House Armed Services Committee hearing on Irregular Warfare

At the House Armed Services Committee Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee hearing on "The FY2009 National Defense Authorization Budget Request - Department of Defense Science and Technology: Responding to the 21st Century Irregular Warfare Threat Environment," Congressman William Thornberry (R-TX) said tomorrow's national security depends on the technology of today. He said he was not pleased with a 4% increase in the budget request because of the rate of change in the world, which he called "extraordinary." To keep up with and do something about the technological changes requires a significant investment in science and technology.

Roy Schwitters, professor of physics at the University of Texas Austin, said there is a new land of sensors and surveillance technology, and that if we can learn to use it, it would be "game changing" in regards to warfare. In recent years, Schwitters said, there has been a data glut problem, and it's not just the tactical approaches but the understanding of the results.

Terabytes of information are now the standard measure, and merely increasing our data capability does not solve our problem. Schwitters compared the data glut problem to the I Love Lucy episode, where she worked in the chocolate factory. Data piles up like the chocolate on the conveyor belt, he said, and eventually the bits are just going to fall on the floor if we can't keep up. The quality of the information is of paramount importance, Schwitters said. We need new ways to handle the data, and the conventional approach is to compress the data. Compressing the data, he said, loses critical information. We're facing a new form of systems integration with today's technology, Schwitter went on to say, and we all have to learn together how to use it. He suggested having integrated users, analysts, and programmers.

Allan Shaffer, principle deputy director of Defense Research and Engineering at the Defense Department, said the Department of Defense's Science and Technology program has a history of developing technology that continues to deliver excellent service. There have been changes and challenges with the digital landscape, Shaffer said, and the 11.5 billion dollar request (the highest in history) is for research of technology. Research is in decline, he said, and our men and women in uniform deserve the best we can give them. Some of the areas to expand upon include biometrics, surveillance, and cyber protection. We are well positioned, he said, but have much to accomplish. We must be able to work with technology that emerges anywhere in the world. Planning, he said, is not enough.

Thomas Killion, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Research and Technology, said we need to pursue technology that makes unprecedented advancements for our soldiers. The goal, he said, is to target the enemy while saving the lives of our soldiers. Some of the programs developed include "Battlemind," which is to help prepare our soldiers for a war atmosphere and then help transition them back. The budget request includes increased funding for understanding how the brain works to better create programs for training.

Admiral William Landay III, said we must address technology in a global manner, and be able to take advantage of anything anywhere. We must focus on delivering new and novel technology, he said, and development at the moment is "vibrant." Also, Landay said, we must continue to work with plans to transition new technology to our soldiers. A key area to focus on, he said, is the ability to succeed in irregular warfare, and we must make the enemy fear the United States' ability to meet any challenge.