Radiological and Nuclear Defense Modernization System Development and Demonstration

Mission— Radiological and Nuclear Defense Mod Sys Dev/Demo

This Program Element (PE) supports the Department's Defense Priorities to Rebuild our Military and Reestablish Deterrence. This PE supports the development and modernization of radiological and nuclear (R/N) defense capabilities that enable the Department to prevent R/N attacks on the homeland and Joint Force abroad through deterrence, as well as survive and operate in and through an R/N environment. This PE aligns to the Interim National Defense Strategy by addressing the challenges of keeping pace with our increasingly nuclear-capable adversaries through the development of modern R/N detection and identification capabilities that are networked into secure and hardened communications, command, and control (C3) systems. This PE supports the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD(A&S)) Radiological and Nuclear Defense Capability Development (RNDCD) Program. The RNDCD Program is addressing the strategic objective of fielding modernized R/N detection capabilities to enable the Joint Force to operate more effectively in a R/N contaminated environment (Department of Defense (DoD) Strategic Management Plan for FY2022-2026). The RNDCD Program enhances DoD’s capabilities to campaign across the domains of threats and spectrums of conflict by improving the Department’s capability to campaign, fight, and win in a R/N environment. By building a R/N resilient Joint Force and National Guard Bureau, this program contributes to reestablishing deterrence by denying any strategic advantage our adversaries may perceive in using nuclear weapons on the homeland or Joint Force stationed abroad. This program is specifically geared to provide modern, networked R/N detection, indication, and identification capabilities to the warfighter and to replace obsolescing equipment, increasing capability to operate in a R/N environment (2023 CWMD Strategy). The RNDCD Program enables DoD to: prepare for and respond to any emergency involving nuclear and/or radiological events in the United States; provide a capability for the Joint Force to withstand, operate through, and recover from an R/N event; improve resilience; and promote integrated layered deterrence of WMD with state, local, and other federal agencies. This funding line is the only BA5 funding in the Department dedicated to providing improved R/N capability to the warfighter. The Office of the Secretary of Defense uses the RNDCD Program to invest strategically in projects across the Military Services, Combatant Commands, and Defense Agencies. Funding is prioritized for projects that close Joint Force warfighter capability gaps. An annual investment strategy is used to meet emergent operational and capability needs which are validated by the Joint Force and the National Guard Bureau, yielding new fielded capabilities within one to three years. Through the Radiological and Nuclear Defense Modernization of Systems Development and Demonstration PE, the RNDCD Program will invest in the maturation of prototypes; integration of technologies, systems and components; developmental, environmental, and operational test and evaluation; and transition of capabilities that improve DoD’s capability to detect and identify radiological and nuclear threats. This program bridges the gap between basic research and fielded capabilities by accelerating and enabling the transition of technologies, by leveraging prior science and technology (S&T) investments made by the Department of Defense, other Federal agencies, and industry. Specifically, in FY2026, this PE will support the advanced development of (1) a hands-free, clandestine radiation detection system; (2) an underwater x-ray radiography system; (3) new detection systems using cadmium zinc telluride (CZT; (4) drop/leave behind sensors; (5) environmental testing for dismounted radiation sensors; (6) an R/N detection capability for GPS denied environments; and (7) phase ratio calibration for global nuclear detection monitors. All these projects will buy down Joint Force risk to mission and risk to force by ensuring efficient field detection systems that can identify and alert of the presence of radiation hazards. This program funds labor, materials, and travel to support the requirements of this program, performed by a government agency or by private individuals or organizations under a contract with the government, for activities and acquisitions including RDT&E, assessments and analyses, research studies, education, and other activities related to capability development and fielding.

Mission— Radiological and Nuclear Defense Modernization System Dev/Demo

This Program Element (PE) supports the Department's Defense Priorities to Rebuild our Military and Reestablish Deterrence. This PE supports the development and modernization of radiological and nuclear (R/N) defense capabilities that enable the Department to prevent R/N attacks on the homeland and Joint Force abroad through deterrence, as well as survive and operate in and through an R/N environment. This PE aligns to the Interim National Defense Strategy and addresses the challenges of keeping pace with our increasingly nuclear-capable adversaries through the development of modern R/N detection and identification capabilities that are networked into secure and hardened communications, command, and control (C3) systems. This PE supports the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment (OUSD(A&S)) Radiological and Nuclear Defense Capability Development (RNDCD) Program. The RNDCD Program is addressing the strategic objective of fielding modernized R/N detection capabilities to enable the Joint Force to operate more effectively in a R/N contaminated environment (Department of Defense (DoD) Strategic Management Plan for FY2022-2026). The RNDCD Program enhances DoD’s capabilities to campaign across the domains of threats and spectrums of conflict by improving the Department’s capability to campaign, fight, and win in a R/N environment. By building a R/N resilient Joint Force and National Guard Bureau, this program contributes to reestablishing deterrence by denying any strategic advantage our adversaries may perceive in using nuclear weapons on the homeland or Joint Force stationed abroad. This program is specifically geared to provide modern, networked R/N detection, indication, and identification capabilities to the warfighter and to replace obsolescing equipment, increasing capability to operate in a R/N environment (2023 CWMD Strategy). The RNDCD Program enables DoD to: prepare for and respond to any emergency involving nuclear and/or radiological events in the United States; provide a capability for the Joint Force to withstand, operate through, and recover from an R/N event; improve resilience; and promote integrated layered deterrence of WMD with state, local, and other federal agencies. This funding line is the only BA5 funding in the Department dedicated to providing improved R/N capability to the warfighter. The Office of the Secretary of Defense uses the RNDCD Program to invest strategically in projects across the Military Services, Combatant Commands, and Defense Agencies. Funding is prioritized for projects that close Joint Force warfighter capability gaps. An annual investment strategy is used to meet emergent operational and capability needs which are validated by the Joint Force and the National Guard Bureau, yielding new fielded capabilities within one to three years. Through the Radiological and Nuclear Defense Modernization of Systems Development and Demonstration PE, the RNDCD Program will invest in the maturation of prototypes; integration of technologies, systems and components; developmental, environmental, and operational test and evaluation; and transition of capabilities that improve DoD’s capability to detect and identify radiological and nuclear threats. This program bridges the gap between basic research and fielded capabilities by accelerating and enabling the transition of technologies, by leveraging prior science and technology (S&T) investments made by the Department of Defense, other Federal agencies, and industry. Specifically, in FY2026, this PE will support the advanced development of (1) a hands-free, clandestine radiation detection system; (2) an underwater x-ray radiography system; (3) new detection systems using cadmium zinc telluride (CZT; (4) drop/leave behind sensors; (5) environmental testing for dismounted radiation sensors; (6) an R/N detection capability for GPS denied environments; and (7) phase ratio calibration for global nuclear detection monitors. All these projects will buy down Joint Force risk to mission and risk to force by ensuring efficient field detection systems that can identify and alert of the presence of radiation hazards. This program funds labor, materials, and travel to support the requirements of this program, performed by a government agency or by private individuals or organizations under a contract with the government, for activities and acquisitions including RDT&E, assessments and analyses, research studies, education, and other activities related to capability development and fielding.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (1)