Chemical Threat Agent Sensors on UAV Platforms

There is significant risk of chemical warfare agent (CWA) attacks at AF main operating bases and aerial ports of debarkation.  Decreasing operational tempo and degrading US sortie generation and cargo delivery rates would likely be the objective of such attacks.  If an adversary’s objective is to slow are operations by forcing US personnel into protective gear, persistent chemical agents requiring full MOPP gear would be highly effective.  While attacks using CWA-armed ballistic missiles could be countered by deterrence or active defense, low-level attacks from adversary SOFs become more difficult to recognize.  The proper CWA-protected posture has five elements, detection and warning being the first and of utmost importance.  In support of this, sensitive and low-cost stand-off CWA detectors are key to effectively securing AF installations.  Recently, the USAF has deployed autonomous drone-based monitoring and perimeter security for USAF installations.  The proposed effort aims to further our CWA detection technology to make it compatible with drone-based security for USAF installations.   The proposed Phase I effort aims to demonstrate opto-electronic interrogation capability while solidifying partnerships with UAV manufacturers for downstream integration as part of follow-on Phase II efforts.