Performance and Future Upgrades of the CMS Drift Tube Muon Detector

A key component of the CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) experiment is its muon system. The tracking and triggering of muons in the central region relies on Drift Tube (DT) chambers. The DT system keeps evolving in order to cope with long term operational challenges, as well as future constraints for rate reduction imposed by expected increases of LHC luminosity, while maintaining the highest possible efficiency. The main system improvements implemented, as well as the current performance results from the detector are described here, confirming the satisfactory operation of DT. Also, the present design, status and plans for future DT upgrades are reviewed in this document.