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 United States Air Force (USAF) 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 USAF 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 Department of Defense (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 USAF was Chemical and Biological.
The CALS FC ACS fielding to the USAF gaining units fulfilled the requirements to field 43 CALS FC ACS Chemical detectors and 45 Chemical Biological detectors to the USAF. The fielding included shipment of chemical and biological detectors as well as consumables. The USAF will utilize CALS FC ACS systems in the Contiguous United States (CONUS) and Outside Contiguous United States (OCONUS).
JPEO-CBRND attributes the successful completion of the joint program to its vital partnerships with Combat Capabilities Developmental Command (DEVCOM) Chemical Biological Center (CBC); U.S. Army Pine Bluff Arsenal (PBA); as well as the US Army Medical Center of Excellence (MEDCoE). Each organization played a critical role in the procurement, kitting, shipping, and intensive training. Notably, JPM CBRN Sensors provided overall program management effectively handling the cost, schedule and performance. Currently, DEVCOM CBC and PBA developed the kitting and shipping and US Army MEDCoE executed the New Equipment Training (NET). DEVCOM CBC, PBA, and MEDCoE coordinated with its partners to drive the development of the system forward, 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.
John Abdou, JPM CBRN Sensors Assistant Product Manager on the CALS FC ACS stated “We are very proud to be able to deliver this life saving capability to the USAF; getting it to them years ahead of schedule is the icing on the cake.”