The Government Accountability Office is urging Congress to consider giving the Pentagon’s research and engineering office formal budget certification authority, arguing the change is needed to strengthen oversight of the Department of War’s technology investments and improve alignment across the military departments.
In a report published Thursday, GAO said the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering is generally executing its statutory roles—such as issuing the 2023 National Defense Science and Technology Strategy—but faces limitations in managing service-led science and technology efforts and in ensuring those investments align with DOW-wide priorities.
Why Does GAO Want Congress to Expand OUSD(R&E)’s Authority?
According to the watchdog, OUSD(R&E) is constrained in its ability to influence military department research, development, test and evaluation budgets. Officials noted that they often receive only top-line data and are given insufficient time to review detailed department submissions during the annual budget cycle
GAO framed the authority as a mechanism to require earlier and more complete budget submissions for review and to improve visibility into whether service budgets support DOW-wide technology priorities.
However, GAO said the Departments of the Army, Air Force and Navy disagreed with the idea. In its written comments, the DOW raised concerns that the added certification step could delay budget approval, reduce autonomy and increase workload.
What Issues Did GAO Flag in DOW’s Technology Planning and Road Maps?
GAO said the services’ science and technology strategies vary in how current they are and how closely they align with DOW’s S&T strategy, creating a risk that the military departments pursue technologies that do not match DOW’s vision.
The report also said OUSD(R&E) has not issued guidance for developing critical technology area roadmaps. GAO highlighted that without such oversight, road maps provide inconsistent details on infrastructure and the industrial base, undermining their utility for leaders tasked with guiding national investments.
GAO noted that OUSD(R&E) relies heavily on information from the military departments; however, officials estimated the office’s data collection efforts capture only about 70 percent to 80 percent of ongoing technology development projects, limiting oversight and coordination.
What Does GAO Want DOW to Do Next?
GAO made three recommendations to DOW, including directing each military department to develop S&T strategies that align with the National Defense S&T Strategy to the maximum extent practicable, issuing guidance for critical technology area roadmaps and providing guidance on the level of investment needed in each critical technology area to support road map alignment. DOW agreed with those recommendations.
The report comes as DOW’s fiscal year 2026 budget request includes nearly $180 billion for technology management and enhancement.
