JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas (May 16, 2025) -- The Mission and Installation Contracting Command has awarded a $1.7 million contract to develop a state-of-the-art robotic mannequin system designed to test protective gear against chemical warfare agents.

The contract, awarded in February by the MICC-Dugway Proving Ground Contracting Office at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, supports the fabrication and delivery of a Porton Man Robotic Test System. The system is modeled after a similar mannequin used by the United Kingdom’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and is based on the Anthropometric Survey of Military Personnel to accurately represent the size and shape of soldiers.

The delivery window for the system is 18 to 24 months from the contract award date.

Jim Keetch, director of the MICC-Dugway Proving Ground Contracting Office, commended his contract professionals for their work on the project.

“I’m incredibly proud of our contracting professionals and the dedication they bring to every requirement,” Keetch said. “Their expertise and commitment ensure we deliver the best possible support to our mission partners and help keep the Army ready for any challenge.”

The new test system will be used by the Army Test and Evaluation Command’s West Desert Test Center and the Dugway Chemical Test Division to evaluate the effectiveness of warfighter protective ensembles in environments contaminated with chemical agents.

Currently, warfighter protective items such as masks, gloves, boots and suits are tested separately in various chambers against chemical warfare agents. The Porton Man system will allow for whole-ensemble testing, enabling evaluators to assess the performance of complete protective outfits under a range of temperature and humidity conditions. This approach is expected to provide a more accurate measure of how well the gear protects service members in real-world scenarios.

Until now, the only whole-ensemble chemical warfare agent robotic testing capability has been located at DSTL in the United Kingdom. With the U.K. facility facing a growing workload and an aging system, the U.S. Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense determined the need for a domestic solution.

Dugway Proving Ground’s West Desert Test Center is uniquely equipped for the task, with a stainless-steel chamber and experienced personnel ready to support the new robotic system. The Multiple Chemical Agent Chamber at Dugway, already designed for chemical agent testing, is undergoing minor upgrades to accommodate the new technology.

Once delivered and validated, the Porton Man system will become the first of its kind in the United States, providing JPEO-CBRN with a critical domestic capability for testing both current and future protective ensembles. The contract also includes an option for a second robotic system, which would further increase testing capacity and allow for side-by-side evaluation of legacy and next-generation protective gear.

During a presentation at the ATEC’s West Desert Test Center officials stated the new system will bolster Army capabilities in protecting warfighters from chemical threats, ensuring that protective equipment meets the highest standards before it reaches the field.

About the MICC

Headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the Mission and Installation Contracting Command consists of about 1,500 military and civilian members who are responsible for contracting goods and services in support of Soldiers as well as readying trained contracting units for the operating force and contingency environment when called upon. As part of its mission, MICC contracts are vital in feeding more than 200,000 Soldiers every day, providing many daily base operations support services at installations, facilitating training in the preparation of more than 100,000 conventional force members annually, training more than 500,000 students each year, and maintaining more than 14.4 million acres of land and 170,000 structures.