Holloman Air Force Base, NM –
On 16 May 2023, The Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) supported the biennial readiness exercise of the Joint Biological Agent Decontamination System (JBADS) at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The event included briefings and a tour of the JBADS, sharing how the system disinfects an aircraft in the event of being contaminated with a biological agent to return the aircraft to its mission as soon as possible.
The JBADS provides biological agent decontamination of the interior and exterior of aircraft. There is currently no other capability to thoroughly decontaminate both the interior and exterior of the aircraft. Additionally, this design incorporates a chemical liner for potential chemical agent decontamination. The JBADS capability includes a delivery system using hot, humid air, a shelter to encapsulate an airframe, and an environmental control and monitoring system. The JBADS provides a cornerstone to obtaining a chemical-free decontamination system, as required by the Air Force. The JBADS focus is on the biological agent decontamination the C-130 aircraft and future efforts may address chemical and biological decontamination of other airframes and vehicles.
Photo by Airman 1st Class Corinna Diaz; Joint Biological Agent Decontamination System (JBADS) is closed around a C-130 Hercules to demonstrate the effectiveness of the system, at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, May 16, 2023. The JBADS will be operated as part of a biennial exercise to demonstrate the system’s ability to decontaminate an aircraft following a biological attack.
Distinguished guests in attendance included Dr. Mark Cyr, Deputy Director Strategic Plans, Policy, and Logistics Directorate at U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) and Mr. John “Woody” Almind, Deputy Division Chief for AMC. These two organizations have been instrumental in developing the requirements and concept of operations for JBADS for over a decade.
The JPEO-CBRND served as the advanced developer of the JBADS system and worked in coordination with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Air Mobility Command (AMC), TRANSCOM, Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), U.S. Army Developmental Command Chemical and Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC), and Naval Surface Warfare Center (NAVSEA) Dahlgren Division to manage and develop the aircraft decontamination system. During the event Mr. Darryl Colvin, the Joint Program Executive Officer for JPEO-CBRND transferred the first two production units of the JBADS from the JPEO to AMC.
Mr. Colvin noted the importance of the event and the transition of the JBADS systems to AMC. “JPEO-CBRND is pleased to transfer this important system to our AMC partners as an operational capability. We are pleased to support the Air Force in our shared mission to protect our Airmen from biological threats and to unencumber our warfighters and get them back to their missions.”
Photo by Airman 1st Class Corinna Diaz; Darryl Colvin, Joint Program Executive Officer for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND), right, greets Woody Almind, from the Air Mobility Command, during a Joint Biological Agent Decontamination System (JBADS) tour at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, May 16, 2023. The JBADS will be operated as part of a biennial exercise to demonstrate the system’s ability to decontaminate an aircraft following a biological attack.