In the defense science community, solving the nation’s most complex national security challenges requires more than federal resources alone—it demands open doors, shared expertise, and active collaboration with private-sector innovators.
To bridge the gap between emerging commercial technologies and government research programs, the Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS) frequently utilizes a unique federal contracting vehicle: the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA).
A CRADA is a highly structured, mutually beneficial agreement that allows federal facilities to collaborate directly with private industry. Managed and operated by NNSS on behalf of the National Nuclear Security Administration, these agreements allow private-sector tech firms to access the NNSS’s premier high-energy density experimental fields and diagnostic suites, while our federal programs gain invaluable data from rapid, market-driven hardware development.
The Strategic Power of Public-Private Alignment
By partnering with private companies through CRADAs, the NNSS lowers research barriers and drives concrete operational advantages:
- Cost-shared technology development: Joint funding structures allow private firms and public entities to pool resources, expediting R&D timelines without duplicating operational costs.
- Commercial hardware validation: Private partners bring emerging technology directly to our facilities, where NNSS scientists apply world-class diagnostic validation to characterize hardware performance under demanding experimental conditions.
- National security pipeline: Collaborative research strengthens the domestic industrial base, ensuring vital supply chains—such as specialized optics, advanced electronics, and energy components—remain secure and resilient.
Case Study: The New NNSS-Fuse Collaboration
As a prime example of this, the NNSS recently finalized a new, five-year umbrella CRADA with Fuse, an expanding U.S.-based growth technology firm specializing in pulsed power and nuclear effects testing.
This multi-year partnership is specifically designed to validate next-generation diagnostic tools, optimize tritium target capabilities, and boost neutron yields in pulsed fusion generators. Crucially, the NNSS is aligning its project goals under this CRADA with complementary agreements Fuse holds with other National Laboratories—specifically Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories.
“This public-private partnership is a fantastic opportunity to combine Fuse’s emerging hardware with the world-class diagnostic expertise we have right here at the NNSS,” said Daniel Lowe, the chief scientist for NNSS’ Enhanced Capabilities for Subcritical Experiments program. “Together, we’ll evaluate how commercial pulsed power innovations can support our vital national security missions while contributing useful insights to the broader fusion research community.”
Ultimately, whether validating new sensing instrumentation or testing advanced physical hardware, the tech-transfer pathways established by CRADAs ensure that the investments made at the NNSS continue to keep the nation at the absolute frontier of science and security.