WISWehrwissenschaftliches Institut für Schutztechnologien - ABC-Schutz making an important contribution to a multinational exercise

From 19 to 29 September 2022 the Bundeswehr Research Institute for Protective Technologies and CBRNchemical, biological, radiological, nuclear Protection (WISWehrwissenschaftliches Institut für Schutztechnologien - ABC-Schutz) participated in the exercise Golden Mask 22.

The NATO Response Force must, amongst other things, have a combined chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense capability. In this context, German CBRNchemical, biological, radiological, nuclear defense capabilities also play an important role. WISWehrwissenschaftliches Institut für Schutztechnologien - ABC-Schutz in Munster is taking on a special responsibility in the build-up, training, evaluation and certification of forces.

Close cooperation between different nations

During the multinational exercise Golden Mask 22 held in September, the agency was tasked with performing the technical and scientific evaluation of national and multinational laboratory and SIBCRASampling and Identification of Biological, Chemical and Radioactive Agents components for detecting nuclear, biological and chemical agents and hazardous substances. The abbreviation SIBCRASampling and Identification of Biological, Chemical and Radioactive Agents is short for “Sampling and Identification of Biological, Chemical and Radiological Agents”.

An orientation and training phase at WISWehrwissenschaftliches Institut für Schutztechnologien - ABC-Schutz was followed by the analysis of nuclear, biological and chemical scenarios in the tactical and operational environment.

In this process, teams from the mobile biological laboratory in Hungary, the mobile nuclear laboratory in Germany and the mobile chemical laboratories in Spain and Germany were cooperating with experts from WISWehrwissenschaftliches Institut für Schutztechnologien - ABC-Schutz. The integrated SIBCRASampling and Identification of Biological, Chemical and Radioactive Agents teams from Hungary, France, Czechia and Germany also granted the agency comprehensive insights into the procedures, equipment and systems used by each nation.

Mobile infrastructure and shared standards

Converting stationary laboratory infrastructure into a mobile and deployable version poses major challenges in some respects, due to the requirements to be met. Issues such as occupational safety and health, operational safety and hygiene are viewed, assessed and handled in different ways by different countries.

Thanks to the technical and scientific evaluation of mobile lab infrastructure and the associated sampling elements in the context of the exercise Golden Mask 22 it was possible for the first time to determine and document the current status of equipment used by different nations under field conditions.

The ensuing analysis of the lessons learned now forms an important knowledge base for supporting future armaments projects in the field of mobile laboratory infrastructure by specific research and technology measures.

One such successful measure is the technical realization of a filter integrity tester ensuring the operational safety of a high-security laboratory on deployment. This innovation patented by the Bundeswehr is also of great interest to the civilian sector. Furthermore, the active participation in various bodies paves the way for bringing projects such as mobile NBC field laboratories forward.

by WIS   email