Integration of CBRN physical protective measures to lessen the burden on personnel (Intégration de mesures de protection physique NRBC pour alléger la charge sur le personnel)

This Task Group addressed integrated CBRN protection strategies. This report focused on outlining technologies that lower the burden on the individual by using a layered approach consisting of contamination avoidance, physical protection, hazard mitigation response, containment and recovery. The specific goal of the Task Group was to facilitate the communication and coordination of research on CBRN protection among the participating nations. This report outlines the active, passive and reactive protection technologies.
The trends of sensor miniaturization and network integration discussed in Chapter 2 will provide the warfighter greater flexibility on the battlefield to avoid contamination or quickly move out of contaminated areas. The combination of small, inexpensive and ubiquitous sensors that are seamlessly integrated can provide tools to determine contamination sources, reduce false alarms, and agent cloud tracking that will allow warfighters to confidently minimize their protection posture while avoiding contamination. This serves to lessen the burden by minimizing time in the highest protective postures. An ability to rapidly assess areas of high contamination can help warfighters to avoid or move out of them to reduce to total challenge on protective ensembles. Thus it may be possible to reduce protection performance and accept additional risk in favor of lower-burden ensembles.
The technologies discussed in Chapter 3 clearly show a trend toward improved performance at lower burdens. The development of new materials and application of nanotechnology lead this trend. New classes of materials such as Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) provide platforms that can be tuned for optimal pore size and chemical functionality that adsorb and detoxify agents. Garments can have enhanced capabilities with new classes of durable repellent coatings that incorporate nanomaterials, and nano-fiber aerosol barrier layers that increase protection with minimal additional weight or thermal load. Whole ensembles can be with computer-aided optimal design tools for respirators and garments. Overall, with the proper investments, developments in cutting-edge materials technologies can be exploited to improve protection while decreasing thermal burden.
Exposure to secondary contact with contamination can be mitigated by technologies that facilitate rapid decontamination. Traditionally, responsive actions have been logistically burdensome events that require the assistance of specialty units to achieve decontamination levels sufficient to allow the warfighter sustained reduction of high protective levels. New technologies have the potential to allow the same level of performance from actions performed by individuals or crews, and thus reduce overall the burden of protection. Chapter 4 provided a synopsis of technologies such as agent disclosure sprays that can rapidly identify areas of contamination to focus efforts and assess the results. When combined with a strippable, an agent disclosure system can identify the specific areas of coating to be removed, thus allowing a rapid resumption of the mission at a lower, and less burdensome, protective posture. Technologies to process sensitive equipment for decontamination can allow unencumbered use of these items as they are returned to service. This reduces burden by allowing the reduction from high levels of protection and reducing the logistical demand for replacing items simply because they are contaminated.
In all, there are many new emerging technologies that all will be able to contribute to enhanced warfighter safety related to CBRN risks and events, while reducing the physiological burden. The challenge will be to ES - 2 STO-TR-HFM-199 build appropriate systems to use and balance all available options against the missions that are to be expected and planned. This report shows a series of technologies that will support these goals. The technologies should all be available in the short or medium term and therefore, benefits may be expected soon. Also, some of these technologies may be integrated into currently available systems and approaches and still enhance capabilities and/or protection. The need for enhanced protection and lowering the burden to the warfighter is expected to remain for the foreseeable future.