Contamination Avoidance (SDD)

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) Mounted Manned Platform Radiological Detection System (MMPRDS) (2) Mounted Enhanced Radiac Long Range Imaging Networkable (MERLIN) (3) Aerosol & Vapor Chemical Agent Detector (AVCAD) (4) Multi-Phase Chemical Agent Detector (MPCAD) (5) Proximate Chemical Agent Detector (PCAD) (6) CBRN Sensor Integration on Robotics Platforms (CSIRP) (7) Enhanced Maritime Biological Detection (EMBD) (8) the Global Biosurveillance Technology Initiatives (GBTI) (9) Joint Biological Tactical Detection System (JBTDS) (10) Joint Handheld Bio-Agent Identifier (JHBI) (11) Joint Nuclear Biological Chemical Radiological System (JNBCRS) 1, also known as Stryker Nuclear Biological Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle Sensor Suite (NBCRV SS) (12) Non-Traditional Agent (NTA) Defense Support, and (13) the Reactive Chemistry Orthogonal Surface and Environmental Threat Ticket Array (ROSETTA) The MMPRDS program includes two sets of mounted radiological and nuclear sensors: the MERLIN and the Vehicle Integrated Platform Enhanced Radiac (VIPER), both of which originate with technology transitions from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). MMPRDS will sunset at the end of FY20. In FY21 and beyond, the Defense-Wide Review (DWR) reduced this program for higher priorities, resulting in only the MERLIN program (Project Number CA5) being pursued. MERLIN is a set of externally mounted sensors used in joint operations on the Stryker NBCRV Sensor Suite Upgrade with the potential for integration on other Army platforms within the formation. The system supports manned and unmanned platform-mounted reconnaissance and surveillance of radiological and nuclear hazards at standoff distances. It is the first and only standoff radiological and nuclear detection capability for the Army; all previously fielded detectors require platforms to travel dangerously close to hazardous areas to detect radiological threats, which puts manned platform crews at risk of radiation exposure and presents contamination issues for the vehicle (be it manned or unmanned). The MERLIN funding lines in FY21 and beyond support integration of the MERLIN system designed for the NBCRV. 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. The MPCAD is two-man portable system that will conduct near real-time, near-laboratory grade analysis of solid, liquid, and vapor samples collected by the operator in a presumptively contaminated area. The MPCAD results will support the Commander's tactical and operational decisions regarding maneuver, protection, decontamination, and treatment measures. 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. In FY21, MPCAD will complete the EMD phase and prepare for Milestone C / LRIP decision in FY22. The PCAD provides the Joint Services a handheld capability to locate and detect trace amounts of NTA liquids and a chemical capability for solid surface detection. 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, Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) Chemical Biological Center (CBC) was exploring the use of adapting the Joint Chemical Agent Detector (JCAD) to detect explosives. A JCAD is inserted into a cradle that has a heated inlet and modified library to detect explosives. The effort was expanded for the system to detect NTAs, and Pharmaceutical Based Agents (PBAs) and is called JCAD Solid/Liquid Adapter (SLA). 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. CSIRP is a prototyping and fielding effort that will miniaturize and integrate modular CBRN sensors with Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) Programs of Record (PORs). CSIRP will provide situational awareness across the echelons of command in order to enable freedom of maneuver and action on the battlefield. An integrated CSIRP capability will exploit advances in machine learning and autonomy. Additional capabilities include sensing and communication, timely and accurate detection, warning and reporting of CBRN hazards. This reduces risk at tactical and operational echelons in mounted and dismounted configurations. CSIRP gives the Joint Force an opportunity to enhance capabilities and maintain operational advantage in multi domain operations. 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 and 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 test, produce, integrate 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. 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. The JBTDS is the first tactical lightweight, low-cost biological surveillance system to detect, collect, and identify Biological Warfare Agent (BWA) aerosols. JBTDS components are man-portable, battery-operable and easy to employ by any military user. JBTDS provides notification of a hazard and enhances battle space awareness to protect and preserve the forces and is capable of archiving a sample for follow up analysis. 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 development of components and deliver systems for record test and evaluation. 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 transitioned to its own funding line in FY18. JHBI 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 eight 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. 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 NTA Defense program is the lead for DoD, Interagency, and international work pertaining to Pharmaceutical Based Agents (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 non-medical commodity areas. System prototyping, modification, and integration efforts serve to advance capabilities, reduce risk, and provide improved knowledge for decision making. 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. 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.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2021
• Source ID: CA5_0604384BP_5_0400_PB_2021

Tags

Readers

• Critical Infrastructure Protection in CBRN and WMD Threats.
• Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Autonomous Capabilities and Mission Reconnaissance.

Technology Areas

• AI & ML
• AI & ML - Autonomous Systems
• AI & ML - DoD AI Strategy
• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs
• Biotechnology
• Fully Networked C3
• Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control
• Space
• Space - Space Objects