Boston – 908 Devices Inc., a pioneer of purpose-built analytical devices for chemical and biomolecular analysis, today announced they will provide their High-Pressure Mass Spectrometry™ (HPMS) technology platform to the next phase of the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) new Aerosol and Vapor Chemical Agent Detector (AVCAD) program.

Environics has been awarded a new 610K€ contract with the Finnish Defence Forces, including CBRN surveillance and security devices and system software. The new system will be compatible with their existing CBRN surveillance network.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announced today the launch of a $250K Challenge to develop concepts for an escape respirator.

The Escape Respirator Challenge seeks new concepts for an escape respirator solution. This challenge invites the innovation community to submit relevant, usable, effective, and feasible concepts that protect the user against aerosolized chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR) hazards and provides oxygen.

India has successfully test-fired nuclear-capable ballistic missile Agni-5, which has a strike range of 5,000 km, from Dr Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast. According to defence forces, this is the seventh trial of the surface-to-surface missile.

With its unique positioning in the detection of CBRN threats, Bertin Technologies has been selected, in a consortium with Thales, by the Ministry of the Armed Forces for the upstream research market “Platform for the Integration of Innovative Technologies in the Domain of Biological and Chemical Analysis “(PI ABC), which aims to structure, in the coming years, the development of new equipment for the detection and identification of chemical and biological threats.

The CBRN threat (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear), particularly the use of chemical agents for terrorist purposes, is more and more taken into account by international authorities.

To monitor this threat, the Japanese National Police Agency (NPA) deployed the Second Sight gas remote sensing camera.

Six people have been killed and dozens have been injured, 12 of them seriously, in a stampede at a nightclub in Italy.

Witnesses have reported that a teenage boy sprayed an irritating substance leading to the mad rush by the crowd to flee the area. Police have confirmed that a pepper spray can has been found at the scene, and are speaking to witnesses to ascertain more about the incident.

DroneShield Ltd recently announced that the U.S. Department of Defense Asymmetric Warfare Group at Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia has evaluated DroneShield’s products DroneSentr and DroneGun Tactical at an event facilitated by the Army Night Vision Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) Unique Mission Cell (UMC).

Kromek, a worldwide supplier of detection technology focusing on the medical, security and civil nuclear markets, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded its first contract for biological-threat detection by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (“DARPA”), an agency of the US Department of Defense.

The contract, which is worth $1.99 million over a twelve-month period and commences immediately, is to develop a proof-of-concept device for a vehicle-mounted biological-threat identifier.

Endeavour has revealed design details and images of their Scorpion Robot which was designed for the US Army’s Common Robotic System-Individual (CRS-I) program.

Announced in April, Endeavor is one of two finalists now in a run-off to provide the Army with a new multi-mission, 'back-packable’ UGV weighing less than 25 lbs. Potentially worth more than $400 million, the contract to build up to 3,000 robots is scheduled to be awarded early next year.

Arktis Radiation Detectors has deepened its relationship with BrightSpec NV/SA, signing an exclusive license agreement to distribute the BrightSpec Compact Digital Multi-Channel Analyzer ('bMCA’) in the US Homeland Security market, via its subsidiary Arktis Detection Systems of Crystal City, VA.

Arktis detection products include fixed and relocatable radiation portal monitors, lightweight and covert vehicle mounted systems, and a scalable ultra-light detector for unmanned aerial vehicles. The products already benefit from low-cost, He3-free neutron detection and from a unique open system architecture which allows customers to select from a variety of software and hardware subsystems.

The US Air Force has started to field its Joint Service Aircrew Mask (JSAM) for helicopter aircraft as part of a larger effort to shield its personnel against contamination from weapons of mass destruction.

The JSAM provides better protection against CBRN contamination and is currently being fielded on the HH-60G Pave Hawk and UH-1N Huey aircraft.