DTRA Basic Research

The DTRA Basic Research program, under the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, focuses on advancing scientific and technological progress to counter Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD). This initiative emphasizes high-risk, high-reward basic research, leveraging expertise from academia, government, and industry. The program's objectives align with strategic goals set by the Executive Office of the President, the Department of Defense (DoD), and the broader WMD threat reduction community. Key areas of focus include developing standoff radiological/nuclear detection capabilities, securing vulnerable materials, defeating WMD agents, and advancing strategic radiation-hardened microelectronics.

A significant component is the Basic Research for Countering WMD project. This project aims to build a robust research portfolio targeting strategic, mission-focused basic research with high potential impact. Research projects are selected based on scientific merit, technical quality, and innovation potential. These projects aim to expand the knowledge base to assist warfighters by introducing new scientific solutions or leveraging revolutionary approaches to technical challenges. The ultimate goal is to develop new capabilities for controlling, defeating, disabling, or disposing of WMD threats.

The program also supports two University Research Alliances (URAs), focusing on Materials Science in Extreme Environments (MSEE) and Interaction of Ionizing Radiation with Matter (IIRM). These alliances are tasked with developing foundational research in areas such as computational modeling for agent defeat scenarios and assessing chip vulnerability using AI-driven techniques. The URAs aim to adapt their research thrusts to meet emerging threats while fostering collaboration among students, postdocs, and principal investigators.

In recent years, there has been a concerted effort to modernize facilities at participating universities and support workforce development through initiatives like Extreme Science Internships. These investments ensure that state-of-the-art equipment is available for research and help cultivate a skilled future workforce capable of addressing evolving defense challenges. The increase in resources from FY 2024 to FY 2025 is intended to enhance fundamental research in manufacturing new radiation-sensitive materials, ultimately leading to more cost-effective radiation detection technologies.