DTIC

The Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) is a United States Department of Defense (DoD) activity that serves as a central resource for defense-related science and technology information. It provides access to a wide range of technical reports, studies, journals, conference proceedings, and other documentation produced by DoD laboratories, academia, and industry.

DTIC collects, catalogs, preserves, and disseminates scientific and technical information to DoD personnel, other U.S. federal agencies, and approved contractors. Its collections cover disciplines such as engineering, materials science, computing, space and aviation, life sciences, and defense policy. The center emphasizes unclassified and officially released information, while maintaining controls for sensitive or restricted material.

Services commonly associated with DTIC include the DTIC Online database, which enables searching and retrieval of technical reports and bibliographic records; document delivery and interlibrary loan; and coordination with the DoD Scientific and Technical Information Program (STIP) to promote information exchange across the department. DTIC also provides value-added services such as abstracts, indexing, and summaries to support research, development, acquisition, and strategic planning within the DoD.

Historically, DTIC evolved from mid- to late-20th-century DoD information-management efforts to consolidate scientific and technical information under one umbrella. Today, it functions as a key conduit for disseminating defense-relevant knowledge, supporting informed decision-making and collaboration among DoD components, national laboratories, academia, and industry, while upholding security and information-use policies.