Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Spring 2026

Abstract

This article briefly describes Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) vehicle Radiation Protection Factor (RPF) research and explains its critical role in enabling future Operations in a Nuclear Environment (ONE) and Conventional-Nuclear Integration (CNI) on behalf of the US Department of War (DoW).1 As such, the background and practical utility of RPF values is discussed, as well as the justification for renewed Army and DoW investment into RPF research to enhance Joint military planning, survivability, and lethality on tomorrow’s nuclear battlefields. Advances in DTRA RPF research directly strengthen US strategic and extended deterrence efforts and support all Agencies and Departments responsible for nuclear or radiological response within the homeland.

Comments

Author LTC Andrew Decker, US Army, is at the time of publication the Director of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency Nuclear Science and Engineering Research Center.

The work has completed a DTRA review and is approved for marking as Distribution A, Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited.

The Countering WMD Journal is a semi-annual, peer-reviewed publication of the United States Army Nuclear and Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Agency (USANCA).   It furthers the education and professional development of military and civilian leaders and members of government and academia concerned with the nuclear and countering WMD matters.

Readers are encouraged to visit the journal's website for other issues and articles.

Please fully attribute the journal and author in any reuse of this article.

Source Publication

Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Journal

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