DTRA News

July 24, 2024

Strengthening Border Security: The Department of State, DTRA, and The Government of Moldova’s Progress on the TETRA Network Project

Over the last six months, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Proliferation Prevention Program (PPP), the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), and the United States Embassy in the Republic of Moldova have made significant progress on the Moldova National Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) Network project. DTRA has partnered with MIA and the Embassy’s International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) section to build a secure communications network that will provide secure communications for Moldova’s border security.

July 19, 2024

DTRA’s Director Rebecca Hersman recently visited the Royal United Services Institute

DTRA’s Director Rebecca Hersman recently visited the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) for discussions in London, England on July 17. Ms. Hersman leads more than 2,200 military and civilian experts operating in over 50 countries, to provide the Department of Defense, the U.S. Government, and international partners with leading-edge capabilities to counter and deter adversary use of WMDs and emerging threats.

June 28, 2024

DTRA Supports Global Health Security Conference, Sydney Australia

Members of The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) attended the Global Health Security Conference (GHSC) from June 18th - June 21st, 2024 in Sydney, Australia to discuss with other international organizations on how to collectively address biosafety, biosecurity and biosurveillance measures to create a safer world for everyone. Members attended panel discussions and breakouts with global partners while Dr. Ada Bacetty, the department chief for the DTRA Cooperative Threat Reduction Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP) spoke on two main panels and moderated a breakout session.

June 17, 2024

Defense Threat Reduction Agency concluded the Military Civilian Health Security Summit cohosted with Defence Australia

Today the Defense Threat Reduction Agency concluded the Military Civilian Health Security Summit cohosted with Defence Australia with keynote speakers from the White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, World Health Organization, and DTRA’s Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP). Dr. Ada Bacetty, BTRP Department Chief, said getting such a broad representation of countries from across the Indo-Pacific region in one room discussing how to close the gap between military and civilian sectors to make the world safer is a huge success in and of itself. 

June 13, 2024

DTRA Albuquerque Opens New Facility at Ribbon Cutting Ceremony On Kirtland Air Force Base

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Albuquerque Office (DTRA-ABQ) hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, June 12, 2024, for the agency’s new multi-use building on Kirtland Air Force Base. The 76,000 square foot facility will be home to more than 300 U.S. military personnel and DoD civilians and includes unclassified and classified workspaces and meeting rooms, administrative offices, and a seismic laboratory.

June 6, 2024

DTRA Builds Partner Capacity with the Government of Armenia

Members of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA)s’ Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Program and the Government of Armenia participated in the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Table Top Exercise (TTX) in Yerevan, Armenia, 20-24 May.

June 5, 2024

DTRA Albuquerque Opens New Facility at Ribbon Cutting Ceremony On Kirtland Air Force Base

KIRTLAND Air Force Base, New Mexico – The Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s Albuquerque Office (DTRA-ABQ) will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, June 12, 2024, for the agency’s new multi-use building on Kirtland Air Force Base. The 76,000 square foot facility will be home to more than 300 U.S. military personnel and DoD civilians and includes unclassified and classified work spaces and meeting rooms, administrative offices, and a seismic laboratory.

May 28, 2024

Strengthening Biosecurity in Nigeria

The United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP) recently held a groundbreaking ceremony with U.S. and Nigerian officials to commemorate the planned construction of a new biorepository for Nigeria’s National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI). As a testament to NVRI’s rich 100-year history and leadership in addressing zoonotic diseases that affect both humans and animals in the country and the region, NVRI and DTRA co-hosted a celebratory centennial event at the upcoming construction site in Vom, Nigeria. Special guests included the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires – David Greene, the Governor of the Plateau State - His Excellency Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, the Director of Planning and Policy Coordination at the Ministry of Agriculture – Ibrahim Tanimu, and 270 attendees from both the public and private sectors.

May 18, 2024

Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction: An Agreement Between the United States and Armenia on Counterproliferation Cooperation

On 02 May 2024, the United States and Armenia extended an agreement, known as the “Umbrella Agreement,” instituting bilateral cooperation against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Since its inception in 2002, the Umbrella Agreement has underpinned the U.S.-Armenian partnership, and seeks to detect, prevent, and deter the proliferation of WMDs and related materials and technologies. Owing to the effectiveness of the agreement, the United States and Armenia have previously extended it twice: the first time in 2009 and again in 2016. This third and, most recent, extension will span an additional seven years through November 2030.

April 25, 2024

Strengthening Biosecurity in Southeast Asia

Strengthening Biosecurity in Southeast Asia: A Dialogue between the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, and Five Southeast Asian Partners to Improve Biosecurity The Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP) recently attended the Southeast Asia Strategic Biosecurity Dialogue facilitated by the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.