War Department Narrows Technology Development Focus to Half Dozen Critical Areas
Nov. 19, 2025 — By C. Todd Lopez, Pentagon News
The U.S. Department of War has announced a strategic narrowing of its technology development efforts to six key areas designed to maintain and enhance the battlefield superiority of American warfighters. This focused approach is intended to ensure rapid delivery of cutting-edge capabilities essential for fighting and winning modern conflicts.
A Swift, Targeted Push Toward Technological Superiority
Undersecretary of War for Research and Engineering Emil Michael emphasized the urgency of the initiative, stating, “Our adversaries are moving fast, but we will move faster. The warfighter is not asking for results tomorrow; they need them today. These six critical technology areas are not just priorities; they are imperatives. The American warfighter will wield the most advanced technology to maximize lethality.”
The six focus areas outlined include:
- Applied Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Biomanufacturing
- Contested Logistics Technology
- Quantum Battlefield Information Dominance
- Scaled Directed Energy
- Scaled Hypersonics
Leading from the Front on AI and Biomanufacturing
The move aligns with the directives set forth in President Donald J. Trump’s Winning the Race: America’s AI Action Plan, released earlier this year on July 23, which directs the War Department to aggressively adopt AI technologies to sustain military preeminence globally. Michael noted, “When adopted rapidly, AI will fundamentally transform the department from the enterprise level to intelligence synthesis and to warfighting.”
Biomanufacturing, a revolutionary approach leveraging genetically modified living organisms such as bacteria, is targeted to produce critical materials more efficiently and at scale. “Biomanufacturing harnesses living systems to produce capabilities at scale,” Michael explained. “This effort will accelerate the development and deployment of biomanufacturing solutions to support critical missions of the department.” Potential applications include bio-based alternatives for essential chemicals, minerals, and energetics used in warfighting systems.
Directed Energy and Hypersonics: Scaling Cutting-Edge Weaponry
Directed energy technologies, including high-energy lasers and high-power microwave systems, are intended to offer scalable, cost-effective defense solutions. For example, the Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (DE M-SHORAD) system—a 50kW-class laser—is designed to protect divisions and brigade combat teams from a range of threats, including unmanned aircraft, helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, rockets, artillery, and mortars.
Hypersonic weaponry development will focus on scaling production, lowering costs, and ensuring wide deployment among U.S. forces. These ultra-fast weapons hold the promise of dramatically improving strike capabilities and battlefield responsiveness.
Leadership Voices Commitment to Future Battlefield Dominance
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth expressed full support for the refined technology strategy, emphasizing the competitive edge it will provide. “Our nation’s military has always been the tip of the spear,” Hegseth said. “Undersecretary Emil Michael’s six critical technology areas will ensure that our warriors never enter a fair fight and have the best systems in their hands for maximum lethality. The War Department is committed to remaining the most deadly fighting force on planet Earth.”
This renewed technological focus underscores the department’s commitment to providing America’s troops with the most advanced, reliable, and rapidly deployable tools to secure the nation’s interests in an evolving global security environment.
For additional information and updates, visit the official U.S. Department of War website at war.gov.
Photos and detailed briefings on these initiatives are available through the Defense Media Activity.
