Department of Defense (DoD), must reform our acquisition policies and approach to sustaining military-technical superiority. Notably, 11 of the 14 critical technology focus areas are dual use and rapidly developed by the commercial sector. While adversaries are challenging the U.S. across several dimensions, most importantly, our near peer competitors are at par or ahead of the United States in critical technology areas. Consistent with the Administration's research and development budget priorities, this new era of competition requires technological superiority to ensure the United States’ ability to project power, maintain international norms and rule of law, provide credible deterrence, and prevail in conflict. DIU increases the Department's access to commercial technologies and talent, with the ultimate goal of fielding technology at a pace that effectively deters our adversaries and helps ensure victory if we are forced to fight. Working across the country, and in collaboration with our allies and partners, DIU is developing new ways of doing business, growing our national security innovation base to include more "non-traditional" companies that had previously not collaborated with the military, working with traditional vendors in novel ways to increase efficiency, and challenging innovators to share their knowledge and expertise in support of our nation's defense. Through a competitive prototype process, DIU identifies and provides access to technology companies and products on behalf of DoD organizations. Additionally, DIU executes projects to leverage commercial sector technology analogous to military applications thereby increasing dual-use technology agility for the DoD. DIU Prototyping funds facilitate the award of projects that can augment commercial technologies, existing government-owned capabilities, or concepts for defense application. DIU focuses on six technology areas where commercial industry is the lead: • Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) – Applying AI/ML learning to accelerate critical decision making and operational impact. • Autonomy – Adopting and countering autonomous systems with a focus on human-machine interaction and scalable teaming. • Cyber – Making enterprise combat information open, accessible, and secure for defense personnel across the globe. • Energy - Leveraging proven advancement in energy and materials technology to enhance capabilities and strengthen resilience across installation and distributed operations. • Human Systems – Optimizing the human system and its enabling platforms through enhanced equipment, innovative training, and novel health applications. • Space – Developing on-demand access to space, persistent satellite capabilities, and broadband space data transfer.

Mission— Quantum

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) mission is to strengthen U.S. national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology throughout the military and growing the national security innovation base. DIU partners with organizations across the DoD and the interagency to rapidly prototype, field, and scale commercial solutions that can save lives, lead to new operational concepts, increase efficiencies, and save taxpayer dollars. With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin, Chicago, and in the Pentagon, DIU is able to attract the best and brightest talent and cutting-edge solutions. The National Defense Strategy for FY 2026 asserts that we have returned to an era of inter-state strategic competition with Russia and China, heightening the sense of urgency with which the nation, and Department of Defense (DoD), must reform our acquisition policies and approach to sustaining military-technical superiority. Notably, 11 of the 14 critical technology focus areas are dual use and rapidly developed by the commercial sector. While adversaries are challenging the U.S. across several dimensions, most importantly, our near peer competitors are at par or ahead of the United States in critical technology areas. Consistent with the Administration's research and development budget priorities, this new era of competition requires technological superiority to ensure the United States’ ability to project power, maintain international norms and rule of law, provide credible deterrence, and prevail in conflict. DIU increases the Department's access to commercial technologies and talent, with the ultimate goal of fielding technology at a pace that effectively deters our adversaries and helps ensure victory if we are forced to fight. Working across the country, and in collaboration with our allies and partners, DIU is developing new ways of doing business, growing our national security innovation base to include more "non-traditional" companies that had previously not collaborated with the military, working with traditional vendors in novel ways to increase efficiency, and challenging innovators to share their knowledge and expertise in support of our nation's defense. Through a competitive prototype process, DIU identifies and provides access to technology companies and products on behalf of DoD organizations. Additionally, DIU executes projects to leverage commercial sector technology analogous to military applications thereby increasing dual-use technology agility for the DoD. DIU Prototyping funds facilitate the award of projects that can augment commercial technologies, existing government-owned capabilities, or concepts for defense application. DIU focuses on six technology areas where commercial industry is the lead: • Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) – Applying AI/ML learning to accelerate critical decision making and operational impact. • Autonomy – Adopting and countering autonomous systems with a focus on human-machine interaction and scalable teaming. • Cyber – Making enterprise combat information open, accessible, and secure for defense personnel across the globe. • Energy - Leveraging proven advancement in energy and materials technology to enhance capabilities and strengthen resilience across installation and distributed operations. • Human Systems – Optimizing the human system and its enabling platforms through enhanced equipment, innovative training, and novel health applications. • Space – Developing on-demand access to space, persistent satellite capabilities, and broadband space data transfer.

Mission— Aircraft Autonomy

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) mission is to strengthen U.S. national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology throughout the military and growing the national security innovation base. DIU partners with organizations across the DoD and the interagency to rapidly prototype, field, and scale commercial solutions that can save lives, lead to new operational concepts, increase efficiencies, and save taxpayer dollars. With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin, Chicago, and in the Pentagon, DIU is able to attract the best and brightest talent and cutting-edge solutions. The National Defense Strategy for FY 2026 asserts that we have returned to an era of inter-state strategic competition with Russia and China, heightening the sense of urgency with which the nation, and Department of Defense (DoD), must reform our acquisition policies and approach to sustaining military-technical superiority. Notably, 11 of the 14 critical technology focus areas are dual use and rapidly developed by the commercial sector. While adversaries are challenging the U.S. across several dimensions, most importantly, our near peer competitors are at par or ahead of the United States in critical technology areas. Consistent with the Administration's research and development budget priorities, this new era of competition requires technological superiority to ensure the United States’ ability to project power, maintain international norms and rule of law, provide credible deterrence, and prevail in conflict. DIU increases the Department's access to commercial technologies and talent, with the ultimate goal of fielding technology at a pace that effectively deters our adversaries and helps ensure victory if we are forced to fight. Working across the country, and in collaboration with our allies and partners, DIU is developing new ways of doing business, growing our national security innovation base to include more "non-traditional" companies that had previously not collaborated with the military, working with traditional vendors in novel ways to increase efficiency, and challenging innovators to share their knowledge and expertise in support of our nation's defense. Through a competitive prototype process, DIU identifies and provides access to technology companies and products on behalf of DoD organizations. Additionally, DIU executes projects to leverage commercial sector technology analogous to military applications thereby increasing dual-use technology agility for the DoD. DIU Prototyping funds facilitate the award of projects that can augment commercial technologies, existing government-owned capabilities, or concepts for defense application. DIU focuses on six technology areas where commercial industry is the lead: • Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) – Applying AI/ML learning to accelerate critical decision making and operational impact. • Autonomy – Adopting and countering autonomous systems with a focus on human-machine interaction and scalable teaming. • Cyber – Making enterprise combat information open, accessible, and secure for defense personnel across the globe. • Energy - Leveraging proven advancement in energy and materials technology to enhance capabilities and strengthen resilience across installation and distributed operations. • Human Systems – Optimizing the human system and its enabling platforms through enhanced equipment, innovative training, and novel health applications. • Space – Developing on-demand access to space, persistent satellite capabilities, and broadband space data transfer.

Mission— Advance rocket propulsion

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) mission is to strengthen U.S. national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology throughout the military and growing the national security innovation base. DIU partners with organizations across the DoD and the interagency to rapidly prototype, field, and scale commercial solutions that can save lives, lead to new operational concepts, increase efficiencies, and save taxpayer dollars. With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin, Chicago, and in the Pentagon, DIU is able to attract the best and brightest talent and cutting-edge solutions. The National Defense Strategy for FY 2026 asserts that we have returned to an era of inter-state strategic competition with Russia and China, heightening the sense of urgency with which the nation, and Department of Defense (DoD), must reform our acquisition policies and approach to sustaining military-technical superiority. Notably, 11 of the 14 critical technology focus areas are dual use and rapidly developed by the commercial sector. While adversaries are challenging the U.S. across several dimensions, most importantly, our near peer competitors are at par or ahead of the United States in critical technology areas. Consistent with the Administration's research and development budget priorities, this new era of competition requires technological superiority to ensure the United States’ ability to project power, maintain international norms and rule of law, provide credible deterrence, and prevail in conflict. DIU increases the Department's access to commercial technologies and talent, with the ultimate goal of fielding technology at a pace that effectively deters our adversaries and helps ensure victory if we are forced to fight. Working across the country, and in collaboration with our allies and partners, DIU is developing new ways of doing business, growing our national security innovation base to include more "non-traditional" companies that had previously not collaborated with the military, working with traditional vendors in novel ways to increase efficiency, and challenging innovators to share their knowledge and expertise in support of our nation's defense. Through a competitive prototype process, DIU identifies and provides access to technology companies and products on behalf of DoD organizations. Additionally, DIU executes projects to leverage commercial sector technology analogous to military applications thereby increasing dual-use technology agility for the DoD. DIU Prototyping funds facilitate the award of projects that can augment commercial technologies, existing government-owned capabilities, or concepts for defense application. DIU focuses on six technology areas where commercial industry is the lead: • Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) – Applying AI/ML learning to accelerate critical decision making and operational impact. • Autonomy – Adopting and countering autonomous systems with a focus on human-machine interaction and scalable teaming. • Cyber – Making enterprise combat information open, accessible, and secure for defense personnel across the globe. • Energy - Leveraging proven advancement in energy and materials technology to enhance capabilities and strengthen resilience across installation and distributed operations. • Human Systems – Optimizing the human system and its enabling platforms through enhanced equipment, innovative training, and novel health applications. • Space – Developing on-demand access to space, persistent satellite capabilities, and broadband space data transfer.

Mission— Additive manufacturing of undersea drones

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) mission is to strengthen U.S. national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology throughout the military and growing the national security innovation base. DIU partners with organizations across the DoD and the interagency to rapidly prototype, field, and scale commercial solutions that can save lives, lead to new operational concepts, increase efficiencies, and save taxpayer dollars. With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin, Chicago, and in the Pentagon, DIU is able to attract the best and brightest talent and cutting-edge solutions. The National Defense Strategy for FY 2026 asserts that we have returned to an era of inter-state strategic competition with Russia and China, heightening the sense of urgency with which the nation, and Department of Defense (DoD), must reform our acquisition policies and approach to sustaining military-technical superiority. Notably, 11 of the 14 critical technology focus areas are dual use and rapidly developed by the commercial sector. While adversaries are challenging the U.S. across several dimensions, most importantly, our near peer competitors are at par or ahead of the United States in critical technology areas. Consistent with the Administration's research and development budget priorities, this new era of competition requires technological superiority to ensure the United States’ ability to project power, maintain international norms and rule of law, provide credible deterrence, and prevail in conflict. DIU increases the Department's access to commercial technologies and talent, with the ultimate goal of fielding technology at a pace that effectively deters our adversaries and helps ensure victory if we are forced to fight. Working across the country, and in collaboration with our allies and partners, DIU is developing new ways of doing business, growing our national security innovation base to include more "non-traditional" companies that had previously not collaborated with the military, working with traditional vendors in novel ways to increase efficiency, and challenging innovators to share their knowledge and expertise in support of our nation's defense. Through a competitive prototype process, DIU identifies and provides access to technology companies and products on behalf of DoD organizations. Additionally, DIU executes projects to leverage commercial sector technology analogous to military applications thereby increasing dual-use technology agility for the DoD. DIU Prototyping funds facilitate the award of projects that can augment commercial technologies, existing government-owned capabilities, or concepts for defense application. DIU focuses on six technology areas where commercial industry is the lead: • Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) – Applying AI/ML learning to accelerate critical decision making and operational impact. • Autonomy – Adopting and countering autonomous systems with a focus on human-machine interaction and scalable teaming. • Cyber – Making enterprise combat information open, accessible, and secure for defense personnel across the globe. • Energy - Leveraging proven advancement in energy and materials technology to enhance capabilities and strengthen resilience across installation and distributed operations. • Human Systems – Optimizing the human system and its enabling platforms through enhanced equipment, innovative training, and novel health applications. • Space – Developing on-demand access to space, persistent satellite capabilities, and broadband space data transfer.

Mission— Accountability Bookkeeping Dashboard

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) mission is to strengthen U.S. national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology throughout the military and growing the national security innovation base. DIU partners with organizations across the DoD and the interagency to rapidly prototype, field, and scale commercial solutions that can save lives, lead to new operational concepts, increase efficiencies, and save taxpayer dollars. With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin, Chicago, and in the Pentagon, DIU is able to attract the best and brightest talent and cutting-edge solutions. The National Defense Strategy for FY 2026 asserts that we have returned to an era of inter-state strategic competition with Russia and China, heightening the sense of urgency with which the nation, and Department of Defense (DoD), must reform our acquisition policies and approach to sustaining military-technical superiority. Notably, 11 of the 14 critical technology focus areas are dual use and rapidly developed by the commercial sector. While adversaries are challenging the U.S. across several dimensions, most importantly, our near peer competitors are at par or ahead of the United States in critical technology areas. Consistent with the Administration's research and development budget priorities, this new era of competition requires technological superiority to ensure the United States’ ability to project power, maintain international norms and rule of law, provide credible deterrence, and prevail in conflict. DIU increases the Department's access to commercial technologies and talent, with the ultimate goal of fielding technology at a pace that effectively deters our adversaries and helps ensure victory if we are forced to fight. Working across the country, and in collaboration with our allies and partners, DIU is developing new ways of doing business, growing our national security innovation base to include more "non-traditional" companies that had previously not collaborated with the military, working with traditional vendors in novel ways to increase efficiency, and challenging innovators to share their knowledge and expertise in support of our nation's defense. Through a competitive prototype process, DIU identifies and provides access to technology companies and products on behalf of DoD organizations. Additionally, DIU executes projects to leverage commercial sector technology analogous to military applications thereby increasing dual-use technology agility for the DoD. DIU Prototyping funds facilitate the award of projects that can augment commercial technologies, existing government-owned capabilities, or concepts for defense application. DIU focuses on six technology areas where commercial industry is the lead: • Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) – Applying AI/ML learning to accelerate critical decision making and operational impact. • Autonomy – Adopting and countering autonomous systems with a focus on human-machine interaction and scalable teaming. • Cyber – Making enterprise combat information open, accessible, and secure for defense personnel across the globe. • Energy - Leveraging proven advancement in energy and materials technology to enhance capabilities and strengthen resilience across installation and distributed operations. • Human Systems – Optimizing the human system and its enabling platforms through enhanced equipment, innovative training, and novel health applications. • Space – Developing on-demand access to space, persistent satellite capabilities, and broadband space data transfer.

Mission— DIU Prototyping

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) mission is to strengthen U.S. national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology throughout the military and growing the national security innovation base. DIU partners with organizations across the DoD and the interagency to rapidly prototype, field, and scale commercial solutions that can save lives, lead to new operational concepts, increase efficiencies, and save taxpayer dollars. With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin, Chicago, and in the Pentagon, DIU is able to attract the best and brightest talent and cutting-edge solutions. The National Defense Strategy for FY 2026 asserts that we have returned to an era of inter-state strategic competition with Russia and China, heightening the sense of urgency with which the nation, and Department of Defense (DoD), must reform our acquisition policies and approach to sustaining military-technical superiority. Notably, 11 of the 14 critical technology focus areas are dual use and rapidly developed by the commercial sector. While adversaries are challenging the U.S. across several dimensions, most importantly, our near peer competitors are at par or ahead of the United States in critical technology areas. Consistent with the Administration's research and development budget priorities, this new era of competition requires technological superiority to ensure the United States’ ability to project power, maintain international norms and rule of law, provide credible deterrence, and prevail in conflict. DIU increases the Department's access to commercial technologies and talent, with the ultimate goal of fielding technology at a pace that effectively deters our adversaries and helps ensure victory if we are forced to fight. Working across the country, and in collaboration with our allies and partners, DIU is developing new ways of doing business, growing our national security innovation base to include more "non-traditional" companies that had previously not collaborated with the military, working with traditional vendors in novel ways to increase efficiency, and challenging innovators to share their knowledge and expertise in support of our nation's defense. Through a competitive prototype process, DIU identifies and provides access to technology companies and products on behalf of DoD organizations. Additionally, DIU executes projects to leverage commercial sector technology analogous to military applications thereby increasing dual-use technology agility for the DoD. DIU Prototyping funds facilitate the award of projects that can augment commercial technologies, existing government-owned capabilities, or concepts for defense application. DIU focuses on six technology areas where commercial industry is the lead: • Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) – Applying AI/ML learning to accelerate critical decision making and operational impact. • Autonomy – Adopting and countering autonomous systems with a focus on human-machine interaction and scalable teaming. • Cyber – Making enterprise combat information open, accessible, and secure for defense personnel across the globe. • Energy - Leveraging proven advancement in energy and materials technology to enhance capabilities and strengthen resilience across installation and distributed operations. • Human Systems – Optimizing the human system and its enabling platforms through enhanced equipment, innovative training, and novel health applications. • Space – Developing on-demand access to space, persistent satellite capabilities, and broadband space data transfer.

Mission— Program increase - unspecified

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) mission is to strengthen U.S. national security by accelerating the adoption of commercial technology throughout the military and growing the national security innovation base. DIU partners with organizations across the DoD and the interagency to rapidly prototype, field, and scale commercial solutions that can save lives, lead to new operational concepts, increase efficiencies, and save taxpayer dollars. With offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, Austin, Chicago, and in the Pentagon, DIU is able to attract the best and brightest talent and cutting-edge solutions. The National Defense Strategy for FY 2026 asserts that we have returned to an era of inter-state strategic competition with Russia and China, heightening the sense of urgency with which the nation, and Department of Defense (DoD), must reform our acquisition policies and approach to sustaining military-technical superiority. Notably, 11 of the 14 critical technology focus areas are dual use and rapidly developed by the commercial sector. While adversaries are challenging the U.S. across several dimensions, most importantly, our near peer competitors are at par or ahead of the United States in critical technology areas. Consistent with the Administration's research and development budget priorities, this new era of competition requires technological superiority to ensure the United States’ ability to project power, maintain international norms and rule of law, provide credible deterrence, and prevail in conflict. DIU increases the Department's access to commercial technologies and talent, with the ultimate goal of fielding technology at a pace that effectively deters our adversaries and helps ensure victory if we are forced to fight. Working across the country, and in collaboration with our allies and partners, DIU is developing new ways of doing business, growing our national security innovation base to include more "non-traditional" companies that had previously not collaborated with the military, working with traditional vendors in novel ways to increase efficiency, and challenging innovators to share their knowledge and expertise in support of our nation's defense. Through a competitive prototype process, DIU identifies and provides access to technology companies and products on behalf of DoD organizations. Additionally, DIU executes projects to leverage commercial sector technology analogous to military applications thereby increasing dual-use technology agility for the DoD. DIU Prototyping funds facilitate the award of projects that can augment commercial technologies, existing government-owned capabilities, or concepts for defense application. DIU focuses on six technology areas where commercial industry is the lead: • Artificial Intelligence (AI)/ Machine Learning (ML) – Applying AI/ML learning to accelerate critical decision making and operational impact. • Autonomy – Adopting and countering autonomous systems with a focus on human-machine interaction and scalable teaming. • Cyber – Making enterprise combat information open, accessible, and secure for defense personnel across the globe. • Energy - Leveraging proven advancement in energy and materials technology to enhance capabilities and strengthen resilience across installation and distributed operations. • Human Systems – Optimizing the human system and its enabling platforms through enhanced equipment, innovative training, and novel health applications. • Space – Developing on-demand access to space, persistent satellite capabilities, and broadband space data transfer.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (3)