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.
Models and tools that simulate scenarios of threats to operations improve DoD infrastructure planning and investment decisions. SERDP and ESTCP develop tools that have turned into programs of record and are widely used to track impacts of natural hazards, helping the DoD prioritize infrastructure investments.
Weather-related disruptions to installations are becoming increasingly complex and dynamic. This area of research and technology demonstration focuses on interdependent systems, such as transportation and energy, that may be vulnerable to wildfire, storms, or other disturbances. Systems modeling, scenario planning, and “digital twins” provide valuable technology to understand installation resilience requirements in key DoD landscapes. SERDP and ESTCP’s systems resilience investments represent the critical intersection of the built and natural infrastructure that are required to sustain the military mission.
The DoD manages approximately 28 million acres, collectively called natural infrastructure, which sustain military test and training missions worldwide. SERDP and ESTCP fund custom solutions and focused science in areas where DoD landscapes are experiencing the greatest impacts from flooding, heat, drought, land degradation, wildfire, and extreme weather events. In collaboration with other federal agencies, SERDP and ESTCP launched a new initiative that prioritizes co-production of science to transition tools to the end-user community. The Innovation Landscapes Network (ILN) facilitates collaboration among managers, scientists, policymakers, and agency partners to identify natural resource management decisions that need to be informed by science or technology to achieve desired outcomes.
Coastal military installations can experience operational disruptions and significant infrastructure damage from storm surge, increased flood frequency, and saltwater intrusion into the groundwater aquifer. SERDP and ESTCP develop and demonstrate tools that examine and improve installation resilience to sea-level rise impacts.
The Arctic is experiencing rapid geophysical and geopolitical change, making it a critical region that DoD must safeguard. SERDP and ESTCP projects evaluate the impact of fire disturbance and permafrost thaw on Arctic installations and develop engineering solutions for resilient infrastructure. In collaboration with other federal agencies, SERDP and ESTCP launched a new initiative that prioritizes co-production of science to transition tools to the end-user community. Several regional sites, including one in Alaska, make up the Innovation Landscapes Network (ILN), which facilitates collaboration among managers, scientists, policymakers, and agency partners to identify natural resource management decisions that need to be informed by science or technology to achieve desired outcomes.
