The DoD Basic Research Program is the cutting edge of the Defense Science and Technology Program. For more than 50 years, the Department of Defense has relied on its Basic Research Program to maintain U.S. military technological superiority. This objective has been realized primarily by DoD support for research into scientific and engineering areas of proven or potential importance to defense. DoD researchers also keep a watchful eye on research activities all over the world to prevent technological surprise. As the pace of technology quickens, it has become ever more important to maintain the world-class quality of the DoD research program, and to guide, coordinate, and integrate its many diverse activities. The Basic Research Plan (BRP) presents a comprehensive and reasonably complete overview of the whole DoD research program, presents the rationale for it, outlines its contents and organization, tabulates the funding (by program element as well as by discipline), and concludes with a few examples of its extraordinary accomplishments. The bulk of the funding of the DoD research program supports 12 disciplinary areas, managed by 10 Strategic Planning Groups (SPGs). (Two pairs of related disciplines are grouped together under one SPG.) Each discipline is briefly described. Interdisciplinary research is encouraged and is specifically addressed under three program titles: Strategic Research Areas (SRAs), Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI), and Government-Industry Cooperative University Research Program (GICUR). The program also supports infrastructure through education and training in science and engineering, and university instrumentation under the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP).

The Basic Research Plan is a dynamic document that is updated every two years. It describes ongoing work as well as planning activities and past accomplishments that can be traced to earlier basic research. It serves to inform both performers and managers of the research as well as to provide military planners with an overview of the entire program. Its ultimate purpose is and remains that of providing the warfighter with superior and affordable technology, whether waging war or enforcing the peace. This fifth edition of the Basic Research Plan is an updated and amplified version of the February 2001 Plan. Each plan serves to focus, integrate and describe the Department of Defense (DoD) investment in a world-class research program. To link basic research to broad, revolutionary 21st century military capabilities requires planning. In the case of a strategic program like basic research, planning involves not so much solving individual problems, but rather whole strategic technology areas that should address still unrealized but envisioned future military capabilities. Historically, basic research has initiated scientific and engineering breakthroughs that started previously undreamed of technological revolutions. There is no reason to doubt that we can do so again.