The U.S. Army has reorganized certain research offices, laboratories, and engineering centers within the Combat Capability Development Command (CCDC), a subordinate command of Army Futures Command (AFC). As part of this reorganization, certain program elements for basic research, applied research, and advanced technology development were realigned from research, development, and engineering centers to AFC headquarters.
The Senate Armed Services Committee has directed the Secretary of the Army to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to evaluate these changes and their impact on the Army's ability to efficiently and effectively develop and deploy needed capabilities and new technologies in the near, mid, and long terms.
The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine will convene an ad hoc committee to:
1) Review the reorganization of Army research and development programs between the CCDC and AFC HQ;
2) Evaluate the reorganization and assess its impact on the Army's capabilities development.
3) Recommend any necessary policy or organizational changes to better optimize the Army's research enterprise in the near, mid, and long time horizons.