CLEAN SWEEP: Soldiers detect radiation during chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear scenario-based decontamination training in the U.S. Central Command area of operations on February 23, 2024. Service members train on CBRN scenarios to identify chemical threats with reconnaissance in order to decontaminate personnel and equipment and reduce casualties. (Photo by Sgt. Christopher Neu, 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade)
by Kelly Burkhalter
Developing the best equipment for warfighters requires a delicate balance. The equipment must be operable across any climate, so it needs to be rugged and resilient, but it can’t be too heavy. These factors become even more complex for items used in chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN)-contested environments as they need to maintain operability in environments where the equipment can be contaminated.
The Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) is working with partners to develop a capability called the Critical Equipment Decontamination System (CEDS). Once fielded, CEDS will rapidly decontaminate CBRN-compromised equipment in forward, austere, hostile and denied areas to support extended operational mission cycles and reconstitute combat capabilities—keeping the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) in the fight.
HOW IT WORKS
The CEDS, designed to meet the needs of Special Operations Forces (SOF), is a transportable system with the capability to rapidly decontaminate chemical and biological agents from sensitive, low-density-issued operational equipment to a level that allows reuse. CEDS-treated gear would not require a warfighter to wear additional protective equipment when reusing items that have been processed through the system. The goal of CEDS is to quickly re-equip the force and maximize tactical flexibility and fighting strength, while also minimizing the logistical burden and cost of conducting countering weapons of mass destruction operations through CBRN gear survivability.
For example, a warfighter is operating in a CBRN environment and encounters a suspected agent; the warfighter completes the mission and conducts a recovery effort by placing critical equipment into the CEDS for decontamination. Once decontaminated, the critical equipment can be reissued for use without any additional requirements or risks to force readiness.
The CEDS is currently an Acquisition Category III program, which began prototyping efforts in fiscal year 2022. The Joint Project Manager for CBRN Special Operations (JPM CBRN SOF), JPEO-CBRND, leads the CEDS program. Two CEDS variants are in development—one large and one small. The small variant is being developed by Integrated Solutions for Systems Inc. in Huntsville, Alabama, and the large capability by HDT Expeditionary Systems Inc. in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The large variant CEDS resembles a medium-sized metal shipping container, while the small variant looks like an inflatable tent-like structure with soft walls.
SAVING TIME, SAVING LIVES: The CEDS, once fielded, will rapidly decontaminate sensitive equipment exposed to CBRN fallout, allowing it to be returned to the field and the fight as soon as possible. The small variant CEDS is pictured here. (Photo by Lindsay Longobardi, JPM CBRN SOF)
PUTTING IT TO THE TEST
The small variant CEDS completed developmental and operational testing (DT/OT) at the Vojenský výzkumný ústav, s.p. (VVU) in the Czech Republic as part of a larger testing event. The objective for the DT/OT in the Czech Republic was to conduct field tests to evaluate the small CEDS’ performance at various chemical agent challenge levels.
“Testing CEDS’ decontamination capability on the operational equipment SOF users rely on to safely complete their missions, using real-life threats they encounter, was the uncompromising goal I had for this test program,” said Traci Sheely, JPM CBRN SOF joint product lead for the program of record portfolio. “Surrogate materials or equipment and simulants [for chemical agents] don’t provide the level of certainty needed to ensure that when we field CEDS, we can be confident that our SOF users are safe. That’s why we chose to conduct this testing at the VVU— to use real-life threats on actual equipment.”
The team looked at several agents and challenge levels, with and without pretreatments, to observe how CEDS performed in the environment. Before the CEDS Czech Republic testing, the team worked with its partners to conduct preliminary laboratory testing stateside, including new equipment training and evaluations with SOF users. Once that was done, the team shipped the system overseas to begin the field tests. Results are currently being evaluated and will be implemented into the operational test event for the small variant, which is planned for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, while testing for the large variant at the VVU will begin in the second quarter.
“The biggest advantage of testing in the Czech Republic is that in the U.S. we have limited facilities for open-air testing. The Czech Republic has a process where they can set up a site, execute and decontaminate the site and prepare for the next test, which allows us to move quickly and gain quality data,” said Laurel O’Connor, CEDS test engineer, U.S Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Soldier Center. “It’s also another great opportunity to leverage our international partners to help get data faster to stay on schedule.”
The ability to quickly prepare, conduct testing, analyze results and implement changes for the next test is of special importance to the SOCOM community. Their programs run on a shorter timeline, thus finding ways to accelerate the schedule wherever possible. Taking on calculated risks where appropriate allow the team to make the necessary refinements and deliver solutions to the force.
“The intent is to get the end users what they need as quickly as we can while also ensuring the equipment performs. It’s a balance between maintaining a certain speed but not pushing too hard on the process in a way that would negatively affect the results we need on the backend,” O’Connor said.
THE RESULTS ARE IN
The analysis of the results and data collected from the testing is a critical part of the process that cannot be rushed. The CEDS program team collaborates with different independent organizations to obtain a thorough analysis. Some of the organizations include the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, National Assessment Group at Kirkland Air Force Base and the DEVCOM Analysis Center. This collaboration allowed the team to have objective analyses of the data to confirm the results obtained during the testing.
“Due to the nature of CEDS, we want to make sure without a shadow of a doubt that the data we are basing our decisions and test [results] on are as accurate as possible,” said Tim Cadle, CEDS assistant program manager, JPM CBRN SOF. “There are no additional sensors or backstops that can confirm that CEDS has decontaminated every bit of agent from the equipment. Thus, we need to be very confident in our data to ensure that we can say that the system achieves the right efficacy level.”
The CEDS test data the team is obtaining will also support the development of tactics, techniques and procedures for use with CEDS when it is fielded to SOCOM. The testing is looking at actual operational equipment’s efficacy levels and informing the best practices per equipment set.
“We want to achieve a level of understanding for what is operable for different pieces of equipment throughout the test process and pass that information to the end user,” Cadle said. “As an example, if a protective mask eye lens is difficult to decontaminate to the right efficacy level, then the entire mask would become a throwaway item. If you want to mitigate this and recover the mask, then you would need to ensure that the mask eye lens protective cover is in place during CBRN operations. By doing this, the throwaway item is now the disposable eye lens protective cover and not the entire mask. This information gets passed to the end user as a recommendation that the eye lens protective cover must be worn during CBRN operations if you want to be able to recover the mask.”
CONCLUSION
The JPM CBRN SOF CEDS program team and the SOCOM stakeholder community confirmed that the CEDS small variant prototype design documentation was sufficient to proceed into fabrication, demonstration and testing. They also reviewed the technical and test data to ensure that the systems produced for DT/OT testing in the Czech Republic are standardized against approved design information and that future design modifications can be implemented.
“This test event moves us one step closer to fielding the CEDS capability to SOCOM, which will improve the lethality of the SOF warfighter by enabling them to quickly reconstitute mission essential equipment and resume real-world CBRN response operations,” Sheely said.
The testing event at VVU was a major accomplishment to keep the CEDS program moving forward, but there is still more to be done before this equipment can be fielded. The small variant underwent operational testing in December 2024, while the large variant will commence testing in the first quarter of 2025. The team is working towards a Milestone C decision in fiscal year 2025, which would greenlight it for production and deployment, and then equipping the first SOCOM units in fiscal year 2027.
For more information, contact the JPEO-CBRND Public Affairs Office at usarmy.apg.dod-jpeo-cbrnd.mbx.jpeo-cbd-public-affairs-office@army.mil or go to https://www.jpeocbrnd.osd.mil.
KELLY BURKHALTER is a strategic communications specialist at Booz Allen Hamilton where she leads strategic communications programs in support of U.S. Army clients, such as the JPEO-CBRND. She holds an M.A. in communication from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. in journalism and English from Syracuse University.
