A warfighter’s ability to persevere and complete the mission despite operating in a complex threat environment is crucial to preserving the joint force’s lethality. To that end, the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense’s (JPEO-CBRND) Joint Project Manager for CBRN Sensors (JPM CBRN Sensors) is fielding the Man-portable Radiological Detection System (MRDS), a new capability that enables the joint force to understand what radiological or nuclear hazards are in their environment and securely share that information with command decision makers.
MRDS, which is also known as Army/Navy Portable Radiac Detector-81, allows the joint force to detect, intercept, and defeat threats at extended, safer distances, supporting the Defense Department’s priorities of readiness and nuclear deterrence.
Warfighters can encounter various hazards which may cause grave harm or death, impede their mission, and require different steps to mitigate, depending on the hazard. Having a quick and accurate understanding of what hazard is present allows the warfighter to take steps to rapidly secure the area and continue conducting the mission. The ability to maintain mission operations after radiological or nuclear exposure is an important part of enabling warfighter lethality. Identifying the threat and taking swift next steps preserves the mission and warfighters’ lives.
MRDS is a networked sensor capability that detects, localizes and confirms the presence of radiological nuclear material in near real-time, enabling situational awareness at the tactical level. The data sent from the MRDS to the Tactical Operations Center (TOC) is displayed in map or overhead imagery form, allowing CBRN defense commanders to build their intelligence overview of the site and make decisions on next steps to mitigate and preserve warfighters’ lives and the mission. MRDS is composed of three elements – detection systems, communication infrastructure, and a situational awareness tool – intended to provide enhanced detection capabilities in various types of environments. The threat data shared with the TOC is sent via a closed, secure network system that is only accessed by the operators and the commands.
“There are many incidents that could require a response to a radioactive threat – a bunker, a dirty bomb, whatever it might be. MRDS allows us to identify what has been released, relay it back to the command, and determine our next steps, such as neutralizing the effects of the material and protecting personnel,” said Lieutenant Colonel Darryl Walker, MRDS program manager.
Walker noted that MRDS was tested in several different scenarios to evaluate the technology’s effectiveness in challenging environments, such as remote locations. During user testing, MRDS demonstrated full functionality in Global Positioning System (GPS)-denied environments, a feature which received overwhelmingly positive feedback from users. Since it operates on its own network, information can be shared securely despite connectivity conditions.
MRDS began fielding in Fiscal Year 2024 several National Guard units and operators from the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence. Looking ahead, the team is working to connect MRDS to other vehicle and aerial-based systems to give warfighters even more information for fast decision making. With MRDS, warfighters receive another layer of defense that is integrated into their existing technologies. This added layer increases their readiness to face any threat environment, increase overall survivability, and enable their ability to fight and win in a radiological or nuclear contested environment
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