ACTD
Abstract
The Department of Defense (DoD) initiated the Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) program in 1995 with the purpose of demonstrating new, mature technologies in an operational environment and the goal of getting new technology into the hands of the warfighter as quickly as possible. Early successes included the Predator and Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). As of year end FY 2007, DoD has started 160 ACTDs, a total of 57 ACTD/JCTDs were in process, and 22 had been returned to the technology base or terminated. However, no ACTD's have been started since FY 2006 with full transition to the JCTD program in FY 2007. By FY 2010 it is anticipated only three remaining ACTD's will not have completed the Miliatry Utilility Assessment (MUA). All funding in the ACTD program officially transferred to the JCTD program element (PE) in FY 2008, however, in 2008 and 2009 one congressional add was placed in the ACTD PE in each year. The ACTD program demonstrated tremendous success in meeting urgent warfighter needs with 65 ACTDs contributing products that are/were employed in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and/or Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). A non-exhaustive list of ACTDs deploying products to either OIF or OEF includes: Language and Speech Exploitation Resources (LASER), Expendable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (XUAV), and the Joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal (JEOD) projects. In FY 2006, the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Advanced Systems and Concepts (DUSD(AS&C)) initiated a new business process, building on the successful ACTD program, to support the Department's transformational reform of addressing future threats from a capabilities focus versus the classical threat based viewpoint. The revised ACTD approach is called the Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) program, and is based on proven, positive aspects of the ACTD program with new modifications. The JCTD model specifically addresses congressional concerns and recommendations made by the General Accountability Office (GAO) regarding rapid development and transitioning of Combatant Commander (CoCom) relevant capabilities to the joint warfighter in a more cost effective, timely and efficient model. Aligning closely with the thrust of with the Joint Staff's Joint Integration and Development System (JCIDS), JCTDs take a more balanced project candidate identification approach, shifting the overall program's focus to identifying specific warfighter capabilities needs up front (requirements pull), and then finding technology or concepts to address these needs, while maintaining the historical ACTD approach, where new technology is introduced to the warfighter to solve existing operational shortfalls (technology push). FY 2006 was the first year of a three to five year transition period from the current ACTD to the improved JCTD program. However, in FY 2008 all ACTD funding has transferred to the JCTD program completing the transition more quickly than originally anticipated. Beginning in FY 2007 all new starts were JCTDs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Project
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2011
- Source ID
- P523_0603750D8Z_3_0400_PB_2011