RDT&E

Another 14% of the RDT&E request, or about $2.5 billion, is earmarked for research in even more experimental fields like quantum computing and advanced microelectronics.

There's one consequence of such an investment in RDT&E that's almost too obvious to mention.

Accordingly, $17.8 billion of that $145 billion RDT&E budget will be directly dedicated to military-related science and technology development.

In the Army, the RDT&E number will fund strategic long-range cannons, precision-strike missiles, the next-generation combat vehicle and other efforts.

The service’s fiscal year 2021 budget request also seeks $27 million for its Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, or RDT&E, and Operations and Maintenance budgets, Military.com added.