Director's Message
The 2025 National Security Strategy set priorities to ensure that U.S. technology — particularly in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum computing — drives the world forward. The strategy also calls for modernizing the military and strengthening domestic supply chains. At MIT Lincoln Laboratory, our R&D aligns with these needs. This report highlights some of our recent innovations that have impacted the nation.
In 2025, we executed 55 government-directed technology transitions, transferring technologies directly into military programs or to industry for production. Among them is a drone interceptor that costs one-tenth of current alternatives and assembles in under two hours, helping to counter a growing threat at home and abroad. Supporting U.S. forces in Europe, we established a multinational tactical air defense early-warning capability, and, in the Middle East, our software analyzed hundreds of missile threats to save lives. Our world-class radars tracked 30,000 satellites, providing awareness of an increasingly congested and contested space domain. And to unify forces across all domains, we developed a cybersecure joint communications architecture.
To bolster domestic resilience, we fabricated quantum circuits that are accelerating nationwide research in this important field and delivered integrated photonics to enable next-generation microwave systems. We also were the first to biosynthesize a critical defense material — a significant step toward reducing dependence on foreign supply chains.
Our impact is made possible by exceptional people. Staff earned seven R&D 100 Awards for their breakthrough technologies and inspired nearly 8,000 students through STEM initiatives, including collaborations with MIT campus. Military fellows and veterans embedded within our teams bridged the gap between operational needs and technology solutions.
As we look to 2026, we will reflect on both the Laboratory's 75 years of service and the nation's 250 years of independence. We are proud to support our service members and help build a safer world, and will rise to address new challenges as we continue our vital mission of developing technology for national security.
Sincerely,
Melissa G. Choi
Director
Mission:
Technology for National Security
We employ some of the nation's best technical talent to support system and technology development for national security needs. Emphasizing emerging technology areas for the U.S. Department of War (DoW), we conduct R&D on behalf of the military services, the Office of the Secretary of War, the intelligence community, and other government agencies.
Core competencies
- Sensors
- Information extraction
- Communications
- Integrated sensing
- Decision support
- Advanced electronics
Key activities
- Architectures and analysis
- Technology development
- Prototyping and evaluation
- Technology transfer
Vision:
To be the nation's premier laboratory that develops advanced technology and system prototypes for national security problems
Values:
How we approach our work
- Integrity, excellence, and innovation
How we interact with each other
- Belonging, respect, and service
Unique role as a DoW FFRDC
We are defined by our role as the DoW's largest R&D laboratory federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), uniquely combining state-of-the-art R&D with rapid hardware prototyping capabilities. We focus on end-to-end development of new capabilities that cannot be met as effectively by the government’s existing in-house or contractor resources. Once capabilities are developed, we work in close coordination with the U.S. government to transfer them directly to the military services and private industry for production.
This process is central to our FFRDC role, which offers specific advantages to the U.S. government.
- Special, long-term relationship: We operate as a strategic partner to the government, maintaining continuity of expertise in critical DoW areas, responding quickly to urgent needs, and sharing our knowledge with the national security community.
- Freedom from conflicts of interest: Reducing risk to the U.S. government, we operate free from profit motives and are prohibited from competing with private industry, instead facilitating engagement across the DoW and commercial sector.
- Objective expertise: We serve solely in the U.S. government's interest as a trusted, unbiased source of technological capabilities, increasing the pace of innovation necessary to address evolving threats.
Our R&D activities span nine technical divisions, overseen by a Director's Office and supported by six operations departments. As part of our FFRDC structure, MIT operates Lincoln Laboratory in the national interest strictly on a no-loss, no-gain basis, under a prime contract with the U.S Air Force.
