Officials could probably use weather radars to create a U.S. system in 18 to 24 months to detect any atmospheric release of chemical or biological agents, the Baltimore Sun reported today (see GSN, April 12).

The Army last week used a cropduster airplane to drop simulated chemical and biological agents over the Gulf of Mexico to determine whether radar could detect the materials.  The results were promising, said Robert Lyons of the Army’s Office of the Project Manager for Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defense Systems.

“We feel pretty confident that there are radar available in this country that can do this mission,” Lyons said.

Using weather radar to detect a biological or chemical attack is appealing because such radar spans the United States.  The National Weather Service has 153 Doppler radar sites with a range of 25 miles each.

Authorities hope to be able to attach software to the radar computers to help them distinguish between natural phenomena and an intentional release, the Sun reported.  Once analysts evaluate all of the data from last week’s test — which will probably take four months — developers can design required software, Lyons said.

Preliminary results indicated four types of radar that might be useful for detecting weapons of mass destruction, according to the Sun.  The C-Band radar system, used by television weather forecasters, was the most useful, Lyons said.

“We were really pleased with the performance of this system.  You could see the plane fly in and the cloud being released at 19 miles away,” Lyon said.

The release of materials formed clouds that appeared on the radar as Level 3 weather events, similar to severe thunderstorms, Lyon said.  The fake material, however, appeared and disappeared quickly on the radar, making it easily distinguishable from natural storms.

Many details for a system remain to be resolved, such as who would monitor data, said project manager Col. Christopher Parker.

“We’re very confident the technical side is there now,” he said (Lane Harvey Brown, Baltimore Sun, April 25).

The Army said it needs $15 million to $20 million more to conduct testing, according to the Miami Herald.

Residents in the Keys Concerned About Tests

Meanwhile, residents in the Florida Keys where the tests occurred have expressed concerns about health risks and a lack of information.

The airplane in the test last week released a combination of egg white powder, clay dust, ethanol, irradiated vegetable spores and a common chemical compound to simulate more deadly materials.  The military said the materials are harmless.

Despite the Pentagon’s public information campaign concerning the tests, some residents expressed fear that the tests could threaten their health.  Others said they wished there had been more notice.  The Pentagon publicized the test’s details less than a week before the tests began (Jennifer Babson, Miami Herald, April 21).

About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines

HOME  |  CONTACT US  |  GET INVOLVED  |  SITE MAP

Back to top