Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration

{{Short description|Type of testing program by the United States military}}

{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox military unit

| unit_name = Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration program

| dates = 1994–2006 (or FY95–FY07){{efn|FY07 ACTD planning had happened two years in advance, from candidacy in Dec. 2005 to Sept 2006 approval, in time for activation just before FY07 (i.e. Oct. 2006 to Sept 2007).}}

| country =

| branch = Used by United States Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force

| type = Defense acquisition program

| role = Reduce time to field improved technology, incorporate user into development process

}}

The Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) program was a Department of Defense research and evaluation initiative for mature, advanced technology for United States military usage. These demonstrations allowed for cheaper and earlier evaluation of technology and systems than the formal acquisition process.{{Cite web |last= |first= |last2= |first2= |date=September 1998 |title=The Department Of Defense's Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrations |url=https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/105th-congress-1997-1998/reports/actd.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128073617/https://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/105th-congress-1997-1998/reports/actd.pdf |archive-date=28 November 2016 |access-date=16 May 2025 |website= |publisher=Congressional Budget Office, Washington, DC}}

An ACTD must be sponsored by an operational user, with approval and oversight from the now-terminated role of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Advanced Systems and Concepts, or DUSD(AS&C), previously titled the Deputy USD for Advanced Technology, or DUSD(AT).{{Cite web |date=February 2008 |title=OSD RDT&E Budget item justification (R2 Exhibit) |url=https://apps.dtic.mil/descriptivesum/Y2009/OSD/0603648D8Z.pdf |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250526042032/https://apps.dtic.mil/descriptivesum/Y2009/OSD/0603648D8Z.pdf |archive-date=26 May 2025 |access-date=26 May 2025 |website=apps.dtic.mil (Defense Technical Information Center = DTIC) |pages=1 |quote=It is anticipated that all ongoing ACTDs will be complete by FY09.}}

The follow-on Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) program was initiated by the deputy under-secretary in 2005. The new JCTD framework emphasized multiservice technology development and improvements in planning. ACTDs were replaced by JCTDs during about a three year span from 2005 to 2008. During 2006, the final round of ACTDs were up for selection, and in September 2006 the winning projects received their formal approval.{{Cite web |last=Peterson |first=Mark |date=18 April 2006 |title=Microsoft PowerPoint - Peterson NDIA ACTD Brief April 2006-Public.ppt |url=https://ndia.dtic.mil/wp-content/uploads/2006/science/peterson.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241205121339/https://ndia.dtic.mil/wp-content/uploads/2006/science/peterson.pdf |archive-date=5 December 2024 |access-date=26 May 2025 |website=ndia.dtic.mil (National Defense Industrial Association = NDIA {{!}} Defense Technical Information Center = DTIC) |publisher=Director, Program Resources & Integration, Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), DDR&E/AS&C (Advanced Systems & Concepts) |pages=7, 9 |quote=JCTD First introduced in the FY 2006 President’s Budget"; "FY07 ACTD Candidates Submitted [in] Dec [2005] (__Note__): FY08 programs are referred to as ACTDs instead of JCTDs due to pending nature of the JCTD program, circa April 2006. Presumably once approved, it would have been updated to match. (__Editor Note__)}} All remaining ACTDs continued to be funded, though, and were expected to conclude by 2008.