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Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-110

§4066 Global Research Watch Program

Title 10 › Subtitle A — General Military Law › PART V — ACQUISITION › Subpart E — Research and Engineering › CHAPTER 303 — RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES › SUBCHAPTER I — GENERAL › § 4066

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering must run a Global Research Watch program. The program will watch and study foreign and private-sector basic and applied research that matters to the military. It will compare other countries’ research to U.S. research, help Congress and the Department of Defense make research investment choices when the U.S. may not lead, find chances to work together internationally, coordinate cooperative research across the armed forces and Defense Agencies, and keep an electronic database of capabilities, comparisons, opportunities, and ongoing cooperative work. The program must focus on work at the same technical maturity as Department of Defense basic and applied research. The Under Secretary must coordinate with military departments and Defense Agencies, and those offices must help when asked. A military department cannot spend money for monitoring foreign research in a year until the Under Secretary for Research and Engineering tells the Under Secretary for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics that the department provided the needed help. That rule does not change funds for intelligence activities. Database information will be kept unclassified, and kept classified when the Under Secretary decides it is needed. The program requirement ends on September 30, 2035.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §4066

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Program.—
The Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering shall carry out a Global Research Watch program in accordance with this section.
(b)Program Goals.—
The goals of the program are as follows:
(1)To monitor and analyze the basic and applied research activities and capabilities of foreign nations and private sector persons in areas of military interest, including allies and competitors.
(2)To provide standards for comparison and comparative analysis of research capabilities of foreign nations and private sector persons in relation to the research capabilities of the United States.
(3)To assist Congress and Department of Defense officials in making investment decisions for research in technical areas where the United States may not be the global leader.
(4)To identify areas where significant opportunities for cooperative research may exist.
(5)To coordinate and promote the international cooperative research and analysis activities of each of the armed forces and Defense Agencies.
(6)To establish and maintain an electronic database on international research capabilities, comparative assessments of capabilities, cooperative research opportunities, and ongoing cooperative programs.
(c)Focus of Program.—
The program shall be focused on research and technologies at a technical maturity level equivalent to Department of Defense basic and applied research programs.
(d)Coordination.—
(1)The Under Secretary shall coordinate the program with the international cooperation and analysis activities of the military departments and Defense Agencies.
(2)The Secretaries of the military departments and the directors of the Defense Agencies shall provide the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering such assistance as the Under Secretary may require for purposes of the program.
(3)(A)Funds available to a military department for a fiscal year for monitoring or analyzing the research activities and capabilities of foreign nations may not be obligated or expended until the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering certifies to the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics that the Secretary of such military department has provided the assistance required under paragraph (2).
(B)The limitation in subparagraph (A) shall not be construed to alter or effect the availability to a military department of funds for intelligence activities.
(e)Classification of Database Information.—
Information in electronic databases of the Global Research Watch program shall be maintained in unclassified form and, as determined necessary by the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, in classified form in such databases.
(f)Termination.—
The requirement to carry out the program under this section shall terminate on September 30, 2035.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2024—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 118–159 substituted “
September 30, 2035” for “
September 30, 2025”. 2021—Pub. L. 116–283, § 1842(b), as amended by Pub. L. 117–81, § 1701(q)(1), (u)(3)(B), renumbered section 2365 of this title as this section. 2019—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–92, § 266(1), substituted “Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering” for “Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering”. Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 116–92, § 266(3), substituted “Under Secretary” for “Assistant Secretary”. Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 116–92, § 266(1), (3), substituted “Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering” for “Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering” and “Under Secretary” for “Assistant Secretary”. Subsec. (d)(3)(A). Pub. L. 116–92, § 266(2), substituted “Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering” for “Assistant Secretary”. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 116–92, § 266(2), substituted “Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering” for “Assistant Secretary”. 2015—Subsec. (b)(1), (2). Pub. L. 114–92, § 215(1), inserted “and private sector persons” after “foreign nations”. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 114–92, § 215(2), substituted “
September 30, 2025” for “
September 30, 2015”. 2013—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 112–239, § 1076(c)(2)(B)(i), inserted “of Defense for Research and Engineering” after “The Assistant Secretary”. Subsec. (d)(3)(A). Pub. L. 112–239, § 1076(c)(2)(B)(ii), substituted “Assistant Secretary” for “Director”. 2011—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–383, § 901(j)(3)(A), substituted “Assistant Secretary” for “Director of Defense Research and Engineering”. Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 111–383, § 901(j)(3)(B), substituted “Assistant Secretary” for “Director”. Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 111–383, § 901(j)(3)(C), substituted “Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering” for “Director of Defense Research and Engineering” and “Assistant Secretary may” for “Director may”. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 111–383, § 901(j)(3)(D), substituted “Assistant Secretary” for “Director”. 2009—Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 111–84, § 211(a), added par. (3). Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 111–84, § 211(b), substituted “2015” for “2011”. 2006—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 109–364 substituted “2011” for “2006”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2021 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 117–81 applicable as if included in the enactment of title XVIII of Pub. L. 116–283 as enacted, see section 1701(a)(2) of Pub. L. 117–81, set out in a note preceding section 3001 of this title and note below. Amendment by Pub. L. 116–283 effective Jan. 1, 2022, with additional provisions for delayed implementation and applicability of existing law, see section 1801(d) of Pub. L. 116–283, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Effective Date

of 2011 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 111–383 effective Jan. 1, 2011, see section 901(p) of Pub. L. 111–383, set out as a note under section 131 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 4066

Title 10, Armed Forces

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110