The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced an £88 million contract award related to the design, development, and manufacturing of the next generation of chemical detection capabilities, titled ‘Project BOSKER’.
A statement from the ministry revealed: “A Contract has been awarded for industry to design/enhance, develop & manufacture the Next Generation Chemical Detection Chemical Sense capability for airborne hazards, (including vapour and aerosol) & deposited hazards (including liquids and solids).”
The contract, sourced via the Contracts Finder and set to span five years, is centred around providing chemical detection capabilities to military personnel. These tools are vital in detecting and alerting personnel to the presence of airborne toxic chemicals in vapour and aerosol states.
In addition, there is an aim to “Develop person worn capability for Hazard Warning (HW) & Residual Hazard Warning (RHW) for military personnel” and to provide hazard identification tools that could be handheld or integrated with existing equipment.
This high-level contract’s objective is to bolster the military’s situational awareness on the battlefield, enhancing both safety and operational effectiveness. It also encompasses features such as delivering an integrated aerosol & vapour sense capability and ensuring that all equipment is network-enabled.
Intriguingly, the notice also mentioned that the procurement is exempt from the Defence & Security Public Contract Regulations on the grounds of national security, with it being labelled as ‘Secret 5 Eyes Only’. This label indicates that only suppliers from the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are eligible to apply.
The awarded supplier for this contract is Smiths Detection Watford, based in Hemel Hempstead, with a contract value of approximately £87,589,565. They will be tasked with not only the production of the specified chemical sensing equipment but also the provision of technical support, repair and spares support, and the necessary training packages.
Given the CBRN roles relating to CT capabilities of 28 RE ( and other elements ) as part of the TRF ( Technical Response Force ) and HCMF ( Health Control and Monitoring Force ) in support of the NARO, I’m not surprised this stuff is 5 Eyes.
Very true. This contract will not just be for kit for specialist CBRN troops. There is also person-worn equipment which I take to mean a replacement for the ‘paper patches’ we all wore on NBC/CBRN suits.