David Norquist, the U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary, has said that American Defense firms should not be cut out of European Union programs to strengthen its industrial base, such as the European Defence Fund and the Permanent Structured Cooperation program. 

Speaking at the NATO-Industry Forum in Washington, Norquist said the European Defence Fund ― which commands a €13 billion (U.S. $14 billion) pool of money ― and PESCO ― a 2-year-old initiative to foster inter-European cooperation ― “must allow the United States and other non-EU allies to participate and compete for business,” or risk duplication that undermines trans-Atlantic security.

Norquist’s remarks serve as the latest pushback from Washington concerning draft rules that would restrict non-European countries from the bloc’s programs. Norquist said the U.S. has engaged with the European Commission, the EU’s politically independent executive arm, in an effort "to allow our participation to continue.”

Despite the fact that their title makes me wonder whether there is a group of evil Physicians against Human Rights, the PHR have done a nice series of fact sheets on various crowd control devices here. There are fact sheets on acoustic weapons, directed energy devices, rubber bullets, stun grenades, water cannon and, most pertinently,  tear gas (and other chemical irritants). 

A useful little primer even if it doesn't cover some of the next generation of riot control agents. Thanks to the Pandora Report for promoting it. 

UVeye, the leading provider of top-tier solutions for automated external inspection of vehicles, has officially launched its UV Inspect threat detection technology. Developed to instantly detect threats – such as bombs, weapons, and drugs – stowed in the undercarriage of vehicles, UV Inspect is powered by deep learning computer vision technologies.

UV Inspect meets the challenge of automating threat detection for new and unfamiliar vehicles. The pioneering UV Inspect algorithm analyses each vehicle part separately, using the deep learning computer vision to identify every element on the undercarriage of the vehicle and detect threats within seconds.

This advancement in detection capabilities is built on UVeye’s extensive work in training its deep learning algorithms to truly understand what each part of a vehicle is supposed to look like, independent of make or model or the need for previous examples on record. Examples of the depth of this research become evident in the UV Inspect technology’s ability to identify items like an exhaust pipe without having previously scanned the vehicle.

“As the first to offer a true first pass solution, UVeye is addressing the needs of border control operators and other security professionals tasked with examining non-repeat traffic to securely scan vehicles passing through their checkpoints,” says Amir Hever, UVeye’s CEO and co-founder. “Our team has developed a reliable method of identifying anomalous objects without the need for earlier reference points, using only the information captured in our high resolution images at the time of the scan.”

With this launch, UV Inspect joins UVeye’s arsenal of detection technologies, which includes UVcompare, the deep learning-driven system that monitors trends of repeat traffic to identify changes which could indicate a threat or issue for concern. This technology works by identifying trends on a specific vehicle over time, without the need to compare the image to a model from the manufacturer.

In the coming months UVeye plans to expand the implementation of the UV Inspect technology to further support its global customers across the security market. UVeye’s technology is currently deployed all over the world at high security facilities such as banks, embassies, prisons, military bases, airports, and more.

• The system can detect threats from the first scan without needing to reference a “safe” image of the same vehicle or model
• UV Inspect is powered by deep learning computer vision technologies
• The technology is offered as a turnkey solution to the security industry, having previously only been available to a select group of customers
• UVeye is the only provider with the combination of advanced algorithms, highest quality image capture ability, and requisite volume of historical data to offer this solution

Two people have been diagnosed with Pneumonic Plague in Beijing’s Chaoyang district, both are currently in an unamed hospital and receiving treament. 

Chaoyang Hospital, where the two patients were initially treated, has taken the measure of replacing all the chairs at its emergency room. The emergency room was in police blockade Monday night and people living nearby the hospital told not to attend. A resident medical school student at Chaoyang Hospital told Caixin news reporters that he had received emergency notice from the school asking them not to go to the emergency room in the following weeks.

More information is yet to be forthcoming, but we'll keep you posted. 

Fifty-four people, including 51 children, were injured after a man sprayed corrosive liquid at them in a kindergarten in Kaiyuan City, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday.

The suspect, identified as a 23-year-old man surnamed Kong, broke into Dongcheng Kindergarten at around 3:35pm and spayed sodium hydroxide liquid at the children and teachers, police said.

The injured were sent to local hospitals for treatment. Two suffered serious burns while the rest sustained medium or minor injuries. None of the injuries are life-threatening, Xinhua said.

Kong was caught by police on a hill behind the kindergarten at around 4:10pm, the report said.

After an initial investigation, police said Kong was suicidal and wanted to vent his anger on society. He bought the chemicals online and produced the corrosive liquid himself.

Further investigation is going on.

Merck , known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the European Commission has granted a conditional marketing authorization to ERVEBO for active immunization of individuals 18 years of age or older to protect against Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) caused by Zaire Ebola virus. The use of ERVEBO should be in accordance with official recommendations. 

The approval is based on data submitted to the European Medicines Agency for accelerated assessment in March 2019. With this approval, the European Commission will grant a centralized marketing authorization with unified labeling that is valid in the 28 countries that are members of the European Union, as well as European Economic Area members, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. ERVEBO is currently under Priority Review with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with a target action date of March 14, 2020.

“The European Commission’s marketing authorization of ERVEBO is the result of an unprecedented collaboration for which the entire world should be proud. It is a historic milestone and a testament to the power of science, innovation and public-private partnership,” said Kenneth C. Frazier, chairman and chief executive officer, Merck. “After recognizing the need and urgency for an Ebola Zaire vaccine, many came together across sectors to answer the global call for outbreak preparedness. We at Merck are honored to play a part in Ebola outbreak response efforts and we remain committed to our partners and the people we serve. We also look forward to continuing to work with the FDA and the African countries on their regulatory reviews over the coming months and with the World Health Organization on vaccine prequalification, which will help broaden access to this important vaccine for those who need it most.” 

Given the unique manufacturing requirements for ERVEBO, this approval allows Merck to initiate manufacturing of licensed doses in Germany, which are expected to start becoming available in the third quarter of 2020. Merck is also working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States Government, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to ensure uninterrupted access of its investigational Ebola Zaire vaccine (V920) in support of ongoing international response efforts in the DRC. As previously announced, Merck has committed to manufacture additional doses of investigational V920 over the coming year.

As part of its clinical development, and in response to requests from the WHO, Merck has, to date, donated more than 250,000 1.0mL doses of V920 to the WHO for use in outbreak response efforts occurring in the DRC since May 2018.

Merck has made a submission to the WHO seeking prequalification status for the vaccine, as well as submissions to selected African country National Regulatory Authorities in collaboration with the African Vaccine Regulatory Forum (AVAREF), which, if approved, will allow the vaccine to be registered in several African countries.

The two-day Chemical Weapons Demilitarisation (CWD) conference supports the global effort to eliminate chemical weapons and fosters co-operation through the exchange of information and ideas relating to safe disposal.

The next CWD Conference will be held in May 2020, London. In addition to having the opportunity to hear from world experts in the field, the conference includes multiple networking opportunities, including a drinks reception and dinner on the first evening.

Each year the conference brings together representatives from 53 organisations from 13 countries and is the world’s largest international gathering of professionals involved in the demilitarisation of chemical weapons. Many delegates hold senior policy positions within government, the armed forces, industry, academia and research and development establishments.

The CWD Conference provides a unique opportunity to showcase the global progress in chemical weapons destruction and enables delegates to develop their knowledge and understanding with a common goal: working together to achieve a safer, cleaner world.

Oral and poster presentation for the CWD Conference 2020 will cover the following themes, and we welcome abstract submissions on these areas:

• Progress on global CW destruction
• Solutions to destruction challenges
• Emerging risks - strategic and operational
• Forensics, analysis and attribution
• Elimination research and development

For more information, and to register for CWD Conference 2020 please email: 

Back in July we announced the arrival of TRACIE, the Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange from HHS ASPR. 

Part of the TRACIE initiative is to provide valuable tools and information in the form of newsletters, one of which is The Exchange. The most recent issue focusses on Preparing for and Responding to Chemical Incidents.

Since it's release TRACIE is proving to be a very valuable resource, one we recommend you check out and sign up to the news letters. 

Story from Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe (BBK)

The Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance ( BBK ), in close cooperation with the Robert Koch Institute ( RKI ), carried out an exclusive Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT) for chemical and biological weapons experts of the United Nations at the military training area of ​​the Bundeswehr in Baumholder.

A total of 17 experts nominated by the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs participated in the ENTRi ( Europe's New Training Initiative for Civilian Crisis Management ) certified course - including participants from New Zealand, China, Russia, Jordan, Romania, Mexico, South Africa, Slovenia, Australia , Tunisia, Switzerland, Philippines, Great Britain, France, Italy and Germany. The experts work for Interpol, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the RKI , the national armed forces or government-related research and development institutes. Another six participants belonged to the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network(GOARN) of the World Health Organization ( WHO ). GOARN brings together human and technical resources to rapidly identify, confirm and respond to outbreaks of international significance, and ensures that the right technical expertise and skills are in place on site, where and when they are most needed, during acute medical outbreaks.

The initial situation of the seminar was adapted to the target group and included a possible Ebola outbreak with further unclear biological and chemical hazards. The participants went through a complex scenario: Arrival at the border checkpoint in the fictitious country "Rabiatistan" assessment and fact finding jobs in various (hazardous) Village situations, training for Tactical Field Care , guidance and mine awareness, off-road driving training and car technology, assault scenarios evacuations and further training sessions were on the program.

The course was intensively observed and accompanied by employees of the RKI and the UN and will subsequently be evaluated accordingly. All participants are provided by the UN as operational experts and are available at short notice for deployment in affected areas worldwide.The participating institutions recognized the continued and urgently needed training requirements in the area of ​​" Safety and Security / HEAT" for their employees and were impressed by the extremely high quality of the seminar and the very committed role players and lecturers. A further training cooperation with the UN or with the RKI and the GOARN network will also be pursued in the future

Netline Communications Technologies Ltd. - a leading developer and manufacturer of high-end electronic warfare and spectrum dominance solutions – is strengthening its presence in the APAC region, with several new contracts recently signed in this market.

One significant contract is a program to provide the C-Guard Reactive Jamming (RJ) Vehicular System, a vehicle-installed system that provides counter-IED (improvised explosive device) protection, to head-of-state motorcades in a Southeast Asian country. This unique solution both detects the threat and provides an immediate response, preventing remote detonation of radio controlled IEDs by transmitting jamming signals around the entire convoy. The system will be delivered by the end of the year.

Other contracts signed by Netline include follow-on orders for the supply of both vehicular and ManPack (MP) C-IED systems, to a state police force in Asia. In its MP configuration, C-Guard RJ is carried by frontline forces in a single backpack unit, preventing attempts to activate IEDs around tactical forces when on the move. 

IEDs, such as roadside bombs, are activated by radio-controlled devices (cell phones, walkie talkie, etc.), and have become a common threat in today's asymmetric warfare, as they are easy to make. Delivering benefits that include superior reactive jamming capabilities, wide coverage, simple operation by ground forces within a specific radius, and compliance with a wide range of Mil-STDs and radiation safety regulations, Netline's C-Guard family of reactive jamming systems provide a real-time counter-IED solution.

"We are pleased to further establish our presence in Asia, both with new contracts and business, and by securing follow-on orders from existing customers,” says Yallon Bahat, CEO of Netline. “Both our new and repeat orders are an indication of our customers’ satisfaction with Netline’s technology and products. We appreciate the cooperation with the different security agencies in these countries and believe this cooperation will be extended to additional future projects, enabling our customer to align their EW security strategy with the rapidly evolving threats, by using Netline’s high-end, advanced EW technology.”

Avon Protection is pleased to announce that the UK MOD General Service Respirator (‘GSR’) is now in production and work has begun to deliver the first order.

Avon Protection was awarded the 5-year contract to resupply and in-service support for the GSR in February 2018. After a year of development, samples of the GSR were provided to DSTL for laboratory testing and User evaluation. These tests were successfully passed and the GSR was accepted into service in September.

Avon Protection received the first order for respirators and spares at the beginning of October.

To meet the needs of full-scale production, two new manufacturing lines have been created to assemble the respirator and filter systems. The £16 million contract has created 22 new jobs at Avon Protection - three management and nineteen shop-floor production - as well as helping to sustain their 180 employees in Melksham, Wiltshire.”

This contract showcases the joint efforts between the CBRN team at DE&S, Avon Protection, DSTL and the User.

Paul McDonald, Chief Executive Officer for Avon Protection, said:

”We are delighted to support the UK MOD and service personnel with the GSR respirator and we look forward to continuing a long-term relationship with this strategically important customer. This contract demonstrates the UK MOD’s continued confidence and reliance on Avon Protection to supply product of the highest quality and performance to protect its troops.”

Historically, independent “red team” groups have been used by the U.S. military to test how well our armed forces can withstand attacks from adversaries. But, today, the tactic is evolving, with red teams using their skills and expertise to understand adversarial behavior and test security personnel in a wide range of public and private industries around the globe.

Despite its growth in popularity, both the science and art of red teaming remains underdeveloped, according to College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC) Associate Professor Gary Ackerman.

Ackerman, along with his colleague, CEHC Assistant Professor Brandon Behlendorf, are launching the Center for Advanced Red Teaming (CART) at UAlbany this semester to change that.

“Currently, there is almost no rigorous research into how red teaming is best conducted and no accredited academic training or education programs focused on the topic. CART will address this glaring need, making it the first center of its kind in the nation,” Ackerman said.

“Red teaming has long been practiced, especially in the military. However, in today’s digital world, with new types of adversaries, novel attacks and complicated, interdependent systems, red teaming plays an important role beyond its origins,” Behlendorf added. “The demand for these exercises is increasing and we want to be at the forefront of research and education to help it evolve.”

With CEHC’s support, Ackerman and Behlendorf have outlined a number of broad goals and strategies for the new center, separating them into three components: service/research, education and outreach.

CART’s specific goals include:

• Employing interdisciplinary research and analysis techniques to advance the art and science of red teaming in support of national security, cybersecurity and emergency preparedness.
• Serving as the locus for a joint scholarly and practitioner community, including acting as a clearinghouse for red teaming best practices and as an advocate for scientific approaches to red teaming.
• Educating and training the next generation of red teaming practitioners, emphasizing the strengths that diversity brings to the red teaming enterprise.
• Facilitating the recognition and implementation of red team results into defense policy and practice.

Outside of CEHC, and the practitioner community, CART will provide education, research and experiential learning opportunities to students from a variety of disciplines including political science, psychology, public health, geography and cybersecurity.

CART will also work closely with CEHC’s National Center for Security and Preparedness (NCSP), which leverages training, exercises, policy development and applied research to drive change.

“CART’s cutting-edge approach brings a new dynamic to the way we bridge academia and practice in the homeland security field,” said NCSP Interim Director Jayson Kratoville. “Our combined capabilities raise the bar for mobilizing new ideas, tactics and technologies to help keep our communities safe.”

Lastly, the Center will tap into CEHC’s diverse faculty expertise – many of whom bring experience outside of academia – for insight on red teaming and related areas such as gaming and simulation.

“It is our mission at CEHC to make a difference by bringing together the people, technology, and knowledge to address today’s challenges,” said CEHC Dean Robert Griffin. “Through CART, we’re excited to not only address the unequivocal need for more practice and understanding of red teaming, but also to train the next generation of leaders in this growing security profession.”

CART will officially launch next month, on Wednesday, Nov. 6, through a kickoff event in Washington, D.C. with the CEHC community, federal agency partners and industry representatives. You can learn more by contacting CART at CART@albany.edu">CART@albany.edu.