Industry & Applied R&D
Defence & Security Research: Funders, Controls and Resources
Defence and security research is organised around a small number of funders, a dense compliance layer and a few shared repositories. Most academic money arrives through DARPA, which was founded in 1958 as ARPA and runs six technical offices, or through the service research offices such as the Office of Naval Research (five science and technology departments, Codes 31 to 35) and the Army Research Office, which manages the Army's extramural basic research including the MURI programme. Priorities are steered by the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering, whose six Critical Technology Areas now frame many solicitations. The multinational counterpart is the NATO Science and Technology Organization, with nine Scientific and Technical Committees and the CMRE maritime centre.
What sets the field apart is that the award terms matter as much as the science. Researchers and administrators need to decide early whether work qualifies as fundamental research, and whether it touches the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (administered by the State Department) or the Export Administration Regulations (administered by the Bureau of Industry and Security). Controlled unclassified information is governed by 32 CFR Part 2002 and protected in contractor systems under NIST SP 800-171 and the CMMC programme, with procurement terms set by the FAR and DFARS in 48 CFR.
Reading and reuse run through DTIC for technical reports, Dstl in the UK, SIPRI datasets, MORS for operations analysis, and journals such as Military Medicine. The eight specialist hubs listed on this page take each sub-field in turn.
Reviewed 5 November 2026 by CASRAI Editorial Board
- DARPA technical offices(read 5 November 2026)
- DoD CTO critical technology areas(read 5 November 2026)
- ONR departments(read 5 November 2026)
- NATO Science and Technology Organization (Wikipedia)(read 5 November 2026)
- DARPA (Wikipedia)(read 5 November 2026)
- Defense Innovation Unit (Wikipedia)(read 5 November 2026)
- Army Research Office (Wikipedia)(read 5 November 2026)
- ITAR (Wikipedia)(read 5 November 2026)
- EAR (Wikipedia)(read 5 November 2026)
- NARA CUI program(read 5 November 2026)
- NIST SP 800-171 Rev 3(read 5 November 2026)
- CMMC (Wikipedia)(read 5 November 2026)
- FAR and DFARS (Wikipedia)(read 5 November 2026)
- DTIC (Wikipedia)(read 5 November 2026)
- SBIR.gov about(read 5 November 2026)
- MORS(read 5 November 2026)
Field at a glance
Funders and programmes
- DARPA technical offices
- Six offices (BTO, DSO, IPTO, MXO, STO, TTO) whose programme managers plan and run DARPA research programmes, challenges and transition work.Website ↗ · Our guide →
- DoD Critical Technology Areas (USD(R&E) CTO)
- Six areas listed by the CTO office: Applied Super Intelligence, Biomanufacturing, Contested Logistics, Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance, Scaled Directed Energy, Scaled Hypersonics.Website ↗ · Our guide →
- Office of Naval Research departments
- Five S&T departments: C5ISRT (31), Ocean Battlespace Sensing (32), Sea Warfare and Weapons (33), Warfighter Performance (34), Naval Air Warfare and Weapons (35).Website ↗
- Army Research Office (ARO)
- Manages the Army's extramural basic research from Research Triangle Park, including the MURI and PECASE programmes and the Army's STTR programme.Website ↗
- Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP)
- Originated in 1992 through a Congressional appropriation for novel biomedical research; based at Fort Detrick, Maryland.Website ↗ · Our guide →
- SBIR and STTR (America's Seed Fund)
- Early-stage non-dilutive funding for small businesses, coordinated by the SBA and run through 11 participating federal agencies.Website ↗ · Our guide →
- NATO Science and Technology Organization
- Collaborative defence S&T body with nine Scientific and Technical Committees (C5I, HPM, KIE, M&S, NKE, PST, SET, SAC, TSI) and the CMRE in La Spezia.Website ↗
Archives, facilities and data
- Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC)
- DoD repository for research and engineering information, with an R&E Gateway of over 4.7 million S&T records; public access tiers are limited.Website ↗
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl)
- Executive agency of the UK Ministry of Defence, formed 2 July 2001 when DERA was split, headquartered at Porton Down.Website ↗
- SIPRI Military Expenditure and Arms Transfers databases
- Stockholm institute databases on military spending and on international transfers of major conventional arms since 1950.Website ↗
Standards and formats
- International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)
- Implements the Arms Export Control Act; the US Munitions List has 21 categories and State's DDTC administers it; published fundamental research is not controlled technical data.Website ↗ · Our guide →
- Export Administration Regulations (EAR)
- Administered by BIS; the Commerce Control List assigns ECCNs, and information arising from fundamental research is outside the EAR.Website ↗ · Our guide →
- Controlled Unclassified Information program (NARA)
- Set up by Executive Order 13556 with NARA as Executive Agent; 32 CFR Part 2002 covers designating, marking, safeguarding and disposing of CUI.Website ↗ · Our guide →
- NIST SP 800-171 Revision 3
- Published May 2024 as recommended requirements for protecting CUI in nonfederal systems; companion assessment guide is SP 800-171A.Website ↗ · Our guide →
- Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC)
- DoD contractor assessment framework with three levels; Level 2 aligns with the 110 practices of NIST SP 800-171.Website ↗ · Our guide →
- FAR and DFARS (48 CFR)
- FAR is Chapter 1 and the DFARS defence supplement is Chapter 2 of Title 48; FAR Part 27 and DFARS 227 cover technical data and software rights.Website ↗
- High Level Architecture (IEEE 1516)
- Distributed-simulation standard with a framework, federate interface and object model template; NATO recommends it through STANAG 4603.Website ↗
Societies
- Military Operations Research Society (MORS)
- Arlington-based society of defence analysts and operators; publishes the MOR Journal and the Journal of Wargaming.Website ↗
- SPIE
- Optics and photonics society founded in 1955; its Digital Library holds more than 660,000 articles from journals and proceedings.Website ↗
Journals
- Military Medicine
- Monthly peer-reviewed journal on medicine in military settings, published by Oxford University Press for the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States.Website ↗
47 pages across 7 topic areas
Research Integrity & Compliance
- "US Person" Status and Foreign National Access in Export-Controlled Research
Who counts as a US person under export control law, how the ITAR (22 CFR 120.62) and EAR (15 CFR 772.1) definitions differ, and what the determination…
- BIS "Affiliates Rule" (50% Rule, Red Flag 29): What University Export-Control Screening Offices Must Do Before November 10, 2026
BIS's Affiliates Rule automatically extends Entity List and Military End-User List restrictions to majority-owned affiliates. Suspended since Nov 10,…
- BIS Entity List: What Listing Requires and How Universities Screen
What the BIS Entity List requires under 15 CFR 744.16 and 744.11, how address-only entries work, and a step-by-step way universities screen against it…
- Deemed Export Screening at Lab Onboarding: A PI Checklist
A practical, step-by-step checklist for PIs and lab managers screening international students, postdocs, and visiting scholars (F-1/J-1/H-1B) for deem…
- Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC), Select Agents, and Biosafety Oversight
A compliance map for US research-administration offices: what makes research DURC, how the Federal Select Agent Program registration process works, ho…
- Embargoed Countries List for Export Control: OFAC Sanctions and University Research
OFAC's comprehensively-sanctioned countries list operates on different logic than EAR/ITAR, and universities that only screen for controlled technolog…
- Empowered Official: The ITAR-Required Export-Control Compliance Role
22 CFR 120.67 defines the Empowered Official ITAR requires every DDTC-registered institution to designate: who can hold it, what independent sign-off…
- EU Dual-Use Export Control Regulation 2021/821 and Internal Compliance Programmes
A guide to the EU’s dual-use export control regime for universities and research organisations: Regulation (EU) 2021/821, Commission Recommendation (E…
- Export Control (EAR/ITAR) and International Research Collaboration
How the fundamental research exclusion under EAR and ITAR works, when export-controlled technology or technical data crosses that exclusion, deemed-ex…
- Export Control Reform and Research Security: What’s Changing and Why
A tracker of the legislative, regulatory, and agency-level reform activity reshaping how EAR, ITAR, and federal research-security requirements apply t…
- ITAR and EAR Compliance for University Research
A compliance-framework overview of ITAR (22 CFR 120-130) and EAR (15 CFR 730-774) for research administrators: jurisdiction, EAR99, the fundamental re…
- ITAR vs. EAR: A Side-by-Side Comparison for Research AdministratorsComparison
A side-by-side comparison of ITAR (State/DDTC, USML) and EAR (Commerce/BIS, CCL) covering jurisdiction, licensing, triggers, and practical steps for u…
- NIST SP 800-171 and CUI in University Research
When DFARS 252.204-7012 flows down to a university award, NIST SP 800-171 and CUI safeguarding become real obligations — distinct from, and often conf…
- Quantum Computing Export Controls: Deemed Exports and Foreign-National Access Rules for University Quantum Research
Quantum computing hardware, components, software, and technology were newly captured by US export controls in 2024. This guide walks through what that…
- SPRS Score: Calculating and Submitting Your NIST 800-171 Assessment
How to calculate an SPRS score under the DoD’s NIST SP 800-171 Assessment Methodology (110-point start, 5/3/1-point deductions) and how to submit it t…
- The Federal Select Agent Program: Registration and Responsible Official Duties
How FSAP registration, amendment, and renewal actually work, and the specific duties 42 CFR 73.9 assigns to the Responsible Official.…
- The Four Pillars of Export Control Compliance
The four operational areas most university export control programs are built around: cybersecurity and deemed-export controls, international travel sc…
- What Are Dual-Use Items? EU and US Export Control Definitions
Dual-use items are goods, software, and technology usable for both civilian and military purposes. This guide defines them under EU Regulation 2021/82…
- Whistleblower Protections for Reporting Export Control (EAR/ITAR) Violations in Research
Reporting an EAR or ITAR violation on a federally funded research project runs on different statutes than research-misconduct whistleblowing. This gui…
Grants Management & Research Funding
- Association of Old Crows (AOC): What It Is, Membership Types and Events
Association of Old Crows (AOC) explained: the electromagnetic warfare society's history, membership categories and prices, events and publications.…
- Broad Agency Announcement (BAA): What It Is, Its Legal Basis, and How to Respond
A Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is a competitive federal solicitation for basic and applied research under FAR 6.102(d)(2)/35.016 that does not spec…
- CDMRP Applications: Pre-Application, eBRAP and Two-Tier Review
A walkthrough of how CDMRP (Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs) applications move from pre-application through eBRAP submission to the…
- DARPA Young Faculty Award (YFA): Eligibility, Award Structure and How to Apply
DARPA Young Faculty Award eligibility, award structure (base, Director's Fellowship, graduate student option) and executive summary steps for the 2027…
- Defense Innovation Unit (DIU): How Commercial Solutions Openings and Prototype OTs Work
How DIU's Commercial Solutions Openings and prototype Other Transactions work, who is eligible, and the path from solution brief to follow-on producti…
- DoD Critical Technology Areas: Research Guide
A research-practice guide to the Department of Defense Critical Technology Areas, detailing the six priority modernization domains and funding mechani…
- DoD Research Funding: DARPA, ONR, AFOSR, ARO, and How the Pieces Fit
DoD research funding runs through DARPA and three military-department science offices (ONR, AFOSR, ARO), organized by RDT&E budget activity (6.1 basic…
- Dstl (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory): Research Guide
A comprehensive research guide to the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), covering R-Cloud procurement, frameworks, IP, and vetting s…
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation: Research Guide
An operational guide to the Henry M. Jackson Foundation (HJF), covering statutory authority under 10 U.S.C. 178, subaward management, and research com…
- NATO STO: Research Framework & Panels Guide
A practical guide to the NATO Science and Technology Organization (STO), covering governance, the 7 scientific panels, eligibility, and the CPoW proce…
- Office of Naval Research (ONR): Funding Types and How to Apply
Office of Naval Research (ONR): what BAAs, NOFOs and CSOs are, which yield grants or contracts, and where to find them, per ONR pages read 2026-11-07.…
- RDT&E: DoD Research & Development Budget Guide
Understand DoD RDT&E: budget activities 6.1 through 6.7, Navy and defense-wide funding, eligibility rules, two-year obligation windows, and compliance…
- SERDP: DoD Environmental Research Program Guide
SERDP is the DoD environmental research program: who may apply, the pre-proposal to full-proposal path, and award-stage contract requirements.…
- USD(R&E): Defense Research & Engineering Guide
Explore the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)), covering statutory authorities, grant programs, and comp…
Laboratory Operations & Safety
- Collaborative Combat Aircraft: MUM-T Architecture
Systems engineering guide to Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), human-machine teaming imperatives, open architectures, and distributed C2 networks.…
- Export Control Classification: How ECCN, EAR99, and ITAR/USML Determinations Work
A complete guide to export control classification for research and lab procurement: how to determine ITAR vs. EAR jurisdiction, how the five-character…
- Hypersonic Glide Vehicles: Systems & Testing
A technical guide to hypersonic glide vehicles: aerothermodynamic testing, boost-glide trajectory dynamics, thermal protection, and defense evaluation…
- Kriegsspiel: Rules, Mechanics, and Wargaming
Explore the mechanics, adjudication rules, and defense research uses of Kriegsspiel, the 1824 Prussian system that established modern military wargami…
- Over-the-Horizon Radar: Principles and Design
A technical guide to over-the-horizon radar: skywave vs. surface wave propagation, FMCW bistatic antenna arrays, Bragg clutter, and operational sensin…
- Phased Array Radar: Principles and Architectures
Phased array radar uses electronic beam steering across antenna arrays. Learn AESA vs PESA architectures, beamforming principles, and research applica…
- Technology Control Plan: Template, Example, and Step-by-Step Guide
A practical guide to building a Technology Control Plan (TCP): when procurement or personnel changes trigger one, a section-by-section template, a wor…
Research Methods & Statistics
- DoD Distribution Statements: DoDI 5230.24 Compliance and Technical Data Markings
A comprehensive guide to Department of Defense (DoD) distribution statements under DoDI 5230.24, covering Statements A through F, CUI integration, and…
- FFRDC vs UARC: Key Differences ComparedComparison
A detailed comparison of Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) and University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs) under FAR 35.01…
- University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs): DoD Framework and Operational Guide
A guide to Department of Defense University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), their statutory sole-source authority, core competencies, and operati…
Scholarly Publishing
- DTIC: Defense Technical Information Center Guide
Understand DTIC: how to search defense technical reports, navigate public vs R&E Gateway access, submit SF 298 research documentation, and leverage IA…
- Military Expenditure by Country: Data Guide
Understand military expenditure by country: navigate the SIPRI database, evaluate defense spending as % of GDP, per capita metrics, and global data se…
Scholarly Writing
- How to Write a DARPA BAA White Paper (Before the Full Proposal Stage)
DARPA BAA solicitations often require a short white paper (sometimes called an abstract) before inviting a full technical proposal. Here is how that s…
Technology Transfer & Innovation
- DoD Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF): What It Is and How It Works
The DoD Rapid Innovation Fund (RIF) transitions promising small-business and lab technology, often sourced from SBIR/STTR, into military acquisition p…
