NBCRV: latest Stryker varient to be fielded

Infantry Magazine,  July-August, 2006  by Ty Stark

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The Stryker Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Reconnaissance vehicle (NBCRV) is the last of the configurations of the Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) to be fielded. For those unfamiliar with the Stryker family of vehicles, there are two basic variants--the Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) and the Mobile Gun System (MGS). The ICV has eight different configurations, each fitted with different Mission Equipment Packages (MEPs) to match and enable its role in the brigade. In addition to the NBCRV, the other fielded configurations of the ICV are the Medical Evacuation Vehicle (MEV), Reconnaissance Vehicle (RV), Engineer Squad Vehicle (ESV), Mortar Carrier (MC), Command Vehicle (CV), Fire Support Vehicle (FSV), and Anti-tank Guided Missile Vehicle (ATGM). The NBCRV is a new and very different reconnaissance vehicle in a very new organization. Essentially, it's an armored, rolling laboratory in an infantry brigade capable of detecting and identifying a range of hazardous materials and then providing automated alerts with the purpose of providing improved situational awareness and preserving combat power.

What does it do for me?

The NBCRV will contribute to a sensor network that will provide real-time digitized data through radio frequency and/ or satellite links to the brigade headquarters to provide operational chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) situational awareness and understanding and detailed hazard analysis. It does this by providing a Detect-to-Warn detection and identification capability for chemical and radiological hazards and Detect-to-Treat identification and identification capabilities for biological agents. In addition to detecting hazards, it can collect, store and transfer samples of biological and chemical vapor and liquid hazards, using strict chain of custody protocols for evidence of use. The system can identify a range of chemical liquid and vapor hazards ranging from toxic industrial materials to weaponized chemical agents. It can also identify biological agents for use in determining treatment protocols. These capabilities will increase the combat power of the deployed force and minimize degradation of force effectiveness under CBRN conditions.

How does it do it?

The NBCRV has similar survivability, mobility, communication, lethality, and transportability characteristics as the base ICV (including an RWS with M2). It incorporates existing and developmental CBRN sensors which enable it to perform CBRN reconnaissance missions and conduct mounted Sensitive Site Exploitation. It does this with a suite of sensors which are integrated into the platform and the Sensor Processing Group (SPG). The individual sensors provide data to the SPG (which is a pair of hardened laptop computers), which interprets and displays the data for the crew. Simultaneously, it uses the data to populate NBC reports and passes them to the FBCB2 for dissemination. This enables the system to conduct:

* Rapid, on-the-move, standoff chemical vapor agent detection (yes, standoff means you don't have to be in it to detect it);

* On-the-move point (at location of vehicle system) vapor chemical agent detection;

* On-the-move point liquid chemical agent detection and identification;

* Stationary point biological agent detection and identification;

* Nuclear/radiological detection;

* Hazard warning and marking; and

* Solid, liquid and vapor sample collection.

The core of the NBCRV will be its onboard integrated CBRN sensor suite. The sensor suite is composed of 10 integrated, internetted sensors which provide input to the system:

[] Joint Service Lightweight Standoff Chemical Agent Detector (JSLSCAD)--JSLSCAD provides stationary and on-the-move detection and identification of nerve, blister, and blood agent vapors using a passive infrared detector.

[] Joint Biological Point Detection System (JBPDS)--JBPDS provides point detection of biological aerosols. The system will continuously monitor the environmental background for changes consistent with a biological attack and detects, collects, and preserves a sample for confirmatory laboratory analysis, and identifies which agent is present.

[] Chemical Biological Mass Spectrometer Block II (CBMS II)--CBMS II provides detection of persistent chemical agents (nerve and blister) and TICs on the ground. The chemical agent is picked up by a sampler arm/wheel and presented to the CBMS heated probe head.

[] M88 Automatic Chemical Agent Detection Assembly (ACADA)--ACADA provides point detection and identification capability for chemical vapors. The ACADA uses ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) technology to concurrently detect and identify nerve and blister agents under all environmental conditions, while mobile or stationary. The ACADA has a standard communication interface to support integration with the central data processing system within the NBCRV. It can also be operated as a standalone unit using built-in controls and displays. It is common to Strykers in the brigade.