Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD –
The Joint Project Manager for Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Sensors, part of the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) celebrates the completion of early fielding to National Guard Bureau (NGB) units for the Common Analytical Laboratory System Field Confirmatory Analytical Capability Set (CALS FC ACS). The program office worked diligently to deliver this capability into the hands of NGB warfighters years ahead of schedule.
The CALS FC ACS is a common suite of commercial and government-off-the-shelf (COTS/GOTS) components to support the Defense Department (DoD) field analytic units. CALS FC ACS supports the detection and/or identification of Chemical Warfare Agents (CWAs), Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs), Toxic Industrial Materials (TIMs), Toxins, and Biological Warfare Agents (BWAs) in environmental samples. Information produced by CALS FC ACS assists commanders and the local authorities with managing and mitigating the effects of a Chemical and Biological attack or disaster by providing the ability to rapidly develop a common operating picture to determine the appropriate course of action.
The CALS FC ACS systems are comprised of chemical and biological subsystems. The CALS FC ACS chemical subsystem components include a Gas Chromatograph / Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS), Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer, and Raman spectrometer. The CALS FC ACS biological subsystem components include Electrochemiluminescence (ECL), and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) equipment. Mission requirements dictate whether warfighters will receive the chemical components, the biological components, or both. The requirement for NGB was Chemical subsystems.
The CALS FC ACS fielding to the NGB's Consequence Management Support Center (COMSUPCEN) in Lexington, KY fulfilled the requirements to field 61 CALS FC ACS to the NGB. The fielding included shipment of chemical subsystems as well as consumables. The NGB will utilize CALS FC ACS systems with its Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Teams (CSTs) around the country.
JPEO-CBRND attributes the successful completion of this fielding to its vital partnership with United States Army Combat Capabilities Developmental Command (DEVCOM) Chemical Biological Center (CBC). They played a critical role in the procurement, kitting, and shipping of the equipment. Notably, JPM CBRN Sensors provided overall program management effectively managing cost, schedule, and performance while DEVCOM CBC developed the kitting and shipping. JPM CBRN Sensors coordinated with its partners to drive the development of the system forward by using the expertise of their scientists and engineers to provide a system for warfighters with the best capabilities possible.
The development of the program spanned nine years with an estimated cost of $42 million culminating with independent evaluation for safely, suitability, effectiveness, and support for all its users. The aim of the project was to improve the warfighters current equipment capability. Each organization played a role in the development, production, fielding, and sustainment of the systems – leading to a successful roll-out of the enterprise-grade systems.
Ryan Kuhns, JPM CBRN Sensors Program Officer for the CALS FC ACS stated “I’m glad that we were able to give such a valuable customer the capability they needed in a time frame that exceeded their expectations.”
FC-ACS Chemical Subsystem
