Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD)

Abstract

In alignment with the National Defense Strategy (NDS) and the Department of Defense (DoD) modernization priorities, the Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) program conducts prototype demonstrations and experiments to address Combatant Commands' (CCMDs), and Joint Service urgent and emergent warfighting needs. The program delivers developmental and operational prototypes, generally within two to four years, culminating in a sponsored military utility assessment (MUA), thus enabling scale-up of science and technology from the laboratories into defense acquisition programs. The key tenets of the JCTD program are to fulfill national objectives to build a more lethal force, strengthen alliances, and enable the DoD to achieve greater performance and affordability. Following the Undersecretary of Defense, Research and Engineering (USD(R&E))'s Modernization Priority guidance, mission focused areas were co-developed with the Joint Staff to address the Chairman's gap assessment which include, but are not limited to: time-sensitive targeting (TST), advanced electronic warfare (AEW), integrated fires (IF), and fully networked command, control and communications (FNC3). The JCTD program achieves its objectives by engaging the CCMDs, the Joint Services, interagency, international, and non-governmental partners to expand the DoD's access to prototyping and innovation. JCTDs serve as a vehicle primarily for CCMDs to address the Joint force's strategic priority mission areas that present significant risk and suffer from inadequate investment. JCTDs often address technology needs that fall into the seams between the urgent/emergent needs of CCMDs and Title-10 functions of the Military Services. Subsequently, JCTD investments are further informed by the CCMDs' integrated priority list, the capability gaps assessed through the Joint Staff, and the Military Services' science and technology roadmaps to achieve warfighter dominance. As U.S. and partner nations are increasingly orienting toward peer competition in contested environments across multiple, inter-dependent domains, and where feasible through CCMD’s sponsorship, the JCTD program looks to deliver leap-ahead operational capability in reduced time with the coordination of allied research and development (R&D) funding, technology, and industry participation. The value proposition is to affordably operationalize technologies more quickly, that enable Joint/Combined forces to access novel/leap-ahead capabilities. JCTD outcomes are designed to accelerate technology transition by evaluating and demonstrating prototyped technologies in operationally relevant environments. Based on the results of the MUA performed under the cognizance of a CCMD sponsor, the products of a JCTD are "left behind" for additional assessment or operational use, transitioned to a program of record (PoR), or returned to the technical baseline inventory for further development. The JCTD program uses MUAs to further inform acquisition pathways to field initial capabilities faster, or prompt major acquisition program decisions prior to milestone A or B approvals. Therefore, the JCTD program serves as a technology catalyst and transition-bridge between the USD(R&E) and the Undersecretary of Defense, Acquisition and Sustainment (USD(A&S)) offices. In FY 2019, the JCTD program successfully completed four MUAs and transitioned ten JCTD prototypes. Nine JCTDs transitioned all or select components to new or existing PoRs, and one operational prototype was directly fielded and is being sustained by non-JCTD funds in operational theaters. Since the JCTD Program was reframed in 2006, it has executed 116 prototyping projects. The historical transition rate for the JCTD program is 84 percent, including: 63 prototypes (54 percent) transitioning to a PoR; 29 prototypes (26 percent) providing "leave-behind" assets for operational fielding; and five (5) prototypes (4 percent) placed on the General Services Administration schedule. The remaining 19 prototypes (16 percent) were returned to the technical base for further development or were terminated. Overall, the JCTD program has directly supported multiple key operations by rapidly accelerating the fielding of game changing technologies and capabilities into the hands of the Joint Warfighter.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2021
• Source ID: 0603648D8Z_3_0400_PB_2021
• Change Summary Explanation: The FY 2020 Congressional reduction of $17.500 million was directed for program growth. Defense-Wide Review: The FY 2021 funding request was reduced by $19.968 million during DWR to realign funds for higher priority DoD missions. FY 2021 also included a $0.107 million reduction for Economic Assumptions and a $4.398 million reduction for other DOD priorities.
• Service Agency Name: Office of the Secretary Of Defense

Entities

Organizations

• Office of the Secretary of Defense

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Autonomy
• C4I
• Cyber
• Electronic Warfare
• Ground and Sea Platforms
• Human Systems
• Space
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Air Force
• Aircrafts
• Autonomous Navigation
• Combatant Commanders
• Control Systems
• Directed Energy Weapons
• Electronic Warfare
• Military Applications
• National Security
• Navigation
• Radar
• Surveillance
• Synthetic Aperture Radar
• Unmanned Aerial Systems
• Unmanned Ground Vehicles
• Unmanned Systems
• Warfare

Readers

• Defense Technology Research and Development.
• Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.
• Military Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Technology Areas

• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Microelectronics