Pentagon Announces 6 Critical Areas for Research and Development

The areas of focus involve artificial intelligence, biomanufacturing, quantum computing, and hypersonic missile development.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is briefed on an exhibit of Multi-Domain Autonomous systems by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Prototyping and Experimentation Alexander Lovett (L) and Under Secretary of Defense (Research & Engineering) Emil Michael (R) at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on July 16, 2025. Win McNamee/Getty Images

The Pentagon on Nov. 17 announced that it would designate six “Critical Technology Areas (CTAs)” to focus government funding for research and innovation in military technology.

The six areas are as follows: Applied Artificial Intelligence (AAI), Biomanufacturing (BIO), Contested Logistics Technologies (LOG), Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance (Q-BID), Scaled Directed Energy (SCADE), and Scaled Hypersonics (SHY). The Pentagon only indicated the department’s focus on these areas and did not announce any funding commitments.