Domestic Nuclear Detection Office

Domestic Nuclear Detection Office

Agency overview
Formed	April 15, 2005
Superseding agency	Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office
Jurisdiction	United States
Employees	137
Annual budget	US$563,800,000
Agency executive	James F. McDonnell, Director
Parent agency	United States Department of Homeland Security
Child agencies	Systems ArchitectureDirectorate Mission Management Directorate Product Acquisition and Deployment Directorate Transformational and Applied Research Directorate Systems Engineering and Evaluation Directorate Operations Support Directorate National Technical Nuclear Forensics Center Red Teaming and Net Assessments
Website	dhs.gov/about-domestic-nuclear-detection-office

The Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) is a jointly staffed office established on April 15, 2005 by the United States to improve the nation’s capability to detect and report unauthorized attempts to import, possess, store, develop, or transport nuclear or radiological material for use against the nation, and to further enhance this capability over time.^[1]

DNDO coordinates United States federal efforts to detect and protect against nuclear and radiological terrorism against the United States. DNDO, utilizing its interagency staff, is responsible for the development of the global nuclear detection architecture, the underlying strategy that guides the U.S. government’s nuclear detection efforts. DNDO conducts its own research, development, test, and evaluation of nuclear and radiological detection technologies, and is responsible for acquiring the technology systems necessary to implement the domestic portions of the global nuclear detection architecture. DNDO also provides standardized threat assessments, technical support, training, and response protocols for federal and non-federal partners.^[2] In December 2017, DNDO became one of the constituent components of the newly formed Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction office. ^[3]