The Department of War has announced new steps to protect research funded by the agency from foreign interference and intellectual property theft. The announcement was made by Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering, who outlined a series of measures in a memorandum titled Fundamental Research Security Initiatives and Implementation.
"The War Department is intensifying its efforts to safeguard taxpayer-funded research and is upholding the integrity of America's scientific community," said Emil Michael, Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering.
Among the actions described in the memorandum are prohibiting fundamental research assistance award funding to companies identified as Chinese military companies under Section 1260H of the National Defense Authorization Act. The department will also create a Fundamental Research Risk Review Repository, which aims to improve information collection and sharing across all components of the Department of War.
Other measures include developing automated systems for vetting and monitoring to detect foreign influence risks where possible. The department will conduct more frequent spot checks on research awards, require standardized reporting on foreign support, expand training for personnel responsible for research security, and coordinate assessments based on congressional oversight committee findings.
These steps are intended to help the Department identify vulnerabilities more quickly, enforce compliance with regulations more aggressively, and strengthen protections across all research funded by the agency. The initiatives align with oversight efforts from congressional committees such as the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, House and Senate Appropriations Committees, and the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
According to officials, these actions are designed so that the Department can better anticipate threats, adapt to changing tactics by adversaries, and maintain U.S. leadership in innovation. The Department emphasized its commitment to ensuring that American warfighters continue to benefit from secure advances in science and technology.
