To conduct its mission, the Department of Defense (DoD) manages 28 million acres of natural and built infrastructure across a wide variety of ecosystems and geographies around the globe. DoD lands provide the contiguous, unencumbered spaces needed to closely replicate the operational environment of assigned missions, and the same training lands must be available for numerous units to train over time. Wildfires, flooding, exotic species invasion, dust emissions, and other challenges to training and testing environments require careful management. SERDP and ESTCP produce tools and technologies that maximize the number of training days and mission readiness. 

We focus on technological enhancements that extend the service life of weapons systems and platforms vital to the warfighter by significantly reducing energy use, waste, time, and costs. Defense assets are made from and depend on the availability of commodity chemicals and materials. Regulations on the use of emerging chemicals of concern underscore the importance of identifying and producing safer and accessible chemical alternatives. SERDP and ESTCP develop novel materials that strengthen our chemical and material resilience, reduce costs, and increase safety and efficiency of operations. 

Natural disasters hinder DoD mission readiness and have proven costly to installation infrastructure with billions in damage repair in recent years. As natural hazards increase in frequency and severity, SERDP and ESTCP investments equip DoD leaders with world-class decision support to preserve mission-critical operations and protect Servicemembers and their families. The programs develop technologies that pinpoint vulnerabilities to DoD installation infrastructure and improve deployment of ~$4 billion annual installation resilience investment.

Reducing the potential magnitude of the impact of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at Department of Defense (DoD) installations will require a sustained effort to identify the best technologies to characterize, treat, and manage these sites. SERDP and ESTCP are developing first-of-a-kind technologies to cost-effectively remediate PFAS in groundwater and soil at DoD installations. 

SERDP and ESTCP, in support of the Defense Environmental Restoration Program, address the legacy of past practices while supporting current and emerging testing and training requirements. The programs provide Department of Defense (DoD) installations with the tools needed to effectively manage and restore its assets to protect the troops, their families, and the public. Projects develop and demonstrate innovative technologies to characterize, remediate, and manage hazards in soil, sediments, groundwater, surface water, and wastewater.

As a result of past military training and weapons testing activities, UXO exist on sites designated for Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) on Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) and other closed ranges on active installations. SERDP and ESTCP develop and demonstrate innovative technologies that can characterize and scientifically manage sites affected by military munitions.