10 U.S.C. § 133a (ARMED FORCES)
§ 133a. Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
(a) Under Secretary of Defense.—
There is an Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, appointed from civilian life by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Under Secretary shall be appointed from among persons who have an extensive technology, science, or engineering background and experience with managing complex or advanced technological programs. A person may not be appointed as Under Secretary within seven years after relief from active duty as a commissioned officer of a regular component of an armed force.
(b) Duties and Powers.—
Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Secretary of Defense, the Under Secretary shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as the Secretary may prescribe, including—
(1) serving as the chief technology officer of the Department of Defense with the mission of advancing technology and innovation for the armed forces (and the Department);
(2) establishing policies on, and supervising, all elements of the Department relating to defense research and engineering, technology development, technology transition, appropriate prototyping activities, experimentation, and developmental testing activities and programs and unifying defense research and engineering efforts and enhancing jointness across the Department;
(3) serving as the principal advisor to the Secretary on all research, engineering, and technology development activities and programs in the Department;
(4) directing the Secretaries of the military departments and the heads of all other elements of the Department with regard to matters for which the Under Secretary has responsibility; and
(5) conducting developmental prototyping, designing and executing experiments of prototypes in the field to demonstrate operational relevance to address joint force capability gaps, and encouraging and supporting the rapid transition of technology from the research and development phase into operational use within the Department.
(c) Precedence in Department of Defense.—
(1) Precedence in matters of responsibility.—
With regard to all matters for which the Under Secretary has responsibility by the direction of the Secretary of Defense or by law, the Under Secretary takes precedence in the Department of Defense after the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary of Defense.
(2) Precedence in other matters.—
With regard to all matters other than the matters for which the Under Secretary has responsibility by the direction of the Secretary or by law, the Under Secretary takes precedence in the Department of Defense after the Secretary, the Deputy Secretary, and the Secretaries of the military departments.
(Added Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title IX, § 901(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2339; amended Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title IX, § 910(c)(2), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1518; Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title IX, § 902(2), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1542; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title IX, § 901(a)(1), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 354; Pub. L. 119–60, div. A, title IX, § 902, Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1008.)
heading: Editorial Notes
heading: Prior Provisions
text: A prior section 133a, added Pub. L. 99–500, § 101(c) [title X, § 902(a)(1)], Oct. 18, 1986, 100 Stat. 1783–82, 1783–131, and Pub. L. 99–591, § 101(c) [title X, § 902(a)(1)], Oct. 30, 1986, 100 Stat. 3341–82, 3341–131; Pub. L. 99–661, div. A, title IX, formerly title IV, § 902(a)(1), Nov. 14, 1986, 100 Stat. 3911, renumbered title IX, Pub. L. 100–26, § 3(5), Apr. 21, 1987, 101 Stat. 273; amended Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title IX, § 904(c), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1728; Pub. L. 103–337, div. A, title X, § 1070(a)(2), Oct. 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 2855; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title IX, § 903(c)(1), Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 401; Pub. L. 104–201, div. A, title IX, § 901, Sept. 23, 1996, 110 Stat. 2617; Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title IX, § 911(c), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 718; Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title X, § 1048(b)(1), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1225; Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title IX, § 906(c)(1)(A), (2)(A), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2427, established the position of Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title IX, § 901(b)(1), (p), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4317, 4327, effective Jan. 1, 2011.
Another prior section 133a was renumbered section 117 of this title.
heading: Amendments
text: 2025—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 119–60, § 902(1)(A), (B), inserted “elements of the Department relating to” after “supervising, all” and “and enhancing jointness” after “and engineering efforts”.
Subsec. (b)(4), (5). Pub. L. 119–60, § 902(1)(C), (2), (3), added pars. (4) and (5).
2023—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 118–31, § 901(a)(1)(A), substituted “and the Deputy Secretary of Defense” for “, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and the Chief Management Officer of the Department of Defense”.
Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 118–31, § 901(a)(1)(B), struck out “the Chief Management Officer,” after “the Deputy Secretary,”.
2019—Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 116–92 substituted “appropriate prototyping activities,” for “prototyping,” and struck out “, including the allocation of resources for defense research and engineering,” after “testing activities and programs”.
2017—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 115–91, § 910(c)(2)(A), substituted “, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and the Chief Management Officer of the Department of Defense” for “and the Deputy Secretary of Defense”.
Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 115–91, § 910(c)(2)(B), inserted “the Chief Management Officer,” after “the Deputy Secretary,”.
heading: Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
heading: Effective Date of 2017 Amendment
text: Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title IX, § 910(c), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1518, provided that the amendment made by section 910(c)(2) is effective on Feb. 1, 2018, and immediately after the coming into effect of the amendments made by section 901 of Pub. L. 114–328 (see Tables for classification).
heading: Effective Date
text: Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title IX, § 901(a)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2339, provided that this section is effective on Feb. 1, 2018.
heading: Semiannual Updates on Meetings Held by the Missile Defense Executive Board
text: Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVI, § 1671(a)–(c), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2112, provided that:
“(a) Semiannual Updates.—
Not later than March 1 and September 1 of each year, the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, acting in their capacities as co-chairs of the Missile Defense Executive Board pursuant to section 1681(c) of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (Public Law 115–232; 132 Stat. 2162), shall provide to the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives] a semiannual update including, with respect to the six-month period preceding the update—
“(1) the dates on which the Board met; and
“(2) except as provided by subsection (b), a summary of any decisions made by the Board at each meeting of the Board and the rationale for and options that informed such decisions.
“(b) Exception for Certain Budgetary Matters.—
The co-chairs shall not be required to include in a semiannual update under subsection (a) the matters described in paragraph (2) of such subsection with respect to decisions of the Board relating to the budget of the President for a fiscal year if the budget for that fiscal year has not been submitted to Congress under section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, as of the date of the semiannual update.
“(c) Form of Update.—
The co-chairs may provide a semiannual update under subsection (a) either in the form of a briefing or a written report.”
heading: Service of Incumbent USD for ATL in Position
text: Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title IX, § 901(a)(2), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2339, which provided that the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics serving as of Feb. 1, 2018, could continue as Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, without further appointment under this section, was repealed by Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title IX, § 901, Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1511.
heading: Reports to Congress on Failure To Comply With Recommendations
text: Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title IX, § 904(h), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1868, provided that:
“(1) Report required.—
Not later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year, from fiscal year 2013 through fiscal year 2018, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics shall submit to the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives] a report on each case in which a major defense acquisition program, in the preceding fiscal year—
“(A) proceeded to implement a test and evaluation master plan notwithstanding a decision of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Developmental Test and Evaluation to disapprove the developmental test and evaluation plan within that plan in accordance with former section 139b(a)(5)(B) of title 10, United States Code; or
“(B) proceeded to initial operational testing and evaluation notwithstanding a determination by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Developmental Test and Evaluation on the basis of an assessment of operational test readiness that the program is not ready for operational testing.
“(2) Matters covered.—
“(A) For each program covered by paragraph (1)(A), the report shall include the following:
“(i) A description of the specific aspects of the developmental test and evaluation plan that the Deputy Assistant Secretary determined to be inadequate.
“(ii) An explanation of the reasons why the program disregarded the Deputy Assistant Secretary’s recommendations with regard to those aspects of the developmental test and evaluation plan.
“(iii) The steps taken to address those aspects of the developmental test and evaluation plan and address the concerns of the Deputy Assistant Secretary.
“(B) For each program covered by paragraph (1)(B), the report shall include the following:
“(i) An explanation of the reasons why the program proceeded to initial operational testing and evaluation notwithstanding the findings of the assessment of operational test readiness.
“(ii) A description of the aspects of the approved testing and evaluation master plan that had to be set aside to enable the program to proceed to initial operational testing and evaluation.
“(iii) A description of how the program addressed the specific areas of concern raised in the assessment of operational test readiness.
“(iv) A statement of whether initial operational testing and evaluation identified any significant shortcomings in the program.
“(3) Additional congressional notification.—
Not later than 30 days after any decision to conduct developmental testing on a major defense acquisition program without an approved test and evaluation master plan in place, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics shall provide to the congressional defense committees a written explanation of the basis for the decision and a timeline for getting an approved plan in place.”
heading: Oversight by Office of Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics of Exercise of Acquisition Authority by Combatant Commanders and Heads of Defense Agencies
text: Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title IX, § 905, Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2353, as amended by Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title IX, § 905, Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 275; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 812(a)(1)(C), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1846, provided that:
“(a) Designation of Official for Oversight.—
The Secretary of Defense shall designate a senior acquisition official within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics to oversee the exercise of acquisition authority by—
“(1) any commander of a combatant command who is authorized by section 166b or 167 of title 10, United States Code, to exercise acquisition authority; and
“(2) any head of a Defense Agency who is designated by the Secretary of Defense to exercise acquisition authority.
“(b) Guidance.—
“(1) In general.—
The senior acquisition official designated under subsection (a) shall develop guidance to ensure that the use of acquisition authority by commanders of combatant commands and the heads of Defense Agencies—
“(A) is in compliance with department-wide acquisition policy; and
“(B) is coordinated with acquisition programs of the military departments.
“(2) Urgent requirements.—
Guidance developed under paragraph (1) shall take into account the need to fulfill the urgent requirements of the commanders of combatant commands and the heads of Defense Agencies and to ensure that those requirements are addressed expeditiously.
“(c) Consultation.—
The senior acquisition official designated under subsection (a) shall on a regular basis consult on matters related to requirements and acquisition with the commanders of combatant commands and the heads of Defense Agencies referred to in that subsection.
“(d) Deadline for Designation.—
The Secretary of Defense shall make the designation required by subsection (a) not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 17, 2006].”
heading: Improvement in Defense Research and Procurement Liaison With Israel
text: Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title X, § 1006, Sept. 29, 1988, 102 Stat. 2040, as amended by Pub. L. 103–160, div. A, title IX, § 904(f), Nov. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 1729; Pub. L. 106–65, div. A, title IX, § 911(a)(1), Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 717, which provided for the designation of a primary liaison between the procurement and research and development activities of the armed forces of the United States and Israel, was repealed by Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 811(e), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1845.