In early 2004, the AIP Governing Board endorsed the following FY 2005
funding statement of the Coalition for National Security Research:
The Coalition for National Security Research (CNSR) strongly urges
the Administration and Congress to provide a robust and stable Fiscal
Year 2005 investment for the Science and Technology (S&T) programs
of the Department of Defense (DOD). We support the funding recommendations
of the Quadrennial Defense Review and the Defense Science Board which
call for an investment of three percent of overall DOD funding for
the basic research (6.1), applied research (6.2) and advanced technology
development (6.3) programs that make up the S&T portfolio. These
programs play a direct role in protecting and equipping our nation's
soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines and in meeting future, now
unknown, challenges. CNSR also urges a renewed commitment to the
basic science
program and a focus on strengthening the future technical workforce.
CNSR encourages Congress to ensure the future safety and technological
superiority of the U.S. fighting force by providing at least 3 percent
of DOD spending to core S&T programs, or $12.05 billion in FY05.
We further recommend that the Administration and Congress undertake
a five-year program to reverse the declining percentage of funding
within the S&T portfolio that supports basic research.
Specifically, the Coalition recommends that the Administration and
Congress begin returning 6.1 basic research funding to its effective
and historic level by increasing the competitively-awarded Defense
Research Sciences and University Research Initiative program elements
by $95 million over current funding in FY 2005.
As witnessed by stagnant budget requests and devolvement of basic
research programs, the Department has been slowly but steadily
shifting away from fundamental, long-term, basic research. This is
precisely
the type of work that yielded discoveries used today in weapons
systems, platforms and protective gear successfully fielded to save
lives. In
the early 1980s, basic research accounted for nearly 20 percent
of S&T funding. This level has declined to less than 12 percent.
Technologies transitioned from basic research are the foundation of
applied programs and eventually fielded systems. CNSR supports increases
made to the applied research and advanced technology development programs,
as immediate deployment of the most advanced technologies is necessary
to protect uniformed personnel and assist them in ever-more challenging
missions. Currently available technology has a provenance in previous
investments in uniquely defense-focused basic research, and should
not be taken for granted. Without a renewed emphasis on long-term activities,
we will not have applied programs to pursue, nor will we have the trained
expertise to pursue them. The future warfighter, defense transformation
and, ultimately, our national security may suffer.
A stable, robust and balanced S&T investment is needed to preserve
the strategic dominance of the American military.
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