CBRNe News April 2009
Product Watch
Sunny strand up
Hamilton Sundstrand announced an initial contract award for $40 million worth of Chemical Biological Mass Spectrometer II (CBMS II). CMS II is an integral part of the US Army recce vehicle inventory, specifically the CBRN Stryker, and the order is for a delivery of 156 units. The CBMS comes out of an Oak Ridge research program which was originally for a chemical and biological mass spec, the bio part has since been dropped and the contract is just for a chemical mass spec.
The bio part is expected to join it later –there is a two year option for a bio ident capability - and the way the RFP has been written leaves little alternative to a bio mass spec (unless, of course, they change the RFP...)
RAE’s over Kuwait
RAE Systems announced that it had sold it’s AreaRAE gas detectors, medical signs monitoring Lifeshirt and 100 GammRAE radiation detectors to a Kuwaiti government unit involved in disaster management.
CBIRF launch new mobile lab
USMC CBRN search and extraction specialists CBRIF unveiled their new mobile lab to the US public. The system has been designed to be used by highly trained Marine operatives, rather than scientists, and utilises a number of new features. One of these is the use of sorbent tubes, by attaching them to Marines coveralls they are hoping to be able to have a wide net that can capture samples.
Anthrax anti-toxin reaches Stage 1
Elusys Therapeutics announced that their anthrax anti-toxin had entered Second phase I clinical study. The human study trial of Anthim will help ascertain whether the manufacturers claims that it can provide significant therapeutic benefits.
Wash and go
Hughes Safety Showers launched two products at the Fire and Rescue show, one was a Emergency Response Shelter, but, more pertinently, their ultrasonic atomizer, which they are offering for decon purposes. This produces a fine mist and comes with an electronic monitoring system to test surfaces before and after decon. The atomizer also comes with a suit cleaning system, which can decon the suit without causing excessive wetting.
Sounds good
Sicel Technologies has announced a strategic partnership with Gentag to create the first passive (ie no battery), disposable, RFID radiation detector for shipping. These sensors will detect radiation using Sicel’s medical radiation detectors and Gentag’s modified cell phone technology. Gentag is convinced that their sensor mesh technology will work equally well on the chemical threat. Stay tuned for more information...
DRS dough-ray-mi
DRS Technologies announced a $32 million order from Natick for the Joint Service Transportable Decon System Small Scale (JSTDS-SS). This is the 16th such order that DRS has received over the five year programme, which is a replacement for the M17.
Smith’s new boys
Smiths announced the ‘global launch’ of three ‘new’ devices (some of which are very familiar), the HazmatID Ranger, the Bioseeq Plus and LCD 3.3. While Ranger and Bioseeq plus have been covered previously, LCD 3.3 builds on the LCD range and offers advantages over 3.2E. 3.3 now offers agent type and concentration through the LCD, the GUI now has a ‘cell-phone like’ menu and the processor has been updated to provide it with upgrade and ‘stretch’ capacity.
Platinum prize
Alexium announced that it had been declared 2009’s World’s Best Technology at the World’s Best Technology Showcase, beating out 90 other pre-screened finalists. Alexium are working on Reactive Surface Technology, an off-shoot of Air Force Research Lab technology, that is self extinguishing, superhydrophobic, oleophobic and reactive to CWA.
RST is based on silane technology, that was first used in the 40s, but these are now bonded using microwaves rather than heat. This is not a plasma coating however, as it allows multiple value added functions, such as active enzymes, to be added to the weave. More information to follow...
RiskAward
RiskAware, the UK based effects modelling company, announced a $62 milion contract with the US Navy Spawar (Space and Naval Warfare) Command to produce techniques for performance improvements and risk reduction for JEM. The work will be done in the UK and will be finished by 2012.
Threat Watch
Getcha’ Dirty Bombs here!
Yet another attempt to sell radiological material in Eastern Europe has been foiled. As opposed to the fissile Plutonium 239 it is suggested, after initial analysis that the material was, in fact, Americium 241. An order of magnitude difference perhaps, but they were trying to sell 8lb of the material - a not inconsiderable amount –for $10 million. Sadly, even during times of recession, 10 million is not a huge amount of money for the tooled up terrorist and the concern is how many of these are we not picking up?
Bigger than big
Haaretz reported that the Israeli Home Front Command is planning a major CBRN exercise sometime in the June/July period. The exercise aims to motivate the civilian population to take more response roles upon themselves as a major incident will swamp the security forces. The exercise will focus on conventional and non-conventional warheads fired by Hezbollah, Hamas or Syria. CBRNe World will be in Israel in June and hopefully the Autumn edition will have more information.
More EC money sprayed at CBRN
The European Commission has adopted a new three year programme to fight terrorism, trafficking and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the catchily entitled 2009-2011 Indicative Programme for the Instrument for Stability (I mean really, does that make the acronym I-PIS?! Pay that acronym monkey more, for God’s sake…). As opposed to tightly focused streams, I-PIS is spraying all over the threat spectrum, organized crime, terrorism, smuggling and counter proliferation. We shall have to wait to see whether it ends in any solid results.
Check the post would you dear…
Fort Detrick is missing some disease samples – now does that scenario seem familiar? Criminal Investigation Division is investigating where, oh where, they could be. No other details, such as what pathogens, have been released. We’ll all just have to wait and see…
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