CBRNe News April 2008
Gwyn Winfield examines the latest news in the world of CBRNE
Going to the Shows?
See CBRNe World at Avignon, the EDA Bio DIM Conference, IABTI - Stand 20, Eurosatory - N125C, Joint CBRN Conference (fort Leonard Wood) - Stand 625.
Product Watch
Return of the Nomad
Fortified DataCom, manufacturer of the Nomad Incident Command Platform, announced a $2.28 contract from FEMA and DHS. The two year contract will provide 80 Nomad C2 systems, 40 a year, which will have the CoBRA software from Defense Group Inc and resource management from MSPX.
Avon seeks better protection for UK Police
Those with long memories will remember that Avon won the contract to supply all UK police with escape hoods in 2005. This plum contract was rather squashed when what had been a country wide contract became shrivelled into a free choice from individual Police forces.
The EH20 Hood, which had been developed in conjunction with the Police CBRN Centre, has now only been rolled out to Scottish Police and response paramedics of the National Health and Ambulance Service. British politicians are now taking up the banner to ensure that Chief Constables have the correct PPE for terrorist attacks - so far Michael Ancram MP, Andrew Murrison MP and Tony McNulty the Security Minister are in the schwerpunkt. “Whilst the political battle over the failure of the government to honour its contract for at least 170,000 hoods to equip emergency service personnel will rumble on, our main priority is to make sure that Chief Constables are aware that they have the responsibility to buy this life-saving piece of equipment for their officers,” said Avon’s Jim Naylor.
Dynamic? You betcha.
Cristanini, the Italian decontamination company, will be involved in the dynamic outdoor display at Eurosatory 2008. The outdoor display is always a big draw, despite the lack of seats and (usually) chronic heat, and Cristanini will be hosing down a wide range of vehicles. As well as this they will have their external booth - E150, Lane D – and their Internal Booth (C255)
Wise Old Owl?
Owlstone have been quietly developing an improvement on the trusty IMS system, their FAIMS (Field Asymmetric IMS) which they believe offers advantages far in advance of traditional IMS. They currently have a $3.7 million contract from the DoD and would like interested parties to go to www.owlstonenanotech.com
Testing times
Drager, famous for their tubes and masks, announced their Bio-Agent Test, a ‘fast, immunological’ test for anthrax, SEBB, ricin, Y.Pestis and Bot Tox. Using a swab the substance can be entered into the test and provides and answer in anything from three to fifteen minutes. The test lasts two years in room temperature and, in addition to the simultaneous tests, individual tests will soon be available.
What connects the US Navy, EOD and isotope identifiers?
Thermo Fisher announced a $.6.5 million contract from the US Navy for 215 of their identifFinder EOD Isotope Identifier Kits. This is the second order from the Navy and they have an option to purchase another 880 of their EOD kits over the next five years. The kits are supplied with two gamma/neutron detection systems that use digital gamma spectrometers to identify radiological material.
Lord Guthrie jumps onto bandwagon
BioDefense Corp, who produce the MailDefender neutralisation system, have signed up General Lord Guthrie, the former UK Chief of the Staff, to ‘wake up,’ the United Kingdom. The Editor, who often suffers from difficulties in this region, was disappointed to find out that this was only to be in regard to the ‘threat of bioterrorism, which is far more serious than defense experts realise.’ Lord Guthrie then raised the spectre of Spanish Flu and that a biological attack would be ‘likely to be far more devastating than the 9/11 attacks.’ I hope that the ‘defense experts’ are listening with pen and cheque book poised…
Universal sales to Israel
Universal Detection Technology announced two contracts to two Israeli security companies. Their anthrax kits are supposed to be able to provide accurate results to a user within three minutes, and are based on assay technology.
Demron gain Australian Patent
Demron, manufacturer of radiation shield technology – the ‘world’s first nuclear radiation blocking’ suit – announced that they have gained an Australian patent to go with their US, Singaporean and Russian patents. The suit is a liquid metal that feels like fabric, while remaining cool and lightweight – it is also chosen for the Mars space suit!
A Green and pleasant decon
Parteq Innovations, the technology transfer office from Queen’s University in Ontario, feel that they have a solution for the destruction of OPs. Their solution managed a 99% effective destruction of soman, tabun and VX within 30 seconds on liquid agent, when it was used on contaminated surfaces it managed decon within ten minutes. The reaction products are non-toxic, allowing a greener decon than conventional solutions, is safely stored and used under all temperatures. Funding was received from DTRA (among others) and appears to be endorsed by ECBC.
I’m all in
Alexeter Technologies have announced their new Collection Swab for use with their BioDetect field tests. It includes a polyester fiber-tipped swab, a collection tube, a buffer reservoir and sample dropper tip. The system is designed to make the whole field collection process more reliable and cost effective than other systems available and a built-in filter stops sample overloading, which in turn reduces failed tests.
Eurosatory watch:
Avon protection will have their ST53 exhibited for the first time, allowing visitors to see the benefits of their system which allows uses to seamlessly swap between SCBA and negative pressure.
HMS will have their always interesting Triton research and analysis portfolio around (and their back catalogue is always worth browsing) and will also be discussing their Counter IED training. Allen Vanguard will now be able to show the whole range of their products, now that the merger with Med Eng is complete. So as well as the EOD9 suit and dual tank trike, there will also be a chance to see the Digital Vanguard and BombTec Defender.
Threat Watch
Behold the power of RA(net)!
The IAEA have announced that they are launching their nuclear emergency response network after pledges of assistance from four states – Mexico, Finland, Sri Lanka and the US. The system is designed to kick in after domestic capability has been surpassed, and will provide technical and technological assistance. As well as civil disasters the system will also be available for terrorist attacks.
Extreme Caving
The Russian cave siege, which has been going on since November 2007, has resulted in two dead - at time of writing. The Doomsday cult entered the cave on the advice of their Prophet, Pyotr Kuznetsov, who would have joined them if it had not been for prior commitments. Of the original 35 that entered the cave about 11 remain, the others have left after the cave walls started to collapse due to heavy rain. Currently security forces are besieging the cave, but are unable to enter due to the threat of detonating ‘poison gas canisters’ - though the nature of the gas is not known.
Lithuania and their maritime spanner in the works…
Lithuania has put forward a proposal to the OPCW about countries voluntarily exchanging information on chemical weapons dumped at sea. While the CWC does not apply to those weapons dumped at sea, Lithuania holds them as an integral part of the demil problem. This is no surprise considering the amount of Russian agents that were dumped into the Baltic, yet I cannot see many nations rushing to sign up to this. In the era of dilution being the solution to pollution many nations gaily plopped tonnes of barrels over the side - and accurate records of where they lie are akin to rocking horse droppings. While Luxembourg, Switzerland and other landlocked countries might sign up, I could not see the UK, Germany or Russia rushing to put pen to paper…
Food poisoning
Two Palestinians were picked up by Shin Bet after they were tipped off that they were going to attack a restaurant in Ramat Gan, Israel. The pair had been due to pick up a white, flavourless, odourless poison from Al Aqsa Matyrs Brigade to poison the diners at the Grill Express restaurant that they worked at. This is not the first time that similar organisations have tried to co-opt chefs into murdering civilians - a similar attempt in 2002 was also disrupted.
Bergendorff indicted
In what can be a surprise to no-one, Roger Bergendorff, he of the vial of ricin and many, many debts, was indicted by Federal court. As well as the vial of ricin (which US media screamed – could have killed 522 people!), they also found a .22 Browning with silencer, and another silencer with no serial number. He is facing up to 30 years in prison and a possible $750,000 fine. So far he is pleading not guilty to possession of a possession of a biological toxin
Misery loves company
Just to show that it is not just the US where miserable teenagers seek to extend their misery to their ‘friends’, there is a new trend in Japan to finish yourself – and others – off with hydrogen sulphide. About a 100 people in Konan City fled their homes after smelling the toxic chemical after she mixed two common chemicals together. Nobody else was seriously affected, barring sore throats, but the 14 year old girl achieved her objective. Japan has one of the world’s highest suicide rates and officials are trying to block websites that offer suicide tips.
Please forward any items for consideration in this section to the editor, Gwyn Winfield This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it