FLIR Systems, Inc. has announced that the United States (U.S.) Air Force has ordered more than 180 of the company’s CentaurTM unmanned ground vehicles (UGV), plus spares. The $23 million contract is sourced through the Dept. of Defense Man Transportable Robotic System Increment II (MTRS Inc II) program. 

In 2017, the U.S. Army chose FLIR Systems’ legacy business, Endeavor Robotics, as its medium-sized robot provider for MTRS Inc II. The company created a newly designed UGV, Centaur, as its MTRS Inc II solution. FLIR has begun delivering Centaur units to the Army under that multi-year program of record, which upon award was valued at up to $158 million, including options. 

Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams will use the FLIR Centaur to assist in disarming improvised explosive devices (IEDs), unexploded ordnance, and similar hazardous tasks. Multiple sensors and payloads can be added to Centaur to support other missions. 

“Centaur gives operators a highly versatile, man-transportable UGV that helps saves lives by keeping humans away from danger,” said David Ray, president of the Government and Defense Business Unit at FLIR. “We’re pleased the Air Force has chosen Centaur as its mid-sized robot solution and that the MTRS Inc II program can serve as an efficient procurement vehicle.” 

Centaur is a remotely operated, medium-sized UGV system that provides a standoff capability to detect, confirm, identify, and dispose of hazards. Weighing roughly 160 pounds, the open- architected robot features an advanced EO/IR camera suite, a manipulator arm that reaches more than six feet, and the ability to climb stairs. Its modular payloads can be used for CBRNE detection and other missions. 

Shipments are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2020. For more on FLIR Systems’ Unmanned Ground Systems platforms, visit www.flir.com/UIS/UGS. 

The February Issue of CBRNe World magazine is now available online https://cbrneworld.com/magazine

No escape from Covid-19 here! A feature on the latest pathogen, a restrospective on SARS in the light of it and ruminations on disinformation. In addition to that, DOE's new aerial monitoring, Gary Ackerman's red team, and information on the NEIDL. If that wasn't enough CBax swoops by with more tips and Prairie Dog pops his head up!

On the 17th of February we spoted a story on the Channel News Asia website stating "Indonesian authorities call for calm after radiation found at housing complex near Jakarta"

At that time there was not much in the way of information other than authorities in Jakarta had detected elevated levels of Caesium-137 during routine testing of it's radiation detection equipment at the end of January. We thought we would keep an eye on the story for a while and see what unfolded before posting on it, here is what has happened. 

The Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten), issued a statement saying they had dected the elevated levels of Caesium-137 and were undertaking investigations to loctae the source, and how it got there. Bapeten got decontamination efforts underway and said the radiation levels had dropped during this time, the decontamination effort has involved removing 400 drums of soil and vegeatation from the area, all, of which were sent to the National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan) for analysis. 

Indonesia does not have an active nuclear power industry, but there is a reactor which is used for research is about 3km away from the site of the contamination, and authorities said that the Caesium-137 did not come from a nuclear reactor leak but rather industrial sources. At this point, February 20th, it was reported that police had begun an investigation into the incident, and Bapeten had begun collecting information on known users of Caesium-137 across Indonesia. 

On the 21st of February local news outlets reported that 2 people living in the housing complex where the radiation was detected had tested positive for Caesium-137 "but the level was still under the limit, so the exposure won’t cause any bodily harm,” stated Bapeten chief secretary Hendriyanto Hadi Tjahyono. 

On the 27th of February we then saw news reports that police believed they had tracked down the possible owner of the Caesium, and that he is a registered employee of Batan, the National Nuclear Agency. At that point this was not confirmed however, and Batan spokesperson Heru Umbara said the agency was "still conducting an investigation on the possible suspect, which includes the owner of the house. “We do not know the owner, but the person might go into retirement in a month’s time,” said Heru.

Today, March 2nd, the Jakarta Post reported that the Batan employee is indeed the owner of the Caesium, National Police spokesperson, Sr. Comr. Asep Adi Saputra said that the man, identified by the initials SM, had been keeping radioactive substances at his house for a long time. “He opened a decontamination service, too, so [the service] was a part of his livelihood,” Police found the radioactive isotope Caesium-137 along with other radioactive substances in SM’s house, and determined they had been there for some period of time by the level of decay displayed. 

However, SM is currently still only a witness in this investigation! The police have said he could soon be named a suspect and charged under a 1997 law on nuclear energy for illegally storing radioactive materials in his house. If charged, SM faces a maximum punishment of two years’ imprisonment and a Rp 100 million (US$7,154) fine.

It was announced on February 26th that the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant has reached the half way mark, and has destroyed 50% of the obsolete chemical munitions stored at Pueblo Chemical Depot. 

50% equates to around 220,000 munitions, and with this milestone reached, it is expected that the deadline to destroy all stockpiled mustard agent by December 2023 is well attainable. 

“This accomplishment is the result of the dedication and tenacity of the men and women who work at PCAPP,” said Walton Levi, site project manager. “The PCAPP team overcame a variety of technical and operational challenges associated with a First-Of-A-Kind processing facility and these challenges were tackled head-on by our very capable, well-trained and experienced workforce.”

The PCAPP will continue to work on the processing and destruction of 155mm projectiles this year, before moving on to the 105mm destruction campaign.  

A Belarusian man has been indicted on charges of mailing packages containing a poisonous substance to a California state prison. 

14 people have died, and 500 have reported being sickened in the southern port city of Karachi, in an incident involving a substance yet to be identified by authorities. 

Convergence 2020 is being held in the beautiful Boston, and is sure to be one not to be missed! Head over to the event pages and register your place now. 

The  Disaster Information Management Research Center Disaster Lit®: Database for Disaster Medicine and Public Health database has recently been updated and is now available. Disaster Lit is a fantastic resource, you can find the below information there, as well as much more.  

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Hospital Preparedness Assessment Tool (CDC)

Preparing for Cases of COVID-19: Guidance for Pacific Island Countries and Areas in the WHO (World Health Organization) Western Pacific Region

Interim Guidelines for Collecting, Handling, and Testing Clinical Specimens from Persons Under Investigation (PUIs) for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

2019 Novel Coronavirus Evaluating and Reporting Persons Under Investigation (PUI)

Merckhas confirmed that ERVEBO has now been registered by National Health Authorities in the following countries in Africa – DRC, Burundi, Ghana, and Zambia. 

ERVEBO was granted a conditional marketing authorization by the European Commission on November 11, 2019 and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Dec. 20, 2019. In the United States, ERVEBO is indicated for the prevention of disease caused by Zaire ebolavirus in individuals 18 years of age and older. The duration of protection conferred by ERVEBO is unknown. ERVEBO does not protect against other species of Ebolavirus or Marburgvirus. Effectiveness of the vaccine when administered concurrently with antiviral medication, immune globulin (IG), and/or blood or plasma transfusions is unknown.

Approvals by these African countries signify continued, groundbreaking progress in advancing the future of global public health preparedness against Zaire ebolavirus disease, made possible by the unprecedented collaboration between the World Health Organization (WHO), the African Vaccines Regulatory Forum (AVAREF), African governments, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and Merck. These approvals were the result of the successful implementation of the WHO’s Roadmap for introduction and roll‐out of Merck rVSV-ZEBOV Ebola virus disease vaccine in African countries. The roadmap, designed to coordinate actions and contributions toward the licensing and roll-out of ERVEBO, helped facilitate near-parallel regulatory reviews and led to the approvals of the vaccine in several at-risk countries within 90 days of WHO prequalification.

“We are grateful for WHO’s leadership in establishing a path forward for expediting the prequalification and licensing of this vaccine in countries at greatest risk,” said Kenneth C. Frazier, chairman and chief executive officer, Merck. “This important milestone is one more example of the partnership that has formed in response to the outbreaks. While we are far from finished in the Ebola fight, this milestone shows what can be done when we work together to address the most challenging diseases that threaten people and communities.”

As previously announced, Merck is working to initiate manufacturing of licensed doses and expects these doses to start becoming available in approximately the third quarter of 2020. Merck is working closely with the United States government, WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi (the Vaccine Alliance) to plan for how eventual, licensed doses will support future public health preparedness and response efforts against Zaire ebolavirus disease. In the meantime, Merck continues to work urgently with WHO and partners to make investigational Ebola Zaire vaccine (V920) doses available in support of international outbreak response efforts in the DRC and neighboring countries.

From Department of Homeland Security S&T news

The U.S. Coast Guard is America's maritime first responder. Just like their counterparts on dry land, these first responders are called to action when citizens are in distress, when a crime has been committed, and when natural disasters strike. They are rescuers, law enforcement, border patrol and, in some cases, the Coast Guard is also involved in special operations. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is committed to ensuring that all American responders have the tools they need to do their jobs safely and securely—including reliable personal protective equipment that won’t let them down when it matters the most.

The Coast Guard’s Maritime Security Response Team (MSRT) is a tactical unit that specializes in maritime counterterrorism and high-risk law enforcement operations, boarding and securing vessels held by terrorists or criminal groups at home and abroad. Some of these operations involve chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats and require protective equipment, including air-purifying respirator (APR) masks.

The Coast Guard asked S&T to assist in meeting a need to reduce the discomfort of wearing APRs by MSRT teams because discomfort adds to physical stress, which may impede endurance. To resolve this issue, S&T enlisted the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Chemical Biological Center (CBC) to assess existing Powered-air Purifying Respirators (PAPRs) and recommend models that would be a better fit with MSRT’s current masks, literally and figuratively.

The physical stress of rapidly moving through ships, clearing spaces, and potentially dealing with armed suspects can significantly raise respiration and heart rate,” said Daniel Moose, Technical Director for MSRT East. “We wanted a system that would minimize some of the negative physiological impacts during heavy exertion and extended missions—lower the respiration rate and make it easier to breathe through the filters in a regular protective mask.”

S&T began assessing PAPRs in 2017 and concluded its work in September 2019. During this time, S&T invested subject matter expertise and conducted user tests for MSRT’s CBRN missions. In June 2019, S&T and CBC assessed the performance of PAPR equipment at MSRT East in Chesapeake, Virginia, where MSRT operators tested products in simulated operational settings to select the most suitable one for their missions.

“MSRT members are responsible for keeping the maritime environment safe and are required to be capable of operating in a CBRN environment,” said Dr. Don Bansleben, S&T Program Manager for the PAPR Assessment. “To perform their job most effectively, they need to be outfitted with high quality personal protective equipment, such as a respiratory protective system that minimizes stress and exertion, while also protecting against a range of contaminants.”

How a better PAPR can help the Coast Guard

Filters in PAPR systems protect against hazardous CBRN substances in the air via an activated carbon filter and a High-Efficiency Particulate Air, or HEPA, filter. PAPR takes in atmospheric air via a motor, filters it and blows it across the inside of the mask worn by MSRT operators.

Even at peak performance, when MSRT operators have to climb or run onto ships while carrying 70-pounds of equipment including weapons, armor, and detection equipment, physical discomfort can affect their intense focus on the mission at hand and make their work more difficult. Physical exertion leads to sweating, which can fog up the visor on the protective mask.

“Not being able to see clearly is more dangerous for them, especially if an adversary is shooting at them,” Bansleben said. “You want to be really focused on what you're trying to do and not worrying that you are starting to feel weak, hot or tired. Effective PAPR systems provide a continuous stream of cool, filtered air across your face, so it keeps you cool. This helps MSRT operators maintain their physical stamina to safely finish their mission.”

Testing PAPR systems

Many vendors make PAPRs for both military and industrial applications. S&T together with CBC evaluated currently existing respirator technology for its suitability for use in the maritime environment and ability to work in conjunction with MSRT’s current protective masks.

The Coast Guard selected two Avon Industries products, the EZAir+ and MP-PAPR systems (wearable like backpacks with a flexible hose) and worked with S&T and CBC to test them and provide the best one to MSRT operators. The main purpose of the tests, which took place in January-June 2019, was to see whether these respirators meet manufacturer specifications and Coast Guard requirements.

“S&T and the Coast Guard, with the help of the U.S. Army’s CBC in Edgewood, performed controlled lab testing to ensure that these systems are durable, reliable, simple to operate, and that they'll stand up in the environments that we would wear them in,” said Moose.

For example, they tested the airflow to make sure it matches what the manufacturer states. They also tested the PAPR systems in a simulated maritime environment by spraying them multiple times with salt fog spray and letting them dry, and then taking the equipment apart to check for corrosion. Another test involved dropping the systems from 10-13 feet in the air onto hard surfaces and checking if the systems were still functioning.  

“They need to withstand exposure to salt water for long periods of time, to high temperatures, low temperatures, and they must be durable enough for the bangs and drops that they would be exposed to when our operators are using them,” Moose said.

Then in June 2019, S&T and CBC tested the two systems at MSRT East in a simulated mission to make sure the respirators are compatible with the protective masks and work well with the equipment the MSRT operators wear.

The MSRT operators, while carrying guns and other equipment, descended and climbed ropes, climbed stairs, threw rope ladders on a structure that imitates a ship and ascended them. Finally, they provided feedback.

“The Avon MP-PAPR resolves most of the sweat buildup and fogging inside the mask,” said Moose. “It makes it much more comfortable for the members to do their job even when they have to negotiate a lot of stairs and run up and down ships. S&T and the Army’s CBC were extremely helpful in facilitating a lot of the testing.”

Future outlook

The results, both qualitative and quantitative, were incorporated in a report for the Coast Guard and supported acquisition of the Avon MP-PAPR system for use by all MSRT teams for their missions. After the vendor made enhancements, the chosen system underwent successful final assessment in October at the MSRT Headquarters. Based on findings of the technology assessments, the DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office is procuring these devices for the Coast Guard.

“We are hoping in the beginning of 2020 to begin fielding the new PAPRs to all our members,” Moose said. “This great collaborative effort that S&T led will help our operators be more effective at doing their job by increasing endurance and decreasing some of the physical stress they have to endure.”

Ostfildern, February 2020. Telerob Gesellschaft für Fernhantierungstechnik mbH presented the successor to the proven telemax at the beginning of the year: the telemax EVO. Like its big brother tEODor EVO, the telemax EVO offers the latest technologies such as a completely revised, comfortable and future-oriented operating concept.

The operating concept "Robo Command", already known from the tEODor EVO, consists of a lightweight communication unit the size of a carry-on suitcase, as well as a modern controller unit with multi-touch screen and ergonomic design. Operation is intuitive and based on applications that the user is already familiar with through the usage of tablets and smartphones. The new HD pan/tilt camera provides a razor-sharp image for an optimal overview of operations. Further, the radio operation has also been optimized: The fully integrated IP mesh radio system ensures a stable radio connection with the best network coverage  ̶  an advantage that is particularly noticeable in urban environments. If required, the range can also be extended by 1000 m (LOS) per repeater by using additional repeaters. The telemax EVO is available in the models PRO, HYBRID, PLUS and 4x4.

In addition to technological developments, the great advantage of our new telemax EVO family is clearly the multi-robot operation. This means that the controller unit, the communication unit and the radio components are freely interchangeable within a robot fleet. In future, for example, a telemax EVO and a tEODor EVO can be operated alternately with just one Robo Command. This is not only financially a plus point for our customers, but also extremely practical during operations. And last but not least, the training effort required for just one operating concept is of course considerably reduced”, says Thomas Biehne, Managing Director.

Telerob Gesellschaft für Fernhantierungstechnik GmbH is an independent, medium-sized, owner-managed company based in Ostfildern near Stuttgart, Germany, producing homeland security solutions. The product range includes remote-controlled robots for disarming improvised explosive devices and investigating hazards, fully equipped service vehicles as well as mobile system solutions ensuring the safety and security of critical infrastructure and people.

Evidence Aid have been watching the progression of the Coronavirus. Because the outbreak is leading to a rapidly expanding and evolving literature, they have curated a page of entry points to this literature which you can see here: https://www.evidenceaid.org/coronavirus-resources/.