US Army rolls out CIDAS
Active-duty units and reservists in the US have begun to receive the Contamination Indicator/Decontamination Assurance System (CIDAS), the US Army announced on 8 September.
‘The Army is fielding it to all units in areas where there is a threat of chemical agents,’ it added.
CIDAS, which was developed under the US Army Small Business Technology Transfer (SBTT) programme, has proven capable of detecting chemical weapons accurately at low concentration levels.
The technology has been purchased by FLIR Systems https://www.shephardmedia.com/... under SBTT and CIDAS is now a programme of record within the Joint Program Executive Office for CBRN Defense (JPEO-CBRND).
Dr Stephen Lee, senior scientist at the Army Research Office, said: ‘This technology is highly sensitive, providing accurate results on only trace amounts of material, even at concentrations below levels that represent an immediate danger to life and health.’
The US Army funded the basic research behind CIDAS technology at the University of Pittsburgh. A team led by Dr Alan Russell worked to identify ways to incorporate enzymes into polymers that would be stabilised for use outside the cell and then ultimately used in realistic battlefield environments.
FLIR is also under contract from JPEO-CBRND to support the Contamination Indicator/Decontamination Assurance System programme.
A five-year contract, worth up to $21.8 million, includes a full-rate production phase to field the product to units throughout the US Army.
Shipments are expected to begin in Q4 2020.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
More from Defence Notes
-
Top-level commitments but no meat in UK Defence Industrial Strategy’s Statement of Intent
The initial document focused more on creating the right partnerships and inspiring investment in defence than on any details of how future UK Armed Forces would be armed.
-
What the future holds for Ukraine and NATO under a Trump administration
Although Trump’s geopolitics policy for Europe remains unclear, defence analysts from the US and Europe predict how his incoming administration would attempt to handle critical issues on the continent.
-
RUSI deputy: UK needs longer procurement plans and improved awareness of US sift to Indo-Pacific
The UK budget announced in Parliament on 30 October was the first by a Labour government in 14 years which has also launched a review into defence procurement programmes.
-
Australia outlines longer punch and brings local industry onboard
The Australian government has placed a focus on Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) which has included the purchase of additional long-range rocket systems and investments in local production of missiles.