Department of Defense Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT and E): Appropriations Structure

The Department of Defense (DOD) conducts research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT and E) in support of its mission requirements. The work funded by these appropriations plays a central role in the nations security and an important role in U.S. global leadership in science and technology. DOD alone accounts for 41.1% of all federal R and D appropriations ($65.7 billion of $159.6 billion in FY2022). In its annual congressional budget requests, DOD presents its RDT and E requests by organization and by its own unique taxonomy aligned to the character of the work to be performed. More than 97% of DOD RDT and E funding is provided under Title IV of the annual defense appropriations act. These funds are appropriated for RDT and E in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force (under the Air Force account), a Defense-wide RDT and E account, and the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation. RDT and E funding is also provided for the Defense Health Program in Title VI; the Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction Program in Title VI; and previously the National Defense Sealift Fund in Title V, though the Presidents FY2023 budget does not request RDT and E funds for this purpose. In some years, RDT and E funds also have been requested and appropriated as part of DODs separate funding to support Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO, formerly the Global War on Terror (GWOT)), though no OCO/GWOT funds have been requested in the Presidents FY2023 budget. These funds have typically been appropriated for specific activities identified in Title IV. Finally, some OCO funds have been appropriated for transfer funds (e.g., the Iraqi Freedom Fund (IFF), Iraqi Security Forces Fund, Afghanistan Security Forces Fund, and Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund) which can be used to support RDT and E activities, among other things, subject to certain limitations.