Norfolk Naval Station, VA – Currently, if a sailor needs to test for a biological agent aboard a ship, they use a variety of biosensors to detect the agent and collect a sample for follow-on and confirmatory analysis. This process not only takes time and attention away from the mission at hand but could also mean that a sailor comes into physical contact with the bioagent, which can be dangerous work for our Warfighters. The Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) attended the 16 June fielding and demonstration for the Enhanced Maritime Biological Detection (EMBD), a new automated biological detection system that improves bioagent sampling and identification to advance Warfighter safety.
The EMBD system demonstration took place on the USS Truxtun at Norfolk Naval Station. HON Deborah Rosenblum, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs (ASD(NCB)), Mr. Ian Watson, DASD(CBD), Mr. Darryl Colvin, JPEO, and Ms. Nicole Kilgore, Deputy JPEO, were among the senior leaders in attendance. Additionally, leaders from the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations – Anti-Terrorism Force Protection-CBRN Branch, Naval Sea Systems Command’s CBRN Division, and Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Indian Head Division were also present.