Research and development has been and remains a key focus of both the U.S. government and the military. As a world leader in military technology—to say nothing of nonmilitary technology—the U.S. research and development (R&D) infrastructure is one of the finest in the world. Supported on every level from government contracts to industrial production to corporate think tanks and American innovators, the system of R&D in the United States leads the world in technology innovation. Modern militaries rely heavily on advanced R&D; the U.S. military continues this historical trend. Since World War II, the U.S. military can be characterized by its high-technology to compensate for fewer numbers. The U.S. military historically relies on technology rather than manpower.

Research is the search for new solutions to existing ...