E.R.T.D. is the Extra-Terrestrial Response Division. No, I don't understand how that acronym works either. They are a government agency tasked with investigating alien technology. Existing since at least the late 1950s, the E.R.T.D. is based out of Area 54, and has mainly concerned itself with investigating Mini-Cons. The E.R.T.D. was shut down in 2003 by their military liaison after a botched attack on the Air Defense Team.