US efforts to reassert military technological dominance will get $18 billion in funding over the next 5 years

DoD introduced the third offset strategy to keep the U.S. technologically superior to its rivals. The strategy is investing in specific research areas like man-machine teaming, autonomous learning systems, semi-autonomous weapons systems and assisted human operations.

DoD expects to invest $18 billion in the Offset Strategy over the next five years.

The investments are in Artificial Intelligence, hypersonics, advanced target tracking, combat lasers

Though the Third Offset is still in its nascent stages, the Govini report sheds light on where DoD is looking to keep its technological advantages.

Hypersonic technologies saw a 98 percent growth compared to the average investments of the last four years.

“There are opportunities to make small aircraft and projectiles go faster,” Matt Hummer, director of analytics for Govini told Federal News Radio. “Investing in aerodynamics and other engines will help that happen. Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are well positioned for hyperglide and things like that.”

While hypersonics saw growth, more traditional weapons segments related to Third Offset capabilities were on the decline. Target Tracking accounts for 44 percent of overall spending as a procurement area and is the “linchpin for advancing Third Offset weapons capabilities,” the report stated.

Yet, target tracking, which is the foundation for integrating new capabilities with existing weapons systems, lost 18 percent of its funding in 2015.

The decline “is a sign of the maturity of a lot of the systems in place, whether it be on ships, aircraft or even mortar, land-based Army type technology and systems,” Hummer said. “That decline, to us, signals a potential for reinvestment in a lot of those systems.”

Hummer said the money once used in the Third Offset budget can be reinvested into other areas. Later on, when the other areas are more mature, they can be added on to existing weapons systems.

Other areas receiving more attention from DoD are directed energy and conventional long range missiles.

Directed energy has been deeply pursued by the Navy as can be seen in the rail gun it now has on display.

Directed energy grew by 23 percent in 2015, mostly from work related to the maturation of solid state laser technology.

Conventional long range missiles saw a 14 percent increase from previous years. That growth can be attributed to the production of the JASSM-Extended Range missile.

Outside of the focus on investments, DoD is trying to figure out how to make sure the Third Offset policy survives into the next presidential administration.