Fiscal Year 2006 Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrations and Joint Capability Technology Demonstrations Announced
March 16, 2006

Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Kenneth J. Krieg announces the selection of the Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) and Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) projects for fiscal year 2006.

The military services, combatant commanders, defense agencies, and industry submitted more than 100 proposals. The science and technology community of the military services, combatant commanders, and defense agencies reviewed the list of proposals for technical soundness and the potential for operational utility. The Department of Defense then selected proposals for funding based on rankings by the combatant commanders and services.

The ACTDs selected for initiation in fiscal year 2006 in alphabetical order are:

Event Management Framework (EMF)
Provides capability to discover and share information, recognize change, and develop and evaluate courses of action with apparently separate, but related events to develop preplanned courses of action and rapidly respond to crisis.

Extended Space Sensors Architecture (ESSA)
Addresses gaps in space situational awareness that increase risk for successful combatant command mission execution. Integrates technology from different mission areas (missile defense and space superiority) to give the combatant commanders the situational awareness they need to act within their time requirements.

Joint Enable Theater Access (JETA)
Provides Lightweight Modular Causeway System that enables rapid discharge of combat power and sustainment material at austere sea ports of debarkation.

Multi-service Advanced Sensors to Counter Obscured Targets (MASCOT)
Permits warfighters to rapidly find, locate, identify and report camouflage, concealment and deception threats through network centric-enabled collection, processing, and fusion of data from multiple sources.

Node Management And Deployable Depot (NOMADD)
Implements a deployable end-to-end (“factory-to-foxhole”) distribution system, including asset visibility using radio-frequency identification.

Small UAV
Addresses Joint operational concerns through the integration of new technology across the entire class of Small UAVs. Develops new tactics, techniques, and procedures across the military services for small unit real-time reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities.

The JCTDs selected for initiation in fiscal year 2006 in alphabetical order are:

Counter Intelligence-Human Intelligence Advanced Modernization Program/Intelligence Operations Now (CHAMPION)
Optimizes the reporting of critical intelligence-related data in a timely manner, while making data available for analysis by: standardizing data outputs, applying XML-tagging routines, providing geo-referencing and enabling Web services. Improves analysts’ link to intelligence collection across the tactical level and to the national level.

Comprehensive Maritime Awareness
Improves maritime security by acquiring, integrating and exchanging relevant maritime activity information on regional threats and focuses limited interdiction and inspection assets on the most probable threats.

Joint Modular Intermodal Distribution System (JMIDS)
Provides a common intermodal container system with automated loading, handling, storage, tracking and surveillance technology.

Large Data
Demonstrates a highly scalable, rapid and secure integrated capability to effectively retrieve, store and share massive amounts of information effectively between global users. Provides very large data storage, communications and security capability that are integrated and globally scaled.

The goal of ACTD and JCTD programs is to rapidly move advanced technology into the hands of warfighters in the field. These programs do this by marrying new operational concepts with maturing technologies in a joint environment. Consequently, ACTDs and the newer JCTDs reduce the time required to field new capabilities and increase warfighter involvement in developing solutions.

This is the first year of the JCTD business model, which will eventually replace the ACTD model. Building on the successful ACTD model, JCTDs focus more on tailoring projects to a combatant commander’s specifically identified needs— emphasizing “needs pull” over historical “technology push.” This new program will enable faster project start-up; demand faster spiral fielding of interim capabilities; structure funding to provide incentives for military service participation without requiring the services or agencies to fund from existing programs; and provide clear visibility of participation in joint efforts.

For more information on the ACTD and JCTD programs, go to the Web site: http://www.acq.osd.mil/actd/.