Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER)

The Rapid Defense Experimentation Reserve (RDER) program, outlined under Program Element (PE) 0604025M in the Department of the Navy's FY 2026 Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) budget, is designed to accelerate the modernization of the Marine Corps and broader joint force by supporting advanced component development and prototyping. The program's primary objective is to provide a dedicated funding mechanism to assess integrated technologies, representative models, and prototype systems in high-fidelity, realistic operational environments. This approach aims to ensure that new capabilities are both effective and reliable before they are considered for broader acquisition or deployment.

The RDER initiative specifically supports a campaign of learning that enables the Department of Defense (DoD), including the Marine Corps and other participating services and agencies, to identify and validate top-tier capabilities emerging from DoD prototyping programs. By fostering multi-component experimentation, the program seeks to refine and validate the Joint Warfighting Concept (JWC), which serves as the guiding framework for future joint operations.

RDER encourages proposals that involve collaboration across Joint Services, international partners, and other government agencies, thereby promoting interoperability and integrated capability development. The Marine Corps component of RDER is established as a distinct program element within the FY 2026 budget to support the execution of approved RDER initiatives. The Marine Corps' participation is aligned with the Defense Planning Guidance for Fiscal Years 2023-2027, which emphasizes the need for rapid experimentation to accelerate force modernization.

The program's structure is intended to enable the Marine Corps to participate in large-scale, cross-service experiments, leveraging the expertise and resources of multiple stakeholders to address emerging operational challenges. The objectives of RDER-funded projects are closely tied to the four key supporting concepts of the Joint Warfighting Concept: the Joint Concept for Fires, Joint Concept for Command and Control, Joint Concept for Contested Logistics, and Joint Concept for Information Advantage.

By focusing on these areas, the program aims to address critical gaps in joint force capabilities, enhance operational effectiveness, and ensure the U.S. military maintains a technological edge in contested environments. Approved projects are selected based on their potential to contribute to these overarching goals and their alignment with joint and service-specific modernization priorities.

From an acquisition and execution perspective, the RDER program utilizes a variety of strategies to support program support activities, including contracts with organizations such as the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) at Fort Belvoir, VA. FY 2026 funding will be used to initiate approved RDER efforts, with a focus on program support and coordination. The program's flexible acquisition strategy allows for the rapid initiation and adjustment of experimentation activities as new requirements and opportunities are identified.

The budget justification for the RDER line item emphasizes its critical role in promoting efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with broader government efficiency initiatives, as directed by Executive Order 14222. The FY 2026 request reflects a reduction to promote these efficiencies, demonstrating the program's commitment to responsible stewardship of resources while advancing key defense modernization objectives.