CONTAMINATION AVOIDANCE (EMD)

Abstract

This project supports Engineering and Manufacturing Development and Low Rate Initial Production (EMD/LRIP) of an array of reconnaissance, detection and identification equipment, and warning systems. Efforts included in this Project are: (1) Aerosol & Vapor Chemical Agent Detector (AVCAD) (2) Enhanced Maritime Biological Detection (EMBD) (3) The Joint Handheld Bio-Agent Identifier (JHBI) (4) Mounted Manned Platform Radiological Detection System (MMPRDS) (5) Multi-Phase Chemical Agent Detector (MPCAD) (6) Proximate Chemical Agent Detector (PCAD) (7) Reactive Chemistry Orthogonal Surface and Environmental Threat Ticket Array (ROSETTA) (8) Joint Nuclear Biological Chemical Radiological System (JNBCRS) 1, also known as Stryker Nuclear Biological Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle Sensor Suite (NBCRV SS) (9) Joint Biological Tactical Detection System (JBTDS) (10) Next Generation Chemical Detector (NGCD 1,2,3,4) (11) Non-Traditional Agent (NTA) Defense Support; (12) the Global Biosurveillance Technology Initiatives (GBTI) In FY18, the Next Generation Chemical Detector (NGCD) funding line was broken out into NGCD 1, 2, 3, and 4. Starting in FY19, four program unique funding lines exist: AVCAD (formerly NGCD 1), PCAD (formerly NGCD 2), MPCAD (formerly NGCD 3), and WCAD (formerly NGCD 4). NGCD will detect and identify non-traditional agents, chemical warfare agents (CWA), toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) in the air and on surfaces. The NGCD will provide improved NTA/CWA/TIC selectivity and sensitivity in multiple environments. The sensors will improve detection, consequence management and reconnaissance, and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) interdiction capabilities. The scope of the project includes Presumptive detection (AVCAD, PCAD, WCAD) and field level Confirmation, Identification, and Quantification (MPCAD) detection of chemicals a few feet away from the detector as well as at the sampling point of the detector. Additional tasks will ruggedize and test a system for nontraditional agent detection for special purpose units. NGCD funded a USSOCOM effort to develop a modification kit to JCAD to address NTA and threats of interests going into the SP SKO and SPU units. The AVCAD supports the Priority Objective to deny the effects of current and emerging threats. The AVCAD system will be the first chemical aerosol detector fielding by any military, worldwide. AVCAD will fill critical gaps in current chemical sensor capabilities in the areas of aerosol Chemical Warfare Agent detection, and detection of specific advanced threat agents/Non-Traditional Agents (NTAs). The AVCAD will also detect residual vapors to prevent/mitigate health effects associated with low concentration exposures. The U.S. Military Departments view the AVCAD as a high-priority program and will use the system to support their missions, which include monitoring, collective protection, base defense, decontamination, unmasking, reconnaissance, and shipboard and aviation platform chemical detection. In FY20, AVCAD will support testing and continue development of the EMD phase. The MPCAD provides all states of matter, to include chemical solids, liquids, aerosols and vapors, and will support the Commander's tactical and operational decisions regarding avoidance, protection, and decontamination measures and immediate treatment by providing real-time, near-laboratory grade sample analysis. The Army and Marine Corp will employ MPCAD in Dismounted Reconnaissance and Site Assessment missions to substantiate presumptive detector results. The Air Force will employ the MPCAD to support Post-Event Reconnaissance in support of Reconnaissance and Surveillance missions by monitoring the environment at airbases after a chemical release. The Air Force will continuously monitor contaminated areas for chronic health effects levels through analysis of samples from collectors deployed at the contamination site and brought back to the analyzer for identification and quantification. This information will support commander decisions to determine Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) levels and eventual termination of cordon restrictions. In FY20, MPCAD is continuing testing to support EMD development. The PCAD provides the Joint Services a handheld capability to locate and detect trace amounts of liquids and solids on surfaces. Efforts to mature technologies during Technology Maturation Risk Reduction (TMRR) phase resulted in systems that were too heavy and cumbersome to use. Program office is working with users and JSTO to identify technologies to mature that may meet the users' needs for a hand held, non-contact, areal detection system. Concurrently with the PCAD TMRR efforts, Edgewood Chemical and Biological Center (ECBC) was exploring the use of adapting the Joint Chemical Agent Detector (JCAD) to detect explosives. The project was called JCAD Chemical Explosive Detector (CED). The theory of operation is a JCAD is inserted into a cradle that has a heated inlet and modified library to detect explosives. An operator swabs a surface with a probe and inserts the probe into heated inlet and the resulting vapors are interrogated by the JCAD. The effort was expanded for the system to detect NTAs, and Pharmaceutical Based Agents (PBAs). The program changed its name to JCAD Solid/Liquid Adapter (SLA) kit to better match its true capabilities. The JCAD SLA kit is planned to be added to the M4A1 JCAD program as an Additional Authorized List (AAL) item. In FY20 the JCAD SLA will use the JCAD BA7 line. The MMPRDS provides advanced platform-mounted radiological/nuclear (RN) crew monitoring/detection, reconnaissance, and surveillance for multiple manned and unmanned U.S. Army ground and rotary wing vehicles. The system, which can also be integrated into fixed site sensor payloads, provides both point (VIPER prototype) and standoff (MERLIN prototype) RN detection capabilities that replace AN/UDR-13 and AN/VDR-2 systems. Funding supports advanced development of MERLIN and VIPER prototypes for integration onto the Stryker NBCRV and medium-sized unmanned ground platforms. VIPER will also be integrated into the M1A2, Bradley, Black Hawk, and other major U.S. Army platforms (for point detection). The EMBD is the Navy's automated biological point detection, collection and identification system. EMBD replaces/upgrades the 135 Joint Biological Point Detection Systems (JBPDS) currently fielded to the Navy and provides 40 systems for new construction ships. EMBD improves detection sensitivity providing the Navy the ability to "detect to inform" reducing the number of contaminated ships during a biological warfare agent attack, minimizing sailor casualties. EMBD reduces false alarm rates, modernizes the computing architecture and increases reliability and sailors confidence in the system. These improvements decrease fleet O&S costs, and reduces the obsolescence issues with current biological detection capability. The EMBD program will complete production and testing, integration and field a lower cost biological point detection system. In FY20, EMBD will complete EMD (Engineering and Manufacturing Development) DT/OT (Developmental Testing/Operational Testing) and move to Milestone C. The JHBI program is a Joint Service Acquisition Category (ACAT) III program consisting of two increments to address an existing United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) requirement for handheld, multiplexed, environmental, bio-agent identification. The JHBI program was initiated under the JBTDS program and will provide two different handheld bio-identification systems for the rapid and accurate identification of organisms at the point of contact for multiple mission types. The proposed JHBI systems will be handheld, Polymerase Chain Reaction-based, multiplexed devices for the analysis of powder or liquid environmental biological samples. JHBI capabilities will provide Special Operations Forces with timely and accurate identification of 8 or more bio-agents at the point of need. JHBI 1 is anticipated to serve as a supplemental capability to the BioFire RAZOR with JHBI 2 fielding the complete replacement of the RAZOR by FY20. JHBI transitioned from JBTDS to its own funding line in FY18. The ROSETTA is a modernization effort to provide a higher confidence chemical liquid hazard detection ticket in the currently fielded M256A2 kit for the Warfighter to make timely decisions. These decisions will reduce casualties and improve the combat effectiveness of troops engaged in conflicts involving the use of chemical warfare agents. ROSETTA is based on colorimetric technology and will be eye-readable and ease the Warfighter from current training and operational burden. In addition, the ROSETTA ticket will provide improved hazard detection performance with reduced false alarm rate, potential for increased number of chemicals detected, reduced detection time especially for certain compounds of interest, and potential for integration onto unmanned platforms especially micro-sized unmanned aerial sensors. The ROSETTA funding will complete the development and testing of the new ROSETTA ticket as well as update the currently fielded M256A2 technical data package via an engineering change proposal (ECP) to create a new M256A3 kit that will be available to all Services. In FY20, ROSETTA will award contract(s) for technical data package testing. The JNBCRS 1, including the Styker NBCRV SSU, provides maneuver formations the ability to conduct mounted reconnaissance and surveillance missions of CBRN named areas of interest (NAIs). The NBCRV SSU will answer the commander's priority intelligence requirements (PIR), and facilitate proactive risk-based decisions to ensure freedom of action and survivability. A modern and capable NBCRV SSU is a critical component for Joint Force success when operating in the complex CBRN environment. Operating with combat vehicles fighting against increasingly capable and determined enemies requires like capability with regard to protection, mobility, and lethality. The NBCRV SSU will accomplish this by integrating the capability for command and control of unmanned systems with CBRN payload. The NBCRV SSU will provide a CBRN detection, tipping and queuing system to accomplish desired standoff distances to keep the warfighter out of harm's way and reduce sustainment costs over the current system. A Chemical Surface Detector (CSD) will be developed to replace the Dual Wheel Sampling System to increase maneuver speed when conducting NBC missions and increase reliability. This schedule was accelerated from the previous schedule based on the maturity of the sensor and guidance from the Chief of Staff of the Army. In FY20, NBCRV SSU program will develop a prototype of integrated sensors for demonstration in Joint Warfighter Assessment 2020. The JBTDS program is developing, integrating and testing the first lightweight, low-cost biological surveillance system to detect, collect, and identify Biological Warfare Agent (BWA) aerosols. JBTDS provides warning through the Joint Warning and Reporting Network (JWARN) and archives samples for follow-on analyses. JBTDS provides near real-time local audio and visual alarm and may be employed by any Military User. JBTDS components are man-portable, battery-operable and easy to employ. JBTDS provides notification of a hazard and enhances battle space awareness to protect and preserve the forces. When networked JBTDS augments existing biological detection systems providing a theater-wide array capable of biological detection, identification and warning to support time sensitive force protection decisions. The JBTDS provides surface sampling capability which interfaces with the JBTDS identifier to support sensitive site exploitation missions. In FY20, JBTDS will complete program record testing and prepare for a Milestone decision. The NTA Defense Program is the Joint Project Executive Office of Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO CBRND) lead for DoD, Interagency, and international work pertaining to PBAs and other emerging threats. The NTA Defense program assesses existing and new portfolio capabilities against PBAs and other emerging threats to develop dedicated initiatives and projects to transition information, technologies, and capabilities into acquisition programs across all commodity areas. System prototyping and modification efforts serve to advance capabilities, reduce risk, and provide improved knowledge for decision making. GBTI will research and characterize laboratory networks and develop algorithms to identify key nodes, having the greatest potential to compress the time between disease event initiation and the production of actionable data. In FY19, GBTI will close. The Targeted Acquisition of Reference Materials Augmenting Capabilities (TARMAC) will track projects of mutual interest, formerly under GBTI, with the Chemical Biological Defense Program. The Targeted Acquisition of Reference Materials Augmenting Capabilities (TARMAC) an initiative under Defense Biological Product Assurance Program (DBPAO) will leverage the investments made under GBTI. The (TARMAC) effort will transition to the Defense Biological Products Assurance Program (DBPAP) project MB5 line in FY20

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2020
• Source ID: CA5_0604384BP_5_0400_PB_2020

Tags

Readers

• Critical Infrastructure Protection in CBRN and WMD Threats.

Technology Areas

• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs
• Biotechnology
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space
• Space - Space Objects