DTRA Basic Research Initiative
Abstract
The mission of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is to safeguard the United States and its allies from global weapons of mass destruction (WMD) threats by integrating, synchronizing, and providing responsive expertise, technologies, and capabilities. This mission directly aligns with several national and Department of Defense (DoD) level guidance/vision documents. For Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E), these documents include the National Security Strategy, Defense Strategic Guidance (Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defense), 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review, National Strategy for Combating Terrorism, National Strategy to Combat WMD, Defense Planning Guidance, Guidance for Employment of the Force, 2014 DoD Strategy for Countering WMD, National Military Strategic Plan for the War on Terrorism, and Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan (including the Nuclear Annex). To achieve this mission, the DTRA has established strategies and tasks to meet the principal objectives of the above referenced documents. These objectives are: 1) Ensure a safe, secure, and effective nuclear deterrent; 2) Anticipate emerging WMD threats; 3) Provide Combating WMD situational awareness; 4) Assess infrastructure and personnel vulnerabilities; 5) Prevent proliferation and use of WMD; 6) Defend against WMD threats; 7) Defeat WMD threats; 8) Recover from WMD consequences; and 9) Synchronize countering WMD activities. The Basic Research Initiative provides for the discovery and development of fundamental knowledge and understanding by research performers comprised from academia and world-class research institutions in Government and industry. This leverages the DoD's $2 billion plus annual investment in basic research by ensuring a motivation within the scientific community to conduct research benefiting WMD-related defense missions and by improving knowledge of research efforts that benefit nonproliferation, counter proliferation, and consequence management efforts. These efforts are closely coordinated with DTRA’s Chemical and Biological Technologies Department, which executes a chemical/biological basic research program under DoD’s Chemical and Biological Defense Program. DTRA’s research interests are coordinated with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Services’ basic research programs through the Defense Basic Research Advisory Group. DTRA reviews research interests annually to focus on technological areas which are not clearly addressed by other basic research efforts. DTRA’s Basic Research portfolio supports several National and DoD initiatives directly related to Countering WMD (CWMD) including: Office of Science and Technology Policy Nuclear Defense Research and Development Roadmap, FY 2013-2017; Defense Budget Priorities and Choices for FY 2014; Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Science and Technology Priority Steering Council Roadmap; 2012 Defense Strategic Guidance (Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defense), and the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review. In general, these documents direct capability enhancements, projects, and science and technology (S&T) investments that support CWMD and reduce global nuclear dangers. Specifically they include: accelerating the development of standoff radiological/nuclear detection capabilities; researching countermeasures and defenses to non-traditional agents; enhancing nuclear forensics; securing vulnerable materials; developing new verification technologies; developing an in-depth understanding of the capabilities, values, intent, and decision making of potential foes, whether they are states, networks, or individuals; defeating WMD agents; researching biologically-based or inspired materials for DoD applications; and leveraging science, technology, and innovation through domestic and international partnerships and agreements. Basic research supporting all of these needs is included in this program element under Project RU-Fundamental Research for Combating WMD. Details are provided in the R-2a exhibit.
Document Details
- Document Type
- R2 Budgetary Justification
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2016
- Source ID
- 0601000BR_1_0400_PB_2016
- Change Summary Explanation
- Service Agency Name
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Entities
Organizations
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency
Related Documents
- Child Project: Fundamental Research for Combating WMD
- Child Accomplishment: Project RU: Fundamental Research for Combating WMD