Officials planning the Pentagon's first Long Range Research and Development Plan in more than 40 years have received a significant response from what they call “non-traditional” private sector companies hoping to influence the Defense Department's future technology investments, despite the lack of any near-term budget commitment. Stephen Welby, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for systems engineering who is leading development of the LRRDP, said a request for information released in December has already received more than 300 responses from...