DOD watchdog to evaluate 'foreign influence' in Pentagon's R&D programs

The Defense Department inspector general’s office is opening an evaluation into "foreign influence" on the Pentagon's research and development programs, as officials worry about the extent of China's reach into U.S. universities, laboratories and companies.

The move comes amid a number of other U.S. efforts to secure the nation's IT supply chain from China and other foreign cyber aggressors.

"The objective of this evaluation is to determine whether the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering...