Mission

The Mission Management Directorate (MMD) identifies, coordinates and assists the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) Director in prioritizing programs across DNDO that meet the needs of the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture (GNDA) and enhance the capability of stakeholders, thereby reducing the risk of radiological/nuclear terrorism.  MMD is helping to define a path forward for DNDO, one that makes the best use of available resources, while taking into account the broadest spectrum of threats and user needs. 

Objectives

• To identify and initiate feasible approaches to close vulnerability gaps at land and sea Ports of Entry (POEs), Maritime and Aviation pathways, and throughout the domestic interior. 
• To improve the nation’s ability to detect and report illicit radiological and nuclear materials, with minimal impact on the flow of commerce. 
• To strengthen partnerships with preventive radiological and nuclear detection (PRND) stakeholders (federal, state, and local,). 
• To support the documentation of user needs and the establishment of requirements as part of an acquisition process to create new PRND products and capabilities.

Organization

MMD is organized along specific mission area lines, each representing a subset of DNDO’s mission priorities as defined by the GNDA. These mission areas are Aviation, Interior, Land Border and Maritime. This structure is intended to provide a focused approach to collecting and developing customer requirements to meet the needs of each Mission Area.

Aviation

The scope of the Aviation mission area is to further develop the GNDA to detect and report attempts to employ or transport illicit radiological materials, nuclear weapons or nuclear materials along the civil aviation pathway. General aviation threats, and associated security systems required to counter those threats, are included in this mission area.

Interior

The Interior mission area is strategic planning, prioritization, and coordination of program activities impacting the domestic interior of the United States. Major emphasis is placed on developing programs and products to expand domestic detection capabilities, and establishing a national network of partners that can provide operational support such as training, exercises, and technical reachback. The interior mission area encompasses all land and water areas inside the borders of the United States and its territories. This includes:

• Interfaces with the land, rail, waterway, and air points of entry
• The non-federal activities addressing the border region between official POEs
• All areas within the borders of the United States

Land Border

The Land Border mission area is the development and deployment of systems designed to detect illicit radiological and nuclear materials entering the United States at and between land border POEs. The Land Border mission area encompasses both the northern and southern land borders. This area includes official CBP POEs, areas between the POEs manned by CBP’s Office of Border Patrol, and Commercial Maritime Sea POEs. The Land Border environment includes all types of commercial conveyances and cargo, all types of privately-owned vehicles, passenger buses, international freight rail, international passenger rail (including baggage), pedestrians (including baggage), as well as those making illegal entry into the United States at areas between the POEs.

Maritime

The maritime mission area encompasses all areas and things on, under, relating to, adjacent to, or bordering on a sea, ocean, or other navigable waterway, including all maritime-related activities, infrastructure, people, cargo, and vessels and other conveyances. All vessels, including containerships, commercial fishing boats, tug boats, barges, commercial tour boats, cruise ships, tankers, bulk cargo ships, and privately owned/operated pleasure craft and sail boats within the defined maritime domain have the potential to be exploited by terrorists to transport illicit rad/nuc material. Organizationally within MMD, maritime POEs are managed by the Land Border Mission Area, while vessels and waterways fall to the Maritime Mission Area.