West Desert Test Center Celebrates Completion of JPM CBRN Protection’s Desert Tempest Event

Since August 2021, the West Desert Test Center (WDTC) has served as a critical engine for modernization, partnering with Joint Project Manager for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (JPM CBRN) Protection on the Desert Phantom and Desert Tempest initiatives. With the successful completion of Desert Tempest 2026, WDTC marks its eighth major supported event, delivering over $3 million in customer-driven testing execution.

These initiatives provide a vital, non-attributional sandbox for JPM CBRN Protection. Within this environment, developers can push emerging and immature technologies—potential future programs of record—through rigorous experimentation without penalty. A cornerstone of these exercises is WDTC’s exclusive ability to conduct contamination and decontamination trials using both tracked and wheeled tactical vehicles. This unmatched capability remains a primary driver for testing and innovation.

Ultimately, Desert Tempest and Desert Phantom bridge the gap between the laboratory and the battlefield. They provide Product Leads, Product Managers, and Joint Science and Technology partners with recurring access to Department of War (DoW) equipment, specialized test environments, and, most importantly, warfighters. This early, consistent user-touchpoint ensures that developing capabilities undergo operationally realistic assessments at both the component and system levels.

Desert Tempest 2026 put these principles into action through seven dynamic excursions. Soldiers from the 76th Operational Response Command and Marines from the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) took the lead, putting Systems Under Test (SUT) through their paces. Their hands-on participation delivered vital preliminary data and direct Warfighter feedback, ensuring future CBRN defenses are built to perform precisely as intended in combat.

These seven excursions include:

(1) Quick Urban Industrial Complex – Near Field Downwind Hazard Model VV. (QUCI NFDHM)

(2) UIPE General Purpose Glove (GPG)

(3) Autonomous Vehicle Decontamination (AVD)

(4) Tactical Contamination Mitigation System (TCMS)

(5) Semi-Autonomous Aerial Vehicle Decontamination (SAAVD)

(6) Sensor Classification and Inference Network (SCINET)

(7) Overcoats.

The test team planned, executed, and reported on each exercise to assess technical performance, aligning all operations with customer-provided Test Management Plans to integrate critical Soldier touchpoints and SUT evaluations. This collaborative approach ensured the capture of comprehensive, actionable feedback on developing capabilities throughout the testing cycle.

To support these exercises, teams acquired tactical test vehicles, constructed targets, disseminated simulants, and secured active test sites while managing safety assessments and training excursions. Throughout the execution, the team collected laboratory samples, captured user and referee equipment data, and documented all operations using high-definition photo and video.

As Desert Tempest 2026 concludes, the insights and data gathered will play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of CBRN protection technologies. The collaboration among WDTC, JPM CBRN Protection, warfighters, and Joint Science and Technology partners ensures that emerging solutions are rigorously tested, validated, and refined—ultimately enhancing operational readiness and safety for those who serve. These efforts not only advance critical capabilities but also reinforce the importance of real-world experimentation in driving meaningful innovation. The foundation laid by these exercises will continue to inspire future advancements, ensuring that the warfighter remains at the forefront of technological progress.