DTRA Basic Research Initiative
Abstract
The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) safeguards America and its allies from Weapons of Mass Destruction (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high-yield explosives) by providing capabilities to reduce, eliminate, counter the threat, and mitigate its effects. The Basic Research Initiative program provides for the discovery and development of fundamental knowledge and understanding by research performers drawn primarily from academia and world-class research institutions in government and industry. This leverages Department of Defense’s $2 billion annual investment in basic research by ensuring a motivation within the scientific community to conduct research benefiting Weapons of Mass Destruction-related defense missions and by improving Agency knowledge of other research efforts of potential benefit to DTRA nonproliferation, counter proliferation and consequence management efforts. These efforts are closely coordinated with the Chem-Bio Technology portfolio, which executes a basic research program under the joint Chem-Bio Defense Program. Agency research interests are coordinated with those of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and Service basic research programs through the Defense Basic Research Advisory Group. DTRA reviews research interests annually to focus on technology areas not clearly addressed by other basic research efforts. The DTRA’s Basic Research Initiative program element supports several National and Department initiatives directly related to countering WMD. The 2010 QDR directs capability enhancements, including: accelerate the development of standoff radiological/nuclear detection capabilities; and prevent proliferation and counter weapons of mass destruction with specific initiatives to: 1) Research countermeasures and defenses to non-traditional agents, 2) Enhance nuclear forensics, 3) Secure vulnerable materials, 4) Develop new verification technologies, and 5) Develop an in-depth understanding of the capabilities, values, intent, and decision making of potential adversaries, whether they are individuals, networks, or states. Basic research supporting all of these needs is included in this program element under projects RU-Fundamental Research for Combating WMD. Additionally, it supports the National Strategy for Countering Biological Threats priorities. This strategy spells out four focus areas: 1) Promote global health security efforts through building and improving international capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats, whether caused by natural, accidental, or deliberate events, 2) Establish and reinforce norms against the misuse of the life sciences, 3) Expand of our capability to prevent, attribute, and apprehend those engaged in biological weapons proliferation or terrorism, with a focus on facilitating data sharing and knowledge discovery to improve integrated capabilities (capability expansion), and 4) Leveraging science, technology, and innovation through domestic and international partnerships and agreements to improve global capacity to respond to and recover from biological incidents (Leveraging Science). Again all four focus areas are supported in this program element under Project RU-Fundamental Research for Combating WMD. In the general sense, these efforts are relevant for biologically-based and inspired materials for DoD applications, including passive and/or remote sensing; and expand- our capability to apprehend those engaged in bio-weapons proliferation and terrorism by supporting basic research on bio-agent neutralization and bio-agent defeat employing combustion or deflagration. Details are provided in the R-2a exhibits.
Document Details
- Document Type
- R2 Budgetary Justification
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2014
- Source ID
- 0601000BR_1_0400_PB_2014
- Change Summary Explanation
- The decrease in FY 2012 from the previous President’s Budget submission in FY 2012 is due to the internal SBIR transfer. The increase in FY 2014 is due to increased investment in Program Element 0601000BR to maintain zero real growth in funding for Basic Research activities per the Defense Planning Guidance.
- Service Agency Name
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Entities
Organizations
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency
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