Military research uses animals to develop weapons protection, trauma care, and biological defense, with ethical oversight that varies significantly across nations.
Military animal research welfare presents particular challenges because of national security classifications that limit transparency and public oversight. Live tissue trauma training, where animals are intentionally wounded to train medics, is among the most welfare-contested military uses of animals. The US military has faced sustained pressure to transition to simulation, which has been shown to produce equivalent training outcomes. The 3Rs principle applies equally to military research, and civilian oversight mechanisms should apply regardless of classification status. Progress has been made in transitioning some military training to simulation, but live animal use remains substantial.