The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is a U.S. Department of Defense agency focused on reducing threats from weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and related emerging risks. Its mission spans the chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) spectrum, integrating threat reduction, counterproliferation, and preparedness across the DoD and in coordination with other U.S. agencies and international partners.
For the chemical sector, DTRA funds and manages research, development, testing, and evaluation of CBRN detection, protection, decontamination, and modeling capabilities; strengthens chemical security and nonproliferation; and leads Cooperative Threat Reduction activities that secure or eliminate hazardous materials, expertise, and infrastructure. The agency collaborates with industry, laboratories, and academia to field practical technologies and informs technical requirements relevant to chemical safety, emergency response, and industrial resilience.
