In the week since June 6th 2011 the JCBRN Defence COE participated in the Maritime Interdiction Operation (MIO) Experiment, organised by the US Naval Postgraduate School. Expected role of the JCBRN Defence COE was to incorporate a “Reach Back and Fusion dimension” into the MIO Experiment.
This experiment involved other NATO and national co-operating institutions: (a) US Lawrence Livermore National laboratory (LLNL); (b) NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre, Crete, Greece (NMIOTC); (c) Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI); and (d) University of Bundeswehr, Munich, Germany (UoB).
A team merged from Subject Matter Experts devoted its prowess to the entire result of the experiment. The JCBRN Def COE team (four members) was reinforced by other specialists: (1) Ing. Jaroslav Kareš, Ing. Ota Fišera, Ph.D. – from the Technical Institute of Protection in Brno, The Czech Republic; (2) Commander John Looney from the US Naval Postgraduate School, The USA; (3) Ms. Christine van Burken from the Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands.
The first objective of the Maritime Interdiction Operation Experiment was to test the interconnecting of the detection teams with operation centre and with advisory teams in different national and NATO bodies. Second objective was to test the transformation of sent data (from detecting the radiologicals on the ships and boats) into a meaningful advice and guideline. After determining a presence of radioisotopes detected, according to spectra files sent, specialists from JCBRN Defence COE made partial reports with subsequent measures for detection and consequence management. All processes were under scope of the Lessons learned point of view. The team used network tools CENETIX and ELLUMINATE to post created information for following use by the Operation Centre and the detecting teams.
The Team of Experts operated since June 7th – till June 10th. The JCBRN Defence COE modelling and simulation hardware tools created excellent background for successful mission of a team. The JCBRN Defence COE role was appreciated in after action review session. The MIO experiment gave possibility to get the first experience from the practical testing of the CBRN Reach Back functions and it will also be a good resource for development of the CBRN Information Management related issues.
New experience and new dimension for the JCBRN Defence COE tasks were introduced. The Maritime Interdiction Operation Experiment result justifies the future presence of JCBRN Defence COE in these programs and projects.
Author: MAJ Karel Vydra
