Pentagon CTO’s top six tech priorities
The Pentagon’s research chief Emil Michael has cut the list of “critical technology areas” from 14 down to 6 in order to concentrate funding on projects that can deliver fieldable capabilities within 12–36 months. The new priorities were chosen based on alignment with Defense Secretary Hegseth’s agenda, suitability for fast, milestone-based “sprints,” and the need for cross-department coordination. The six new CTAs are:
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Applied AI (AAI): All uses of AI from back-office to frontline operations.
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Biomanufacturing (BIO): Using engineered living systems to produce key materials and reduce supply-chain vulnerabilities.
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Contested Logistics Technologies (LOG): Tech to ensure resilient resupply and operations in hostile, especially Indo-Pacific, environments.
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Quantum & Battlefield Information Dominance (Q-BID): Combining quantum and radio-frequency tech to secure communications, navigation and sensing despite jamming.
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Scaled Hypersonics (SHY): Moving hypersonic weapons from prototypes to mass production.
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Scaled Directed Energy (SCADE): Scaling lasers and microwave weapons for large-scale use against drones and missiles.
Many of the old CTAs (like FutureG, Integrated Sensing & Cyber, Quantum, Advanced Computing, Microelectronics, Advanced Materials, etc.) will be folded into these six portfolios rather than eliminated, and the current expert “principal directors” will stay in place. The idea is to focus leadership attention and money on a few high-impact areas so US forces gain fast, decisive battlefield advantages.
