Senator Sasse supports increased investment in DARPA

 
Since its founding, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has pursued breakthroughs in emerging technologies that have enabled new military capabilities and laid foundations for private-sector investments that extend beyond the battlefield in the process. 
 
Recognizing the significant achievements made possible through DARPA research, Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) has proposed an amendment to a bill intended to spur investment in advanced technologies, originally known as the Endless Frontier Act and now known as the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act. Sasse’s amendment would double DARPA’s budget to $7 billion for the next five years (FY22 – FY26). 
 
DARPA research has been and continues to be critical to the advancement of the Department of Defense’s unmanned systems capabilities. It was through prior funding that DARPA successfully developed Sea Hunter in partnership with the Office of Naval Research. An unmanned sea surface vehicle, Sea Hunter is used by Surface Development Squadron (SURFDEVRON) 1 and demonstrated its capabilities during the recent Unmanned Integrated Battle Problem 21 fleet exercise. 
 
DARPA is also currently working on a number of autonomous projects that will ensure future U.S. military competitiveness and act as force multipliers, including efforts that will equip unmanned aerial systems to respond to emerging threats and improve tactical capabilities of unmanned maritime systems. 
 
Despite the significance of DARPA’s work, the agency’s funding has remained relatively steady over time. The FY2019 enacted budget was $3.427 billion, compared to $3.48 billion in FY1996. At a time when some Members of Congress and defense experts have expressed concerns that the U.S. could lose its military advantage to other nations, Senator Sasse’s amendment would enable DARPA to make investments in the foundational knowledge needed to develop the military systems of the future across the ground, air, and maritime domains. 
 
AUVSI urges Members of Congress, especially those on defense oversight committees, to support robust funding for DARPA and ensure that the agency’s breakthroughs – including those in unmanned and autonomous systems – are leveraged to support the warfighter in today’s missions and to prepare for tomorrow’s threats. 
Congress
Defense

January 2026

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