Attached is the best article I can find on the subject of IRAD, and how this “slush fund” evades congressional oversight. It’s from the January 26, 1980 issue of The Nation.
You'd assume it's a dated reference, but it's not at all.
Interestingly, a small piece of this article can also be found on the CIA website, which implies that it’s important to them.
https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP90-00806R000100380027-0.pdf
And then even more interestingly, you have the NDIA (National Defense Industrial Association) – a lobbying group disguised as a non-lobbying group – basically telling us they're taking our money because they know what's in our best interest. You and I might want to spend money on solving the hunger crisis, but hey, protecting starving people with guns is more important than feeding them:
"IRAD was originally utilized due to practical necessity, a cost of doing business with the DoD, as a result of DoD’s strict cost-based business practices, and as such, was subjected to rigorous oversight to ensure projects were of interest to DoD. In time, a combination of widespread concern for the health of the defense industrial base following a decline in defense spending after the Cold War and that the current IRAD process was overly burdensome, lead to statutory changes in the early 1990’s that provided companies greater autonomy in choosing IRAD projects to emphasize innovation and encourage development of dual use technologies."
https://www.ndia.org/policy/issues/acquisition-reform/independent-research-and-development
IOW, we're concerned we aren't building enough weapons, so we're going to launder your tax money into making bombs and top secret spaceships.
Despite the surreptitious nature of IRAD and its potential funding of LEGACY reverse engineering programs, I’m willing to bet it’s 100% legal. Yeah, they might overcharge other projects and they might sell tech for $1, but when you’ve got the argument of “national security” on your side, and the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 as your bible, it sounds like we did this to ourselves, and let a shadow government run away with the tech, legally.
For reference, below is some information on IRAD from the hearing last year, reported by The Independent:
————————————————
From The Independent, July 28, 2023:
"He further went on to claim that he was aware of planned retaliation efforts against him by his former superiors in the US government, and that he was aware of unsanctioned "IRAD" programs in which government contractors were overcharging American government buyers and using the excess profit to funnel into DOD research programs."
"However, they were left with only a tease of information; each time Mr Grusch was asked to provide specific information — details about the IRAD programs, the locations of supposed crashed UAPs, specifics about the "non-human" entities allegedly found with the wreckage — he assured the Congressional leaders that he knew the answers, but could not provide them publicly. He said he could provide specific information only in a closed session or in a secure environment, citing confidentiality concerns."
"Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez centred her questioning on Mr Grusch's claims concerning independent research and development — IRAD — programs funneling money from American government buyers into "unsanctioned" DOD programs."
"Earlier in his testimony, Mr Grusch told Congressman Jared Moskowitz he was aware of IRADs funding "unsanctioned" development of "advanced technology.""
"Ms Ocasio-Cortez said she had seen IRAD programs and regulations requiring agencies initiating research to notify oversight bodies abused, and asked "if you were me, where would you look" to find evidence for the claims that government contract money was being siphoned to unrelated research and development."
"Mr Grush said he would be happy to provide the details "in a closed environment" and said he could tell her "specifically.""
The more I read about this subject, the more I realize that what we're seeing is disclosure of "the legacy program", via "the people's program". Harry Reid knew the legacy program existed, but also knew he legally wasn't allowed to know about it. So he built his own program, and 15+ years later, we're finally seeing the result of that effort. Hey, at least this version has congressional oversight…at least that's my assumption.
by gramcc01