Letting Sensors Do the Work
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UNATTENDED CBR SENSORS AND DETECTION SYSTEMS FIND FAVOR IN GLOBAL MILITARIES.
Unattended sensors and detection systems provide warfighters with an early detection capability for chemical, biological and radiation (CBR) threats. Advancements in detection, analysis, identification and warning technologies have encouraged the U.S. Department of Defense and overseas military services to increase their investment in these programs that provide near-real-time protection for service men and women.
As these technologies mature, the guiding hand of the U.S. Congress encourages DoD to look beyond a single-service application and towards developing and deploying joint (multiservice) CBR programs.
Unattended CBR sensors and detection systems will also be fielded in next generation weapons platforms, in particular, the U.S. Army’s Future Combat System (FCS).
UNATTENDED SYSTEM PRIMER
Lockheed Martin CBRNE Defense Systems has two systems of interest, the Biological Aerosol Warning System (BAWS) and the Chemical, Biological and Radiological Early Warning System (CBREWS). The CBRNE team provided an in-depth overview about these programs.
The company’s BAWS operates as a networked array of point sensors. “By network, I mean a network in which the data is fused, and the information from one sensor is compared with and shared with the information from another sensor,” said Richard Read, senior manager, business development.
A notional system consists of one base station and 10 remote sensors. While the network capacity is 50 sensors, “At the practical limit, we recommend no more than 20 on a network, but we have the capability to network together networks—to build it as large as it needs to be built,” elaborated Read.
Each remote sensor contains a global positioning system receiver, a solid-state air mass sensor to measure wind speed and direction, a humidity indicator, and other hardware components and software.
Network communications are based on a radio link that can operate over multiple frequencies. Only one frequency is active at any one time.
This system “does not require a full-time operator to monitor the network at the base station,” said Tom Notaro, CBRNE business area manager. “The system is designed to notify the operator of any alert or alarm conditions as they occur so he or she is free to perform other tasks,” he added. “If conditions are not sufficient for an alarm, the operator will see a yellow icon on his monitor which says, ‘Sensor number X is in alert’, and lets you know something is happening. Our algorithm requires more than one sensor to go off—and by using the power of networking, we are able to keep the false alarm rate very, very low.”
The operator at the base station can remotely direct the sensor in alarm mode to collect a dry air sample. The sample can be retrieved and run through a number of analysis techniques for identification.
The supporting particle count technology is the heart of BAWS. Each of the remote sensors continuously monitors the air and computes an existing background level of particles in a size range of interest— between 2 and 10 microns.
If there is a sudden increase in particles in the prescribed size range, the sensor will send a signal back to the base station where the data are fed into a software algorithm. Analyses include which sensor is reporting, whether other sensors are showing similar effects, the current wind speed and direction and humidity, and other variables that determine whether conditions warrant an alarm.
The BAWS’s early warning function “provides the commander with enough information on whether to go into a protective posture, and subsequently collect the sample, send it back for analysis. If it turns out it was a positive attack, he or she can take follow-on medical and other actions,” emphasized Read.
Chemical, radiation, motion and other sensors may be added to the unit and monitored through the network.
During fall 2001, the initial BAWS unit was bought by the Czech military, which currently has “four (plus) operating systems and pending orders for another two units and its variants,” revealed Read. Other BAWS units have been sold to Germany and Canada for test and evaluation. The Japan Defense Agency selected the system for their Ground Self Defense Force (GSDF). In January 2006, the GSDF received an initial four units as part of an unspecified larger order.
A second Lockheed Martin product, CBREWS, is an integrated system that takes the BAWS and adds chemical and radiological sensors.
The chemical sensor is the Chem- Pro 100 supplied by Environics of Finland. The radiation sensor is the UDR-13 pocket radiac furnished by Canberra, of the United States.
A major BAWS and CBREWS upgrade was unveiled in June 2006. The improvement involves the addition of an ultra-violet, light-induced, fluorescence capability so that “not only will we detect the increased particle count, but once we have confirmed that, we will subject the air stream to a fluorescence, using a light-emitting diode rather than a laser,” divulged Read. “If the particle stream fluoresces, that gives an indication that we have biological material present.”
Mesosystems is Lockheed Martin’s partner for this upgrade.
Other CBR sensors and systems are meeting U.S. joint warfighter requirements as directed by Congress.
CAPITOL HILL EYES JOINTNESS
Contemporary congressional concern about the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons and the readiness of U.S. forces to operate in a contaminated environment has been most evident since the Gulf War.
One post-Gulf War document, the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 1994, directed the Secretary of Defense to take specific actions designed to improve chemical and biological defense—including the fielding of joint systems and equipment for this mission.
Three representative joint systems, which were generated as a result of the document, are highlighted below.
JOINT BIOLOGICAL PROGRAMS
Joint biological sensor and detection systems are designed for mobile- and fixed-site applications.
The Joint Biological Point Detection System (JBPDS) is a modular suite of equipment that provides the warfighter with detection and presumptive identification of biological warfare agents in near real time. The system fully automates the biological detection and warning, sample collection, and identification of airborne agents.
The JBPDS is fielded in four variants: man-portable, shelterbased, ship-based and trailer-mounted.
General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products (ATP) is the prime contractor.
In April 2006, the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command Acquisition Center awarded the company a $45 million contract for production, testing and field support packages for JBPDS.
A second program, the Joint Portal Shield (JPS) Biological Detection System, is an automated biological detection and identification system specifically designed for fixed sites. JPS units are in service with component commands in U.S. Central Command and U.S. Pacific Command areas of responsibility.
The JPS sensor suite automates the detection, collection and identification of biological warfare agents, and reports this information to a centralized command post that monitors and operates the sensors via a radio modem or Ethernet.
Sentel provides full life cycle software development support for JPS. The company’s efforts provide a capability to detect and identify eight biological warfare agents simultaneously, all within 15 minutes.
According to the joint program manager, Joint Vaccine Acquisition Program, the MARK IV is the current system configuration. Improvements over the previous system include an enhanced detection capability through the addition of the Biological Agent Warning Sensor (also referred to as BAWS) and a more effective identification capability through addition of the progressive assay reader (PAR)—a camera technology to read the assay strips used to test for the presence of biological agents.
General Dynamics ATP produces the BAWS. Sentel develops the software for PARS and assembled the devices for the Joint Executive Program Office for Chemical and Biological Defense. Future Improvements envisioned for JPS include incorporating the VDR-2 radiation sensor to provide complete NBC detection in one integrated sensor.
ONE JOINT CHEMICAL SOLUTION
The Joint Service Lightweight Standoff Chemical Agent Detector (JSLSCAD) is comprised of detector, scanner and electronics modules. It is a small, lightweight (less than 50 pounds), fully automatic, standoff chemical agent detector, capable of on-themove, real-time detection from either aerial or surface platforms and fixed sites. The unit will detect and alarm to a chemical agent cloud up to five kilometers (3.1 miles) away. Six nerve, three blister and two blood agents are capable of being detected by the device.
The company further states that JSLSCAD provides a 360- degree coverage for ground- and sea-based platforms, and an aerial craft detection range of 60 degrees, at up to 5 km.
The detector provides chemical identification information and data for activation of countermeasures to avoid contamination. JSLSCAD is equipped for visual and audible alarms and displays the agent class and relative position, both locally and for transmission to the Joint Warning and Reporting Network. JSLSCAD also has the capability to indicate an all-clear condition.
Unattended CBR sensors and detection systems will also be deployed in next-generation weapons platforms, in particular, the FCS.
UNATTENDED SENSORS FOR FCS
The core of the U.S. Army’s embryonic FCS is a highly integrated structure of 18 manned and unmanned (MUM), air and ground maneuver, maneuver support and sustainment systems, bound together by a joint, distributed network. The MUM systems include unattended ground sensors (UGS).
An FCS program white paper (dated April 11, 2006) states that the UGS consists of two subgroups of sensing systems, one of which is the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear.
The FCS UGS package is envisioned to perform mission tasks such as perimeter defense, surveillance, target acquisition and situational awareness, including CBRN early warning.
The FCS lead system integrator team (Boeing and Science Application International Corporation (SAIC)) selected Textron Systems to furnish 15 tactical and unattended ground sensors, including the CBRN-UGS.
U.S. Army and industry offices declined to answer a number of questions about the CBRN-UGS’s envisioned operational capabilities including: is the UGS being designed to be left behind or retrievable? Will it be deployed indoors and/or outdoors?
FCS systems testing will be conducted by the Evaluation Brigade Combat Team. This organization will be established at Fort Bliss, Texas, in June 2007. ♦