Understand (SDD)

Abstract

The Understand System Development & Demonstration (SDD) Project provides the Joint Force the ability to continually receive information about the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) situation at a desired time and place by detecting, identifying, and quantifying CBRN hazards in air, water, or on land, and on personnel, equipment or facilities. These efforts support the ability to conduct early warning (informing protective posture) and employment of rapid detection, identification, and analysis tools needed to address emerging biological threats. Efforts also keep the Joint Force ahead of emerging chemical threats with portable, reduced size, weight, and power, cost detectors to protect general and specialized forces and to enhance operations on the battlefield by providing early warning and field analytics. Medical diagnostic activities develop U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved products for the warfighter at the point of care to inform far-forward medical and protection decisions. In FY 2023, the Chemical Biological Defense Program (CBDP) RDT&E Projects were restructured to align with the CBDP portfolio construct. UN5 efforts in FY 2022 remain in Project CA5, IP5, and MB5. This restructuring provided standardization and alignment across CBDP research, development and acquisition efforts. Efforts included in this Project are: (1) Advanced Emerging Threat Defense (AET DEFENSE) (2) Aerosol & Vapor Chemical Agent Detector (AVCAD) (3) Chemical and Biological Wearables - Enhanced Biodefense (CB Wearables - ENBD) (4) Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Sensor Integration on Robotics Platforms (CSIRP) (5) Compact Vapor Chemical Agent Detector (CVCAD) (6) Defense Biological Products Assurance Program (DBPAP) (7) Defense Biological Products Assurance Program-Enhanced Biodefense (DBPAP-ENBD) (8) Far Forward Biological Sequencing (FFBS) (9) Wearable All Hazard Remote Monitoring Program (WARP) (10) Joint Biological Tactical Detection System (JBTDS) (11) Mobile Field Kit (MFK) (12) Multi-Phase Chemical Agent Detector (MPCAD) (13) Nuclear Biological Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle Sensor Suite Upgrade (NBCRV SSU) (14) Next Generation Diagnostic System Increment 2 Chemical Diagnostic (NGDS 2 CHEMDX) (15) NGDS 2 Man Portable Diagnostic System (NGDS 2 MPDS) (16) Surveillance and Pathogen Characterization - Enhanced Biodefense (SPCHAR-ENBD) (17) Special Purpose Unit Rapid Capability Development and Deployment (SPU RCDD) The Advanced Emerging Threat Defense (AET DEFENSE) program continues to address the highest priority CBRN gaps and supports the Chemical Biological Defense Program (CBDP) Strategic Line of Effort to meet current and emerging threats by anticipating CB hazards and developing capabilities to counter emerging and future threats. The AET DEFENSE program collaborates with the Joint Services, interagency, and international partners to align RDT&E resources to determine readiness against emerging threats, to include Non-Traditional Agents (NTAs), such as Novichoks and Pharmaceutical-Based Agents (PBA) (e.g. synthetic opioids), emerging biological threats, toxins, and other advanced and emerging threats as they are identified across the entire CBDP enterprise portfolio. In FY24, AET DEFENSE continues to broaden data set for emerging biological threats and PBAs to better assess detection and decontamination capabilities. AVCAD is a man portable system to detect aerosol and vapor chemical agents. AVCAD fills critical gaps in current Joint Force chemical sensor capabilities, in the areas of liquid, solid and dusty aerosol Chemical Warfare Agent detection, and detection of specific advanced threats/Non-Traditional Agents. The AVCAD will also detect low-level off-gassing, or residual vapors, to prevent/mitigate health effects associated with low concentration exposures, and perform remote alarm warning and reporting. AVCAD will support chemical and biological defense missions, including monitoring, collective protection, base defense, decontamination, unmasking, and reconnaissance. AVCAD will be integrated on the Nuclear Biological Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle (NBCRV) Stryker. AVCAD also has a fixed site variant that will be integrated onto ships. In FY24, AVCAD will execute and complete production and deployment testing. CB Wearables-ENBD will continue to develop an integrated physiological monitoring capability that leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) analytics to detect and alert anomalies that may indicate exposure to biological warfare agents (BWA) or other emerging threats. This will enable the Services to conduct force-wide monitoring to detect the presence or initial onset of CBRN threats and human physiological stressors before an operator’s mission performance degrades, a communicable disease spreads, or an individual becomes a casualty. This provides the Government the ability to understand, address and provide solutions against emerging threats encountered under many operational scenarios, which could deter maneuver and ability to project force. CB Wearables-ENBD will continue to directly interface and integrate with existing Joint Force computing environments and directly supports the strategic goals of the CBDP's Enhanced Biodefense effort. CSIRP is a prototyping and fielding effort that will focus on repackaging and integrating of modular CBRN sensor and common interface solutions to enhance Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), Unmanned Surface Vessels (USV) and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) to 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 artificial intelligence, machine learning and autonomy, sensing and communication capabilities that enable 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 a lethal and sophisticated operating environment. In FY24, CSIRP will integrate standoff detection and provide upgrades to CBRN autonomy, mapping and obstacle avoidance for denied global positioning system (GPS) operations on UASs. The Compact Vapor Chemical Agent Detector (CVCAD) is designed to be an unobtrusive, low-profile chemical detection capability that will continuously, and autonomously, monitor and alert general and specialized units to an unsafe environment without further burdening the warfighters payload or interfering with the primary mission. The small form factor (less than 2 lbs.) is amenable to both man-worn and unmanned aerial or ground system operations to enable timely personnel protective action and other force protection decisions. FY24 funding conducts engineering manufacturing and development of systems after Milestone B decision and provides program management support. The Defense Biological Product Assurance Program (DBPAP) serves as the principal resource of high quality, validated, and standardized biological detection assays and reagents that meet the requirements of the warfighter and Joint biological defense systems. DBPAP pursues an array of analytical tools to verify assay performance and predict effective medical countermeasure solutions that are critical to preparedness. The DBPAP enables an Ordering System for Critical Assays and Reagents (OSCAR), where multiple government agencies and customers can place orders, track order status, and monitor ordering history. In FY24 DBPAP will continue to support optimization and expansion of biological threat agents reference materials and assays to known and emerging threats. The Defense Biological Product Assurance Program - Enhanced Biodefense (DBPAP-ENBD) efforts increase the capabilities above DBPAP baseline levels specifically through enhancements to biological threat agent reference materials, analytical tools portfolios, increased sequencing capabilities, expanded analytical tool capabilities, increased repository of collected biothreat genomic information, and additional biorepository of targeted biothreats and toxins against emerging diseases and potential pandemics. In FY24 DBPAP-ENBD continues to support expanded enhancements to biological threat agent reference materials, and analytical tools portfolios, increased sequencing capabilities, expanding on analytical tools, additional repository of collected biothreat genomic information, and increased biorepository of targeted biothreats and toxins against emerging diseases and potential pandemics. Far Forward Biological Sequencing (FFBS) system is a rapid handheld biological sequencing device that will identify an unlimited number of Biological Warfare Agents (BWAs) to include emerging or engineered biological weapon threats on or near the objective. It will provide far-forward Special Operations Forces (SOF) and Special Operations Task Forces (SOTFs) the detect-to-inform capability with a reduction in timeline from weeks to hours, increasing tactical flexibility and fighting strength, and it will save lives. The system includes sampling equipment, consumables, a sequencing device, and a back-end bioinformatics library with an intuitive front-facing user interface. When used together, this system will allow for the identification and documentation of emerging or engineered BWAs with the ability to reach back to biological warfare experts with detailed sequencing information. This system will provide near-real time identification of BWAs, to decrease the tactical decision timeline from weeks to hours, significantly increasing the situational awareness of biological threats to SOF forces operating in a far-forward environment and enabling Commanders’ real-time tactical decision-making. FY24 funds will focus on the development of prototypes to ensure they meet the requirements of the Capabilities Development Document. Wearable All-hazard Remote-monitoring Project (WARP) is a family of wearable and attachable sensors to collect, transmit, and integrate information about the operational environment, disposition of warfighters, and equipment status in order to optimize actions on the objective and facilitate reconstruction of the force post-mission. This network of sensors may be accessed by multiple echelons to maximize operational decisions and will result in increased force protection within the assault force and more timely and accurate situational awareness. 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 can archive 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 FY24, JBTDS will continue activities required to support the low rate initial production (LRIP). MFK effort is the modernization, development, and continuous engineering of Mobile Field Kit (MFK), which is the National Guard Bureau's (NGBs) interim CBRN Awareness & Understanding capability for the Homeland Defense Mission. MFK is a suite of software applications, platforms, and architecture residing on the National Guard CBRN Response Enterprise (CRE) Information Management System (NG-CIMS) operationally deployed in support of Title 32 missions. MFK provides the NGB real-time visualization and mapping of CBRN threats, personnel location and health, and other sensor data to support the Homeland mission. FY24 funds will begin the modernization, development and continuous engineering required to integrate MFK into the Joint architecture, while maintaining the operational relevancy of the current capability. MPCAD is a 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 Corps 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 FY24, MPCAD will complete the vapor LRIP testing and plan to conduct the Full Rate Production Decision in late FY24. Nuclear Biological Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle Sensor Suite Upgrade (NBCRV SSU) provides maneuver formations the ability to conduct mounted Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) reconnaissance and surveillance. The NBCRV SSU will answer the commander’s priority intelligence requirements & facilitate proactive risk-based decisions, to ensure freedom of action and maintain maneuver momentum in Large Scale Combat Operations. NBCRV SSU is an Acquisition Category (ACAT) II modification work order (MWO) effort to modernize the current NBCRV Sensor Suite to increase maintainability, reliability, maneuverability of the force, and standoff distance from the threat, via enhanced CBRN standoff capabilities & integrating onto robotics for manned unmanned teaming. NGDS 2 ChemDx program will provide a rapid, hand-held, point-of-care device, for the detection of acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) levels in blood samples, an indicator of possible Nerve Agent exposure in individuals. NGDS 2 ChemDx will be employed by the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and SOCOM at multiple echelons of healthcare. NGDS 2 ChemDx test results are to be used to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of individuals suspected of having exposure to chemical nerve agents. In FY24, NGDS 2 ChemDx continues Engineering & Manufacturing Development, including Development Testing (DT) and Operational User Evaluations, and initiation of clinical trials. The NGDS 2 MPDS program will provide a simple-to-use, portable diagnostic device capability that can be used in austere battlefield environments to assist in the diagnosis of infectious diseases and biological warfare agents. The MPDS will enable earlier patient diagnosis, improve decision support for treatment, evacuation and command situational awareness, and; mitigate the effects of exposure to unknown infectious disease and biological agents. In FY24, NGDS 2 MPDS concludes hardware, software and assay design, including planning for Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) and completion of clinical trials. SPCHAR-ENBD (contact tracing) integrates innovative and emerging contact tracing capabilities into the pre-symptomatic exposure wearable system outlined in CB Wearables-ENBD. This effort will leverage on-going COVID-19 investments in contact tracing stemming from the joint service response to Joint Emergent Operational Needs Statement (JEONS) JS-0003. It will include person-worn digital proximity tools for logging close contacts with the infected. SPCHAR-ENBD directly supports the strategic goals of the Chemical Biological Defense Program's (CBDP's) Enhanced Biodefense effort. SPU RCDD facilitates Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) rapid response requirements to near-term and emergent chemical-biological defensive capabilities. This includes select elements from across the Special Operations Force (SOF) Enterprise such as CBRN Assessment Response Teams (CARTs) and other Joint Force enabling units such as the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives Command. SPU RCDD mitigates risk across the Chemical Biological Defense Program (CBDP) by creating a portfolio of operationally-relevant CB capabilities that can be quickly transitioned in response to the articulated, emergent capability needs of the geographic combatant commanders. These objectives are met by the early transitioning of promising science and technologies (S&T); the focused conduct of combat evaluations and mission-oriented operational assessments to assess technological and mission suitability; and the active leveraging of existing Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) and Government-Off-The-Shelf (GOTS) products along with novel redesign approaches to optimize existing solutions to new challenges supported by "buy-try-decide-acquire" acquisition strategies. SPU RCDD initiates efforts such as respiratory breathing systems, biological identification, unmanned aerial and ground platform sensor integration, development of enhanced and augmented reality systems, and modernization of protective Chemical and Biological ensembles that have gone through requirements validation and continues product enhancement development and technology upgrades on currently fielded SOF equipment to counter emerging threats. In FY24, SPU RCDD will continue prototype development and test and evaluation activities to transition critical CBRND capabilities into production for the SOF user to close near-term JSOC capability gaps.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2024
• Source ID: UN5_0604384BP_5_0400_PB_2024

Tags

Readers

• Critical Infrastructure Protection in CBRN and WMD Threats.

Technology Areas

• 5G
• 5G - DoD 5G Program
• 5G - Internet of Things
• AI & ML
• AI & ML - DoD AI Strategy
• Autonomy
• Autonomy - UAVs
• Space