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
-
![“Engage with the operational problem”: how software innovation can boost UK defence]()
“Engage with the operational problem”: how software innovation can boost UK defence
In Conversation… Shephard’s Andrew White talks to Zafer Şen, CEO and co-founder of OBSS, about the future of command-and-control software in the age of artificial intelligence, and his company’s ambitions in the UK defence market.
-
![“Capital follows confidence” as defence courts private money]()
“Capital follows confidence” as defence courts private money
Outside investment and the direction in which venture money flows may reveal what defence will buy years before formal programmes begin.
-
![Canada’s new military drone marketplace targets rapid acquisition pipeline]()
Canada’s new military drone marketplace targets rapid acquisition pipeline
The Department of National Defence expects initial contracts to deliver thousands of uncrewed systems, but has yet to establish the quantities, capability mix or deadline behind Ottawa’s promised tenfold expansion.
-
![Ukraine turns legacy Kongsberg land turrets into semi-autonomous USV weapons]()
Ukraine turns legacy Kongsberg land turrets into semi-autonomous USV weapons
The company told Shephard that Ukraine is operating modified Protector weapon stations originally supplied for armoured vehicles, with human operators authorising engagements from hundreds of kilometres away.
-
![UK urged to prioritise sea, air and space over heavy armour]()
UK urged to prioritise sea, air and space over heavy armour
A report from the Council on Geostrategy argues the UK should move away from a traditional balanced force and shift investment to naval, air and space capabilities, backed by a larger fleet of attack submarines and deeper AUKUS integration.
