Chemical and Biological Weapons Elimination Technology Improvement

Mission — ChemBio Weapons Elimination Technology Improvement source

Chemical and biological weapons (CBW)-based threats continue to evolve in response to changing geopolitics and emerging technologies. Each of the nations that are deemed as threats to United States (U.S.) national security are believed to have and/or be developing chemical and/or biological weapons. The Department of Defense (DoD) must be prepared to eliminate these threats during and/or after the execution of a contingency operation or in support of a diplomatic breakthrough, enabling the U.S. to achieve peace through strength and strengthening deterrence. Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) obligations and DoD strategic guidance demand the Department maintain a complete and enduring capability to assess and destroy CBW, regardless of location or environment. In accordance with the CWC and BWC, the U.S. must be prepared to “destroy [chemical/biological] weapons…in its possession or…under its jurisdiction or control.” It is critical for the DoD to possess the capabilities to directly disable or defeat WMD threats prior to use. This capability must provide operational flexibility that enables early action and expedient destruction, from small-scale disablement and defeat in a non-permissive or austere environment to large-scale destruction of a foreign CBW stockpile in a post-contingency or permissive environment. Our current capabilities are inadequate to support these requirements, and we are currently unable to invest in the development and/or improvement of capabilities to eliminate CBW on the scale required. The Department must be proactive in ensuring we are prepared to eliminate known and expected CBW threats before adversary use against U.S. military or civilian personnel at home or abroad or our allies. The Chemical and Biological Weapons Elimination (CBWE) Research and Development Activities (RDAs)support the Department’s initiatives to rebuild our military and reestablish deterrence by ensuring a complete and enduring capability to assess and destroy chemical and biological weapons (CBW), regardless of location or operational environment. This program addresses Joint Force priorities, tasks, and requirements. Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding is for the advanced development of chemical weapons destruction capabilities in support of Joint Warfighter and U.S. Recovered Chemical Warfare Material requirements. The CBWE portfolio provides material solutions that enable DoD to prevent adversary acquisition, transfer, deployment, and use of CBW as well as meet U.S. Chemical Warfare Convention (CWC) treaty obligations. The CBWE portfolio will execute along several Lines of Effort (LOEs) to help prepare the Joint Force for a future operating environment in which adversary possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) pose threats ranging from tactical to existential, and limit U.S. strategic choices. These LOEs will create options for assessment and destruction of recovered chemical warfare material within the U.S., as well as chemical and biological warfare material across the continuum of conflict, including materiel solutions for the destruction of small-scale and bulk CBW agents, and solutions for the elimination of nation state CBW programs and stockpiles. The Office of the Secretary of Defense uses the CBWE Portfolio to invest strategically in projects to fill validated requirements from the Services, Combatant Commands, combat support agencies, and defense agencies. Funding is prioritized for projects that close Joint Force and domestic assess, disable and/or destroy capability gaps. An annual investment strategy is used to prioritize and meet capability needs. The CBWE Technology Improvement program invests in upgrades and enhancements to fielded systems used to assess, disable, and/or destroy chemical and biological weapons and material – foreign and domestic. Funds are used for integration of operational prototypes into fielded systems, or other upgrades and enhancements, including any necessary test and evaluation. This program funds labor, materials, and travel requirements, performed by a government agency or by private individuals or organizations under a contract with the government, for activities and acquisitions including Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E), assessments and analyses, and other activities related to capability development and fielding.

Mission — ChemBio Weapons Elim Tech Impr source

Chemical and biological weapons (CBW)-based threats continue to evolve in response to changing geopolitics and emerging technologies. Each of the nations that are deemed as threats to United States (U.S.) national security are believed to have and/or be developing chemical and/or biological weapons. The Department of Defense (DoD) must be prepared to eliminate these threats during and/or after the execution of a contingency operation or in support of a diplomatic breakthrough, enabling the U.S. to achieve peace through strength and strengthening deterrence. Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) obligations and DoD strategic guidance demand the Department maintain a complete and enduring capability to assess and destroy CBW, regardless of location or environment. In accordance with the CWC and BWC, the U.S. must be prepared to “destroy [chemical/biological] weapons…in its possession or…under its jurisdiction or control.” It is critical for the DoD to possess the capabilities to directly disable or defeat WMD threats prior to use. This capability must provide operational flexibility that enables early action and expedient destruction, from small-scale disablement and defeat in a non-permissive or austere environment to large-scale destruction of a foreign CBW stockpile in a post-contingency or permissive environment. Our current capabilities are inadequate to support these requirements, and we are currently unable to invest in the development and/or improvement of capabilities to eliminate CBW on the scale required. The Department must be proactive in ensuring we are prepared to eliminate known and expected CBW threats before adversary use against U.S. military or civilian personnel at home or abroad or our allies. The Chemical and Biological Weapons Elimination (CBWE) Research and Development Activities (RDAs)support the Department’s initiatives to rebuild our military and reestablish deterrence by ensuring a complete and enduring capability to assess and destroy chemical and biological weapons (CBW), regardless of location or operational environment. This program addresses Joint Force priorities, tasks, and requirements. Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding is for the advanced development of chemical weapons destruction capabilities in support of Joint Warfighter and U.S. Recovered Chemical Warfare Material requirements. The CBWE portfolio provides material solutions that enable DoD to prevent adversary acquisition, transfer, deployment, and use of CBW as well as meet U.S. Chemical Warfare Convention (CWC) treaty obligations. The CBWE portfolio will execute along several Lines of Effort (LOEs) to help prepare the Joint Force for a future operating environment in which adversary possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) pose threats ranging from tactical to existential, and limit U.S. strategic choices. These LOEs will create options for assessment and destruction of recovered chemical warfare material within the U.S., as well as chemical and biological warfare material across the continuum of conflict, including materiel solutions for the destruction of small-scale and bulk CBW agents, and solutions for the elimination of nation state CBW programs and stockpiles. The Office of the Secretary of Defense uses the CBWE Portfolio to invest strategically in projects to fill validated requirements from the Services, Combatant Commands, combat support agencies, and defense agencies. Funding is prioritized for projects that close Joint Force and domestic assess, disable and/or destroy capability gaps. An annual investment strategy is used to prioritize and meet capability needs. The CBWE Technology Improvement program invests in upgrades and enhancements to fielded systems used to assess, disable, and/or destroy chemical and biological weapons and material – foreign and domestic. Funds are used for integration of operational prototypes into fielded systems, or other upgrades and enhancements, including any necessary test and evaluation. This program funds labor, materials, and travel requirements, performed by a government agency or by private individuals or organizations under a contract with the government, for activities and acquisitions including Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E), assessments and analyses, and other activities related to capability development and fielding.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (1)