Air Force R&D Budget: How Will $60 Billion Be Spent?

Dr. Will Roper, who directs the allocation of the Air Force’s $60 billion research, development, and acquisition funds, currently manages approximately 550 programs.

This significant responsibility carries substantial consequences for the future of the U.S. military. As the priorities of the air and space command evolve, Roper emphasizes that future acquisitions must proceed “at a speed aligned with the current pace of technological advancements, emerging trends, and evolving threats.”

According to an Air Force report, Roper recently stated at the Air Force Association 2020 Virtual Air, Space and Cyber Conference that agility and flexibility are crucial for the future of Air Force acquisitions. “Given the current global landscape, we must be adaptable,” Roper explained. “The sheer number of potential future scenarios prevents us from focusing on just one and building a force solely to counter it.”

This perspective should be of great interest to developers of new technologies, and Roper will be sharing his insights at TechCrunch’s Sessions: Space event on December 16-17.

Roper is prioritizing what he terms digital engineering, with the goal of establishing internal manufacturing capabilities within the Department of Defense and creating advanced defensive and offensive systems for modern warfare.

As the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics—and the primary advisor to the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force regarding R&D, testing, production, and modernization—Roper possesses a unique understanding of the military’s progress in addressing future battlefield challenges.

In a recent virtual presentation, Roper suggested that future conflicts could involve weaponized artificial intelligence, persistent drone technology, or even genetically engineered bioweapons and human performance enhancement.

Roper’s immediate focus is accelerating military innovation beyond the speed of consumer technology development—a challenge complicated by the fewer restrictions faced by private companies compared to their military counterparts.

“We also need strategic agility in our ability to digitize or virtualize all aspects of our development and production, assembly, and even system maintenance,” Roper stated in his September address. “This will allow us to overcome the limitations of the physical world and leverage digital learning and feedback.”

The Air Force is already embracing a digital-first approach with its eSeries of hardware, achieving success in the design, assembly, and testing of its Next Generation Air Dominance aircraft—intended to replace the FA-18 Hornet.

Roper’s current position within the Air Force builds upon a distinguished and extensive career in military service. He previously served as the founding director of the Pentagon’s Strategic Capabilities Office, established in 2012 to explore novel applications for existing government and commercial technologies. During his leadership, the SCO’s budget grew from $50 million to $1.5 billion.

Through this program, Roper spearheaded the development of innovative concepts such as hypervelocity artillery, multipurpose missiles, smartphone-guided weapons, big-data-driven sensing, 3D-printed systems, fighter avatars, and swarms of microdrones deployed from fighter aircraft.

The scope of Roper’s vision regarding the capabilities the U.S. will require to succeed in 21st-century combat will be a key topic of discussion—along with his perspective on the role of startups in developing these technologies.

Contributions can be made through programs like AFVentures, which has allocated nearly $800 million to companies for initiatives including the Air Force’s flying car program and the nation’s space launch program.

“This approach will equip our forces with the capabilities needed to prevail in the unpredictable and rapidly changing innovation landscape of this century by fundamentally transforming how we build and acquire systems and with whom we collaborate,” Roper explained in September. “We will innovate more rapidly, adapt more quickly, and ultimately maintain our advantage to disrupt and win.”

To learn more about Roper’s insights into the future of Air Force technological innovation, you can purchase a ticket for exclusive live access to this session (with on-demand video access), network with industry innovators, discover promising early-stage companies, learn about grant opportunities for your space company, recruit talent, or explore job opportunities.

Early-bird tickets are available for $125 until November 13. Discounts are offered for groups, students, active military/government employees, and early-stage space startup founders seeking increased visibility for their companies.