Critical Technology Areas

Explore cutting-edge technologies that drive breakthrough innovations across defense and commercial sectors.

Understanding Critical Technology Areas

Innovation in the Department of War doesn't happen in silos—it’s driven by an integrated set of research priorities, capability goals, and strategic needs. If you're new to the DoW science and technology (S&T) landscape, it can be challenging to distinguish between the various Critical Technology Areas (CTAs) you'll encounter. This page is here to help.

What Are Critical Technology Areas?

Critical Technology Areas represent the Department’s current high-priority focus areas for future capability development. These are not isolated technical topics—instead, they’re mission-driven challenges that require integrated solutions from across disciplines, sectors, and technical domains.

Think of Critical Technology Areas as DoW’s “grand challenges”—complex problem sets where solving them will unlock next-generation operational advantage. They often cut across multiple scientific fields, technologies, and platforms, and signal where the Department is actively looking to partner with innovators.

Examples might include:

Maintaining communications in degraded or denied environments

Securing contested logistics and supply chains

Defending against emerging biological threats

These Critical Technology Areas evolve over time in response to geopolitical shifts, operational needs, and rapid technological change.

Why This Matters to You

Understanding how your work fits into this framework can help you:

Tailor your proposals and engagements to align with DoW priorities

Identify which part of the ecosystem is the right entry point for your innovation

Anticipate where future funding, partnership, or prototyping opportunities may arise

Whether you’re building an early-stage technology or a mature dual-use solution, mapping your work to these categories is a key step in getting on the DoW’s radar.

Explore the New Critical Technology Areas

Explore the new Critical Technology Areas listed below. For each one, we’ve provided a plain-language description, why it matters to national defense, and examples of relevant technologies or capabilities. If you see a match with your work—this could be your path in.

Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Transforming the War Department into an “AI-First” organization, aligned with the White House AI Action Plan, to revolutionize decision-making and operational efficiency.

Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Biomanufacturing

Harnessing living systems to produce critical capabilities and substances at scale, eliminating supply chain vulnerabilities and enhancing resilience.

Biomanufacturing

Contested Logistics Technologies

Overcoming the challenges of disrupted or denied logistics to ensure seamless resupply and operational continuity in contested environments.

Contested Logistics Technologies

Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance

Delivering advanced capabilities to maintain communications, precision navigation and timing (PNT), and electromagnetic spectrum maneuverability, even in degraded or denied environments.

Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance

Scaled Directed Energy

Breaking through affordability and production barriers to deliver cost-effective, high-energy solutions capable of neutralizing threats with precision.

Scaled Directed Energy

Scaled Hypersonics

Fielding Mach 5+ hypersonic weapons en masse to strike targets with unmatched speed, precision, and survivability.

Scaled Hypersonics

The ASD (R&E) Science & Technology Ecosystem

The Department of War (DoW) science and technology (S&T) ecosystem is vast, layered, and constantly evolving. It spans early-stage research, advanced prototyping, and operational innovation—connecting academia, industry, government labs, and the warfighter. Within this ecosystem, the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Science and Technology (ASW(S&T)) plays a central role in shaping strategy, coordinating efforts, and driving progress across domains.

This interactive map offers a high-level view of some of the key components and activities that fall under the ASW (S&T) umbrella. While not exhaustive, it is designed to help you navigate the landscape and better understand the diverse programs, partnerships, and pathways that power DoW innovation.

Click on each circle to explore the individual initiatives and entities and check back often—new elements and updated details will continue to be added as the ecosystem grows.