> In this case, the CIA would be racing against private companies as well...

You mean like Skunkworks when they designed the SR-71?

Or DARPA with Atlas?

Or the DoD with the global GPS network?

Or the NSA's ANT catalogue?

Yeah, the government has never had any issues outpacing the private sector. You only ever find out about it when they want you to. Usually that happens 5 to 30 years after the market has already caught up.