National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics | NSF 26-309 8 a The preliminary data available from the agencies for FY 2025 at the time of this report reflect mainly the annualized continuing resolution funding levels that existed through early March 2025, which were later extended by a continuing resolution to the end of FY 2025. Note(s): Detail may not add to total because of rounding. Source(s): Agencies' submissions to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) per MAX Schedule C, agencies' budget justification documents, supplemental data obtained from agencies' budget offices, and Executive Office of the President, OMB, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2026.
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics | NSF 26-309 9 Table 3. Federal budget authority for R&D and R&D plant as a percentage of total budget authority, by budget function, ordered by FY 2024 R&D and R&D plant total: FYs 2024–26 (Percent share) Budget function 2024 actual 2025 preliminarya 2026 proposed All functions conducting R&D National defense 10.7 10.4 9.7 Health 5.0 4.5 2.8 General science and basic research 37.6 35.0 23.7 Space flight, research, and supporting activities 24.6 25.5 15.9 Energy 27.3 16.0 5.4 Natural resources and environment 3.7 2.6 2.8 Agriculture 10.7 4.6 3.9 Commerce and housing credit 7.0 23.2 5.2 Transportation 1.3 1.3 1.1 Veterans benefits and services 0.6 0.5 0.4 Education, training, employment, and social services 0.3 0.4 0.2 Administration of justice 0.5 0.5 0.4 International affairs 0.2 0.2 0.3 Income security * * * Community and regional development * * * Medicare 0.0 0.0 0.0
- = value less than 0.05%. a The preliminary data available from the agencies for FY 2025 at the time of this report reflect mainly the annualized continuing resolution funding levels that existed through early March 2025, which were later extended by a continuing resolution to the end of FY 2025. Note(s): Detail may not add to total because of rounding. Source(s): Agencies' submissions to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) per MAX Schedule C, agencies' budget justification documents, supplemental data obtained from agencies' budget offices, and Executive Office of the President, OMB, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2026.
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics | NSF 26-309 10 Table 4. Federal budget authority for basic research, by budget function, ordered by FY 2024 R&D and R&D plant total: FYs 2024–26 (Millions of dollars and percent change) Budget function 2024 actual ($millions) 2025 preliminarya ($millions) 2026 proposed ($millions) 2024–25 (% change) 2025–26 (% change) All functions conducting R&D 44,942 44,686 29,533 -0.6 -33.9 National defense 2,820 2,715 2,263 -3.7 -16.7 Health 22,734 22,421 14,158 -1.4 -36.9 General science and basic research 12,140 12,216 8,121 0.6 -33.5 Space flight, research, and supporting activities 4,344 4,414 2,564 1.6 -41.9 Energy 27 11 12 -57.6 4.9 Natural resources and environment 40 40 15 0.0 -62.5 Agriculture 1,388 1,421 1,069 2.4 -24.8 Commerce and housing credit 314 260 210 -17.2 -19.2 Transportation 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 Veterans benefits and services 765 818 823 6.9 0.6 Education, training, employment, and social services 351 351 283 0.0 -19.4 Administration of justice 17 16 13 -5.9 -18.8 International affairs 2 2 2 0.0 0.0 Income security 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 Community and regional development 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 Medicare 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 a The preliminary data available from the agencies for FY 2025 at the time of this report reflect mainly the annualized continuing resolution funding levels that existed through early March 2025, which were later extended by a continuing resolution to the end of FY 2025. Note(s): Detail may not add to total because of rounding. Percent change is calculated on unrounded data. Source(s): Agencies' submissions to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) per MAX Schedule C, agencies' budget justification documents, supplemental data obtained from agencies' budget offices, and Executive Office of the President, OMB, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2026.
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics | NSF 26-309 11 Table 5. Federal budget authority for National defense (050) R&D and R&D plant: FYs 2024–26 (Millions of dollars and percent change) Budget function and agency 2024 actual ($millions) 2025 preliminarya ($millions) 2026 proposed ($millions) 2024–25 (% change) 2025–26 (% change) R&D and R&D plant 105,686 96,695 93,385 -8.5 -3.4 Department of Defense, military (051) 98,989 90,648 88,029 -8.4 -2.9 R&D within RDT&E accounts 96,675 89,159 85,964 -7.8 -3.6 Defense agencies 24,023 23,091 22,633 -3.9 -2.0 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency 4,388 4,146 4,566 -5.5 10.1 Missile Defense Agency 8,721 8,017 7,963 -8.1 -0.7 Other defense agencies 10,913 10,929 10,103 0.1 -7.6 Department of the Air Force 24,175 22,075 22,374 -8.7 1.4 Space Force 11,104 11,243 9,677 1.2 -13.9 Department of the Army 15,760 13,075 12,343 -17.0 -5.6 Department of the Navy 21,275 19,326 18,589 -9.2 -3.8 Operational Test and Evaluation 337 349 349 3.3 0.0 Other military fundingb 2,314 1,489 2,065 -35.7 38.7 Atomic energy defense activities (053) 6,690 6,029 5,356 -9.9 -11.2 Department of Energy 6,690 6,029 5,356 -9.9 -11.2 Defense environmental cleanup 36 39 19 8.3 -51.3 Naval reactors development 1,213 1,152 1,570 -5.0 36.3 Nonproliferation 433 416 369 -3.9 -11.3 Weapons activities 5,008 4,422 3,398 -11.7 -23.2 Defense-related activities (054) 7 18 0 157.1 -100.0 Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation 8 17 0 112.5 -100.0 Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency -1 1 0 -200.0 -100.0 R&D 95,870 89,745 83,071 -6.4 -7.4 Department of Defense, military (051) 90,312 84,557 79,055 -6.4 -6.5 R&D within RDT&E accounts 88,219 83,182 77,104 -5.7 -7.3 Defense agencies 21,949 21,036 20,600 -4.2 -2.1 Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency 4,388 4,146 4,566 -5.5 10.1 Missile Defense Agency 8,721 8,017 7,963 -8.1 -0.7 Other defense agencies 10,571 9,110 8,368 -13.8 -8.1 Department of the Air Force 20,639 20,409 18,570 -1.1 -9.0 Space Force 11,108 10,894 9,677 -1.9 -11.2 Department of the Army 14,058 11,762 10,387 -16.3 -11.7 Department of the Navy 20,127 18,732 17,521 -6.9 -6.5 Operational Test and Evaluation 337 349 349 3.3 0.0 Other military fundingb 2,093 1,375 1,951 -34.3 41.9 Atomic energy defense activities (053) 5,551 5,170 4,016 -6.9 -22.3 Department of Energy 5,551 5,170 4,016 -6.9 -22.3 Defense environmental cleanup 36 39 19 8.3 -51.3 Naval reactors development 958 905 970 -5.5 7.2 Nonproliferation 398 393 346 -1.3 -12.0 Weapons activities 4,159 3,833 2,681 -7.8 -30.1 Defense-related activities (054) 7 18 0 157.1 -100.0 Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation 8 17 0 112.5 -100.0 Department of Homeland Security, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency -1 1 0 -200.0 -100.0
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics | NSF 26-309 12 RDT&E = research, development, test, and evaluation. a The preliminary data available from the agencies for FY 2025 at the time of this report reflect mainly the annualized continuing resolution funding levels that existed through early March 2025, which were later extended by a continuing resolution to the end of FY 2025. It does not include any funding received through reconciliation. b Other military funding includes appropriate personnel costs in direct support of conduct of R&D, other appropriations funding certain Department of Defense programs, and medical research funded outside RDT&E accounts. Note(s): Detail may not add to total because of rounding. Percent change is calculated on unrounded data. Source(s): Agencies' submissions to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) per MAX Schedule C, agencies' budget justification documents, supplemental data obtained from agencies' budget offices, and Executive Office of the President, OMB, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2026.
National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics | NSF 26-309 13 Table 6. Department of Defense, total obligational authority for research, development, test, and evaluation, by DOD budget activity: FYs 2024–26 (Millions of dollars and percent change) Funding category and agency Budget activity 2024 actual ($millions) 2025 preliminarya ($millions) 2026 proposed ($millions) 2024–25 (% change) 2025–26 (% change) RDT&E total budget authority
148,107 141,352 141,189 -4.6 -0.1 R&D budget authority within RDT&E accountsb
96,675 89,159 85,964 -7.8 -3.6 RDT&E total obligational authorityc
148,107 141,352 141,189 -4.6 -0.1 Basic research 1 2,628 2,474 2,074 -5.9 -16.2 Defense agencies 802 811 575 1.2 -29.1 Department of the Air Force 567 508 397 -10.3 -21.9 Space Force 34.5 36.08 36.839 4.6 2.1 Department of the Army 561 505 487 -10.0 -3.7 Department of the Navy 664 613 578 -7.6 -5.7 Applied research 2 7,593 6,251 5,799 -17.7 -7.2 Defense agencies 2,288 2,276 2,400 -0.5 5.5 Department of the Air Force 1,843 1,400 1,306 -24.0 -6.7 Space Force 343 256 278 -25.3 8.6 Department of the Army 1,716 1,162 861 -32.3 -25.9 Department of the Navy 1,403 1,157 955 -17.5 -17.5 Advanced technology development 3 11,287 10,136 9,985 -10.2 -1.5 Defense agencies 5,726 5,773 6,220 0.8 7.8 Department of the Air Force 1,151 814 834 -29.3 2.6 Space Force 710 750 589 5.7 -21.6 Department of the Army 2,352 1,696 1,240 -27.9 -26.9 Department of the Navy 1,348 1,104 1,101 -18.1 -0.2 Advanced component development and prototypes 4 39,682 35,995 30,781 -9.3 -14.5 Defense agencies 11,708 10,667 10,390 -8.9 -2.6 Department of the Air Force 9,829 11,102 6,267 12.9 -43.5 Space Force 3,873 4,196 4,248 8.4 1.2 Department of the Army 4,336 2,170 2,421 -49.9 11.5 Department of the Navy 9,936 7,860 7,454 -20.9 -5.2 System development and demonstration 5 26,195 24,466 27,483 -6.6 12.3 Defense agencies 1,424 1,017 1,015 -28.6 -0.3 Department of the Air Force 7,250 4,791 9,765 -33.9 103.8 Space Force 5,652 5,433 3,892 -3.9 -28.4 Department of the Army 5,091 5,759 5,379 13.1 -6.6 Department of the Navy 6,777 7,466 7,432 10.2 -0.5 RDT&E management support 6 9,290 9,837 9,842 5.9 0.1 Defense agencies 2,074 2,547 2,032 22.8 -20.2 Department of the Air Force 3,536 3,460 3,804 -2.1 9.9 Space Force 492 571 633 16.0 10.8 Department of the Army 1,703 1,783 1,956 4.7 9.7 Department of the Navy 1,148 1,127 1,068 -1.8 -5.2 Operational test and evaluation 337 349 349 3.3 0.0 Operational System Development 7 50,560 51,899 54,396 2.6 4.8 Defense agencies 12,095 12,098 10,594 0.0 -12.4 Department of the Air Force 23,165 24,806 29,644 7.1 19.5 Space Force 7,443 7,165 5,638 -3.7 -21.3 Department of the Army 1,253 1,214 1,427 -3.1 17.5