The hyperspectral and smartphone technology in CBRNE countermeasures and defence

Abstract

Caused by industrial and military use as well as other sources of chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosive (CBRNE) materials, the global threat of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) remains in spite of such weapons being internationally prohibited. With these materials, industrial and transportation accidents are likely in all countries and can also be triggered by natural disasters, such as in Fukushima in 2011. In addition, governments cannot fully control the manufacturing and usage of WMDs, as extreme terrorists have access to as well as the knowledge and motivation to use such materials. Due to multiple large-scale risks, the countering of CBRNE threats requires well-practiced joint operations by different authorities and new technical countermeasure methods. This dissertation studies how two novel technologies, hyperspectral technology and smartphone technology, can be used in CBRNE countermeasures and defence, especially by the police, defence forces and rescue services. The research is carried out adaptively via the concept development and experimentation (CD&E) method by forming the research framework with the generic military and civilian capability requirements of the European and North Atlantic operating concepts of CBRNE countermeasures and defence and by testing the capability requirements with related empirical experiments carried out as a part of the study. The experiments with hyperspectral technology focus on the detection of explosives, chemical warfare agents (CWAs), biofluids and other forensic samples, whereas the tests with smartphone technology deal with mobile emergency alerting, command and control, public warning and the information management of CBRNE incidents. The experiments are carried out with the Central Finland Police Department, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and other units of the Police of Finland, the Finnish Defence Forces, the Rescue Department of Central Finland, the Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (Verifin) and the leading Finnish explosives manufacturer, Forcit.