21 November 2025
The Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, Emil Michael, unveiled six Critical Technology Areas (CTAs) that will define the future of American military superiority. These CTAs represent the cutting edge of research and engineering, designed to deliver immediate, tangible results to the warfighter and ensure the United States remains the most lethal fighting force in the world. From unleashing the full potential of artificial intelligence to scaling our hypersonic weapon arsenal, the Department is committed to delivering technologies that will shape the destiny of American military might for generations to come.
"Our adversaries are moving fast, but we will move faster," said Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering. "The warfighter is not asking for results tomorrow; they need them today. These six Critical Technology Areas are not just priorities; they are imperatives. The American warfighter will wield the most advanced technology to maximize lethality. This is how the War Department wins wars."
The six CTAs are designed to address the most pressing challenges facing the modern battlefield. These technology areas will empower the warfighter to overcome adversarial threats and maintain operational dominance in any theater. They are:
- Applied Artificial Intelligence (AAI): To make the Department an "AI-first" organization to improve decision-making and operations.
- Biomanufacturing (BIO): To use living systems to develop capabilities and materials at scale, strengthening resilience and reducing supply chain risks.
- Contested Logistics Technologies (LOG): To ensure resupply and operations can continue even when logistics are disrupted or denied.
- Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance (Q-BID): To maintain secure communication, precision navigation, and control of the electromagnetic spectrum in degraded environments.
- Scaled Directed Energy (SCADE): To move high-energy lasers and microwave weapons from prototypes to mass production for affordable, high-impact solutions.
- Scaled Hypersonics (SHY): To deploy hypersonic weapons at scale for rapid, precise, and survivable strikes.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth emphasized, "Our nation's military has always been the tip of the spear. Under Secretary Emil Michael's six Critical Technology Areas will ensure that our warriors never enter a fair fight and have the best systems in their hands for maximum lethality. The War Department is committed to remaining the most deadly fighting force on planet Earth."
The War Department is carrying forward the spirit of American ingenuity that has defined every chapter of our nation's military history. From the earliest battles for American independence to the triumphant victories of the twentieth century, innovative technologies have always given our forces the edge in the fight for freedom. Today, the War Department is driving that same spirit into action, delivering breakthrough capabilities directly to the warfighter. Turning new ideas into a battlefield advantage will secure the future of American technological dominance.
