ON YOU MARK, GET SET, DETECT!


FILLING A SIMPLE BUT AMBITIOUS NEED Te JBTDS first emerged from the pressing need to enhance the U.S. military’s capabilities for the detection, identification and characterization of biological threats during Operation Iraqi Free- dom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Te idea was simple yet ambitious: create a man-portable integrated system, no heavier than 45 pounds, capable of rapidly identifying and responding to biological agents in operational environments across the globe. Te result would be a system powerful enough to detect biolog- ical hazards but also small and light enough that the warfighter could still freely maneuver.


Developing a sophisticated tactical biological detection and identification system from scratch presented numerous chal- lenges. Developers underwent many operational demonstrations and experiments with multiple prototypes to inform the Joint Requirements Office (JRO) and help determine what capabil- ity might be possible—and with what features. Tis technology had not yet been explored on the commercial side, making it a true need for DOD to spearhead its development.


Recognizing the importance of this effort and the clear require- ment to protect the joint force from emerging threats, JBTDS stakeholders went to work.


Although it would take 20 years to fully develop the system, there were many technical and programmatic delays that the team had to address and overcome during this period. For starters, team members needed to refine the technology by developing a new detection modality that operated with a battery able to with- stand temperature extremes. Ten, the team’s work was delayed by a two-year moratorium on biological work, starting in 2015. Finally, the team had to overcome technical challenges with the detector, which led to the assessment of multiple solutions during the Biological Point System Assessment in 2018-2019. It was no small feat and took considerable time to overcome these chal- lenges; however, the JBTDS is stronger and more precise because of navigating the ups and downs of advanced development.


It led to greater interoperability with and communication between CBRN sensor instruments in austere environments, for example. Te JPEO-CBRND’s Joint Project Manager (JPM) for CBRN Sensors team was also able to forge partnerships with other Program Executive Offices and project managers to ensure that cyber compliance and security was not compromised; among their accomplishments was a comprehensive Cyber Security Strategy, a first for a biological sensor within the JPEO-CBRND portfolio. Additionally, the team coordinated numerous requirements across


26 Army AL&T Magazine Fall 2024


The JBTDS will provide the CBRN community with real-time awareness of potential hazards in various operational environments without the logistical burden of being mounted on a vehicle or trailer.


NECESSARY PREPARATIONS


U.S. Marines from the CBIRF participated in a Product Manager Risk Reduction activity at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland in October 2023. Product managers often conduct excursions with operational units to identify potential risks to performance as well as document warfighter experiences using the equipment prior to undergoing further testing.


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