Military
The U.S. Military Is Plowing $3.7 Billion of R&D on These Missile Silos
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This week we learned that Ukraine is using remote-controlled robot dogs in its war with Russia to seek out enemy soldiers and booby traps and do general surveillance in areas that are too dangerous for a human. This is the first deployment of this technology in war. It’s part of the drone revolution in warfare that has enabled Ukraine, supported by the United States and its allies, to destroy tanks, sink ships, and even drop grenades on individual soldiers to counter Russia’s numerical advantages.
Drones are only one example of high tech being developed for groundbreaking military applications. The United States is spending billions on research and development to stay ahead of its rivals in this area. Consulting publicly available data from the Department of Defense and various defense contractors, this article summarizes some of the most expensive projects that are in the works. Tech investors might find this information particularly useful, especially for technologies that have crossover potential from military to civilian use. (Robot dogs, anyone?)
24/7 Wall St. Insights
- Many of the military’s most expensive research and development projects involve aviation, missiles, and satellites.
- The U.S. is putting significant resources into modernizing our nuclear arsenal for offensive capabilities as well as technological means of defending against nuclear missile attacks.
- Also: Discover “The Next NVIDIA
Fast Facts About the U.S. Military Budget
- The U.S. military budget for 2024 is $841.4 billion.
- Included in the FY 2025 budget request is $143.2 billion for military research and development.
- U.S. military spending, accounts for about 40% of the global total.
- Defense spending averages 13-15% of the United States budget. As military spending has increased, the economy has outpaced it so that it has become a lower percentage of the budget over time.
- The U.S. spends more on defense than the next 10 military powers combined.
- Russia, China, and India are the next three big spenders. After them, the next 12 (countries like the UK, Germany, Japan, and Israel) are all American allies.
Next up, 10 projects the military is spending a billion dollars or more to develop.
10. Next-Gen OPIR Polar ($1 billion)
The purpose of this program is to develop Next-Gen OPIR Polar (NGP) missile warning satellites that will provide global infrared coverage. These will enable the United States to detect missile launches from land or sea anywhere in the world. Investment in this technology helps the U.S. remain ahead of missile and counterspace advances made by the country’s adversaries.
9. Advanced Innovative Technologies ($1.1 billion)
This budget item covers several different programs that will benefit all branches of the military. It involves new technologies in avionics, robotics, and artificial intelligence as well as finding the most effective ways to structure operations and information management for a more lethal military.
8. Resilient Missile Warning Missile Tracking – Low Earth Orbit (LEO) ($1.3 billion)
This research project develops low Earth orbit satellites to monitor battlefield conditions, target weapons at objectives beyond line-of-sight, and support missile warning, tracking, and defense.
7. F-35 C2D2 ($1.3 billion)
F-35 C2D2 is a program to develop and field next-generation strike aircraft for the United States and its international partners. Development of the F-35 has been a multinational effort between the United States and some of its key allies. It is a controversial project due to cost overruns, delays, and technical problems related to the complexity of the aircraft. One of the Department of Defense’s objectives is to standardize as much as possible various F-35 variants to cut down on costs, facilitate system-wide incremental improvements, and allow for easier customization by allies for their specific defense needs.
6. Other Production Charges ($1.5 billion)
This category is a catch-all that includes some classified programs as well as projects related to electronic warfare, advanced pilot training systems, automated test systems, and solutions to logistical supply issues.
5. Aviation – Advanced Development ($1.5 billion)
This budget area supports the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) project to develop a family of vertical lift aircraft. These will facilitate urban security and combat missions, maritime interdictions, medical evacuations, disaster relief and humanitarian missions, and military resupply operations.
4. Space Technology Development and Prototyping ($2.1 billion)
Space Technology Development and Prototyping aims to develop and demonstrate next-generation space capabilities for communications and data transmission.
3. Link Plumeria ($2.1 billon)
Link Plumeria is the formerly classified code name for a U.S. Navy program to develop a next-generation crewed fighter. The new plane will replace the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet starting in the 2030s. The Navy and Air Force are developing different fighter designs for their specific needs. The Navy, for example, has less need for stealth capabilities in its aircraft than the Air Force.
2. Next Generation Air Dominance ($2.3 billion)
This program focuses on improving the survivability, potency, and interoperability of aerial assets across military operations. It includes advanced software development to facilitate autonomous air superiority technologies with uncrewed weapons systems, working alongside crewed systems.
1. Ground Based Strategic Deterrent EMD ($3.7 billion)
The Sentinel program is the Air Force’s project to develop and field the latest generation of ICBMs to replace the aging Minuteman III system. The project will include building new missile silos and ground-based control centers to replace the existing ones. Current plans are for Sentinel missiles to be fielded starting in 2029.
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