DUGWAY PROVING GROUND, Utah - Soldiers from 7th Infantry Division training at Dugway Proving Ground get an upgrade to their ability to detect and neutralize nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) threats.

The Stryker Nuclear Biological Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle’s (NBCRV) Sensor Suite Upgrade (SSU) is the next generation NBC detector. The SSU also supports the warfighter by performing reconnaissance on the battlefield and enabling informed decisions that can save lives.

When a NBC threat is identified, a surveyor within the NBCRV launches an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) docked on the back of the NBCRV, and cues it via semiautonomous and waypoint navigation. The UAV will pass over the threat several times to collect a sample, allowing the bio-sensing payload on the UAV to rapidly detect if a NBC agent is present. That information can then be relayed to a commander.

Training like this is critical for soldiers so they can stay ahead of threats and react to them before anyone in their unit requires treatment from exposure to an unknown agent.