ECBC Launches Formal Collaboration with General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md., Nov. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC), the premier national resource for chemical and biological defense, announced the establishment of a Patent License Agreement (PLA) and a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products -- a leading producer of biological and chemical detection systems for military and commercial applications -- during a signing ceremony Monday, Nov. 9.

The agreements will pave the way for collaboration between the federal government and industry to further develop and commercialize a low-cost, low-power, lightweight technology that utilizes semiconductor ultraviolet optical sources for reagentless detection of biological aerosols called the Tactical Biological Detector (TAC-BIO).

"The commercialization of the TAC-BIO will make the device widely available to detect biological warfare threat agents to protect warfighters on the battlefield, first responders and civilians at home," said ECBC Technical Director Rick Decker during the ceremony held in the Center's Berger Auditorium. "Collaboration between ECBC and General Dynamics will get this government-created innovation to the end-user much faster than we can using traditional means."

The TAC-BIO was invented by a team of scientists and engineers led by David Sickenberger, ECBC's Research & Technology Directorate.

"When we initially began the TAC-BIO program seven years ago, the goal was to exploit semiconductor ultraviolet optical sources being developed by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency as the enabling means of achieving a revolutionary new bio detection device that required no consumables and maintained a credible core detection capability," said Sickenberger. "Today, we have achieved these goals and created a prototype that is ready for transition to the industrial sector."

The PLA and CRADA between ECBC and General Dynamics leverage the strengths of both organizations across a range of disciplines and present a valuable opportunity for ECBC to apply its patents to the development of a mass-producible, handheld device for public consumption.

"On behalf of General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, we look forward to our partnership with ECBC and believe that this collaboration fully embodies the spirit and intent of the U.S. legislation and Department of Defense directives for technology transfer," said General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products Detection Programs Director Brian Kenney.

Over the next two to three years ECBC and GDATP will mutually continue to support research and development efforts of the TAC-BIO to bring the technology to commercialization. To show its dedication to the program, General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products has committed a significant investment in internal research and development for the detector.

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, located in Charlotte, N.C., provides a broad range of system solutions for military and commercial applications. The company designs, develops and produces high-performance weapon and armament systems, defensive armor, countermeasure systems and aerospace composite solutions, as well as off-road axle and suspension systems. It is also a leading U.S. producer of biological and chemical detection systems. More information about General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products can be found on the Internet at www.gdatp.com.

ECBC is the Army's principal research and development center for chemical and biological defense technology, engineering and field operations. ECBC has achieved major technological advances for the warfighter and for our national defense, with a long and distinguished history of providing the Armed Forces with quality systems and outstanding customer service. ECBC is a US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command laboratory located at the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. For more information about the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, please visit our Web site at http://www.ecbc.army.mil or call (410) 436-3610.

SOURCE Edgewood Chemical Biological Center