MADD I tell you

EADS announced their partnership with Pursuit Dynamics for the TransMADDS system. EADS is acting as systems integrator and bringing their experience of military requirements and mobile shelter technology while Pursuit Dynamics are bringing their PDX/Atlas system.

The latter is the driving force of the offering, a nozzle that provides an ultrafine mist ideal for biological decontamination of buildings and hard tom reach enclosed spaces. Tests with the major research centres are ongoing.

The Pork Gravy Train

As the fear of H1N1 suffocates the media and susceptible elements of the population commercial  companies are coming up with solutions. Veredus Labs, based in Singapore, have updated their VereFlu chip to include the Mexican swine flu variant. Vereflu goes into their lab on a chip system, VereID, which also has other chips for the more likely BWA under their VereThreat label.

Mr Smith is flying with Concordia

Smiths Detection announced that Concordia International Forwarding Corp had chosen their range of explosive trace detectors to meet the TSA requirement. Concordia has 15 US sites that will be using the Ionscan 500DT, this is needed to meet the 2009 mandate of 50% screening of air cargo, this will be replaced by a 100% requirement in 2010.

Marines get the SAIC

Science Applications International Corp (SAIC) announced that they had been awarded a $96 million contract from the USMC’s MARCORSYSCOM to provide CBRN incident response program support. SAIC will provide Family of Incident Response Systems (FIRS) to the USMC Systems Command, this will include procurement, inventory management, maintenance and warranty support - very worthwhile.

First line on the front line

First Line Technology demonstrated the AmbuBus at the NYC Emergency Management Conference. The AmbuBus is a special needs evacuation capability that has been used by states such as Georgia and Alabama.

Argon’s nuclear

Argon Electronics launched the latest in their range of training devices with their version of the SAM935/940 spectrometer from PGT/Berkeley Nucleonics.  Replacing the external detector probe with the simulator allows responders to practice with the device in full safety on individually tailored missions. Argon also launched their Thermo EPD-Mk2 dosimeter simulator, which enables dose management training to be undertaken.

One suit to rule them all!

The USAF has selected Saint-Gobain’s OneSuit Gard suit for it’s hazmat personnel in Iraq. OneSuit Gard is certified to NFPA 1991, has a single skin design and is stated to keep wearers safe and manouevrable with extended shelf life.

Thermo Fisher announce expanded distribution with ICX

Thermo Fisher will now be distributing all of ICX’s radiation product lines. The two companies have worked together over the past 15 years, from when ICX was still Target Instruments, and this constitutes a major push for IdentiFinder (as well as Interceptor, Raider etc etc) in the US.

Candygram for MUNGO

Krauss Maffei Wegman (KMW) have been announced as the manufacturer of the new German, lightweight NBC recce vehicle. KMW will produce 25 of their NC Mungo recce vehicle, the air portable vehicle will start trials in 2010.

Pouring cold water over it

Cristanini announced the results of the tests that they did at the Lombardini’s Application Centre in Reggio Emilia, when their Sanijet C921 had a cold start test of -32 degree Celsius.  And the result was... “the equipment started” - and there was much rejoicing.

Kaercher’s new boss

As well as having a splendid time at the IDEX, GSA and Avalon shows, Kaercher Futuretech have announced their new MD. Mr Jens Bauer holds divisional responsibility for Product Management with a special focus on long term sales. He comes directly from EADS, and prior to that worked within the Bundeswehr.

Called before the Board

Neil Cohen, the Director of Business Development at Defence Group, manufacturer over their CoBRA software has been elected as a Member of the Board of the US NBC Industry Group.

Threat Watch

Nuke is the word...

May was clearly the month for nuclear activity. April ended with US and Russian nuclear talks on replacing START I, that was signed in 1991 and runs out in December. This was followed in mid-May with US claims that Pakistan was increasing its nuclear arsenal, which were exacerbated by the appalling internal security situation in Pakistan. Finally, and most importantly, North Korea decided to move to the brink by more nuclear testing, the firing of two short range missiles and extremely strong language.

The UN Security Council has condemned the action and break of resolution 1718, and spoken of sanctions, yet this seems to have had little to no effect. What is behind it, a strengthening of the military grip as Kim sickens, a snub to South Korea after a breakdown in relations after they joined US naval counter-proliferation (PSI) efforts? Whatever the response is it will be a new chapter, far from detente and rapprochement.

Leaky fish

A Scottish National Party MP, Angus Robertson, has called for an enquiry after it has been shown that the UK nuclear submarine base at Faslane had suffered from security breaches including radioactive leaks. The Scottish Environment watchdog, Sepa, admitted it would have shut the base if it could, and this is not the first time that Scotland and the MoD have clashed heads.

Scottish nationalist MPs use th RN base as a stick to hit Central government with, and the MoDs inability to do anything about it suggests that this stick will get heavier - though it is still likely to leave few marks...

Gongs awarded

The Baltimore Federal Executive Board recognised three ECBC employees in its 2009 Excellence in Federal Career Awards program. These were Peter Annuziato, who will be known to some of you for the work that he has done on CUGR, Dr Virpin Rastogi, who is extremely well known in decon circles for, among other things, his work on enzymes, and Lalena Wallace, for her work on bio-assays, specifically ricin. Well done all!

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