Sentence:  Research and development activities undertaken by the Secretary shall be coordinated or conducted jointly with the Department of Defense to the end that developments under this Act which are primarily of a civil <WSD>nature</WSD> will contribute to the defense of the Nation and that developments which are primarily of a military nature will , to the greatest practicable extent compatible with military and security requirements , be available to advance the purposes of this Act and to strengthen the civil economy of the Nation . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized