The Defense Threat Reduction Agency program

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) was created on October 1, 1998, to meet the needs and security challenges of the post-Cold War America and the world. The mission of DTRA is to reduce the threat to the United States and its allies from nuclear, biological, chemical (NBC), conventional and special weapons through the execution of technology security activities, cooperative threat reduction (CTR) programs, arms control treaty monitoring and on-site inspection, force protection, NBC defense, and counterproliferation (CP); to support the U.S. nuclear deterrent; and to provide technical support on weapons of mass destruction (WMD) matters to the DoD Components.

Although UXO related efforts do not constitute a large number of the DTRA contracts, there are some opportunities available for UXO related contractors through their small business innovative research (SBIR) program. In the SBIR program DTRA contracts with small businesses with a strong research and development capability and experience in weapons effects, phenomenology, operations and counterproliferation. DTRA advertises technical topic areas that proposals are to address however, the UXO related contracts are often disguised under topic areas that are not always intuitive. For example in FY 1999 DTRA advertised 17 topic areas of which only one was related to UXO, DTRA Topic Area 99-016 "Wide Area Detection (WAD) and Mapping Technologies for Locating Minefields Containing Anti-Personnel Landmines (APL)". The description for that topic area read as follows:

DTRA 99-016 TITLE: Wide Area Detection (WAD) and Mapping Technologies for Locating Minefields Containing Anti-Personnel Landmines (APL)

KEY TECHNOLOGY AREA: Computing, Software, and Sensors

OBJECTIVE: Develop a US technical capability to detect and map APL minefields as part of a verification/monitoring regime of potential APL agreement/ban treaties, including Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) - Modified Protocol II, Ottawa Convention on APL Ban, and Conference on Disarmament (CD) Process for APL Ban.

DESCRIPTION: The US government has a long-range goal of banning use, export, stockpiling and production of all types of APL. The purpose of this ban is to reduce or eliminate post-war civilian casualties. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has the responsibility to provide RDT&E support to all arms control treaties including the APL ban that is being currently pursued. As part of the APL ban treaty verification and/or monitoring requirements and the need for treaty required technical assistance toward demining, DTRA is seeking safe, cost-effective, and reliable technologies for wide area detection. DTRA has reviewed the programs of other U.S. government offices (SO/LIC, NVESD, JUXOCO as shown in the references) in the area of mine detection, and found that in these programs there is more emphasis on individual mine detection and clearance than on wide area detection and mapping of APL minefields. The DTRA effort is to detect APL minefields safely, rapidly and with high probability in order to meet future treaty mission needs. The system or technology to be developed will be used to verify a proposed ban on use of APL and for technical assistance in demining. The verification process could involve monitoring large areas of the world to validate reported APL minefield boundaries and to inspect new suspected deployments of APL as well as any expansions of existing minefields. The potential need of DoD and DTRA regarding an APL ban treaty is to develop a proof of concept of a system to detect and map APL minefields. This total effort may be subdivided into different technology developments. The potential bidders are encouraged to offer solutions to one or more of the following technology areas:

1. One technology development area includes a stand-off sensor or combination of sensors and /or data fusion techniques to improve probability of detection of APL minefields. Key candidate sensors are likely to be ground penetrating radar (GPR), infrared line scanner (IRLS), electro-optical or electromagnetic sensor, and other sensors based on chemical technologies. An innovative approach to data fusion from multiple sensors is likely to be needed to meet desired performance levels.

2. Another area is the technology to convert the minefield boundary data to a geo-reference for generating a map useful to deminers and treaty verification inspectors.

3. The third area of technology development is the development of a suitable low-altitude aerial platform (UAV, small aircraft, helicopter, etc.) in support of wide area detection and to carry multiple sensors probably over rough and varied terrain. The following characteristics of the wide area detection technologies for APL ban application are most likely: 1) high probability of detection of minefields containing metallic and non-metallic APLs, 2) no real time requirement of display or processing of data, 3) large area coverage, 4) cost-effective operations, and 5) no military threat during detection. The technology development for any of the three areas for this solicitation is divided into the following phases:

PHASE I: Demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technology or combination of technologies by providing an approach and producing a preliminary design of the proposed system to assist in detection of minefields for the purpose of detecting presence or confirming absence of APLs.

PHASE II: Develop proof of concept to demonstrate the proposed technology. Install prototype device on an aerial platform to carry out demonstrations and tests over APL minefields. Submit a final prototype design of the proposed system.

PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Detection of unexploded ordnance (UXO) as part of military base clean-up operations in the US, in addition to treaty applications. The expected users of this technology are the US government implementers of an APL ban treaty or agreement.

KEYWORD LIST: Anti-Personnel Landmine (APL), APL Ban Treaty, Stand-off Detection, Minefield, Sensor, Data Fusion, Mapping

For more information or questions concerning the administration of the SBIR program and proposal preparation should be directed to:

Defense Threat Reduction Agency
ATTN: AM/SADBU, Mr. Bill Burks (Director Small Business)
6801 Telegraph Road
Alexandria, VA 22310-3398
Tel: (703) 325-5021
E-mail: Billy.Burks@hq.dswa.mil

Although DTRA does not have any current UXO related efforts advertised at this time, UXOInfo.com will keep you posted when the next SBIR DTRA topic area related to UXO is advertised.