DTRA Basic Research

The DTRA Basic Research program, under Program Element PE 0601000BR, is the primary basic research portfolio within the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) focused on countering weapons of mass destruction (CWMD). The program's overarching goal is to invest in high-risk, high-payoff scientific research that expands foundational knowledge and supports the development of future technologies and capabilities across DTRA's mission areas. This research is strategically aligned with policy and planning guidance from the Executive Office of the President, the Department of Defense (DoD), and the broader CWMD threat reduction community.

The Basic Research for Countering WMD project specifically aims to accelerate the development of standoff radiological and nuclear detection capabilities, secure vulnerable materials, defeat WMD agents, and advance strategic radiation-hardened microelectronics. The project leverages expertise from academia, government, and industry to build a robust research portfolio that supports capability enhancements and Science and Technology (S&T) investments. Research projects are selected based on scientific merit, technical quality, and their potential for innovation, with the objective of enabling new solutions for controlling, defeating, disabling, or disposing of WMD threats.

A key component of the program is the maintenance and expansion of two University Research Alliances (URAs): Materials Science in Extreme Environments and Interaction of Ionizing Radiation with Matter. The Materials Science in Extreme Environments URA focuses on foundational research in computational modeling for agent defeat scenarios, quantification of uncertainty in nuclear blast simulations, and experimental scaling of target ablation using optical lasers and X-rays. The URA also transitions advanced machine learning techniques in hyperspectral imaging and high-speed spectroscopy to applied research partners, and supports workforce development through internships and professional development opportunities.

The Interaction of Ionizing Radiation with Matter URA is dedicated to understanding material properties and radiation interactions, with the goal of improving energy resolution in detection systems using low-cost solids with high structural flexibility. This URA is advancing Artificial Intelligence-driven modeling techniques for novel semiconductor systems and constructing machine learning models to identify synthesizable materials. The research outcomes are transitioned to applied research partners and support outreach initiatives such as the Sea Air and Land Challenge, which engages students and researchers in critical roles within the DoD and Department of Energy (DOE).

In FY 2024, a Congressional add provided additional support to the Materials Science in Extreme Environments URA, led by Johns Hopkins University, to advance critical technology areas including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and model and materials development. This funding enhanced research labor, university research equipment, and workforce development activities for nine principal investigators. No additional Congressional add is planned for FY 2025. The increase in funding from FY 2025 to FY 2026 is attributed to inflation adjustments and reductions in discretionary travel and advisory contracts, in alignment with Executive Order 14222 on government efficiency.

The acquisition strategy for the DTRA Basic Research program relies on competitive selection awards through university partnerships, DTRA's Broad Agency Announcement, and collaborative funding with other organizations. This approach ensures that research efforts are both scientifically rigorous and mission-focused, while fostering innovation and technical surprise. The program also emphasizes rapid response projects to enable new research areas and transitions, ensuring that the research portfolio remains forward-looking and adaptable to emerging CWMD challenges.