Spanish Army, through MALE (Army Logistics Support Command) and the General Armaments Directorate (DGAM) through the General Sub-Directorate for Technological Planning and Innovation (SDG PLATIN) with the collaboration of the CDTI (Center for the Industrial Technological Development) (belonging to the Ministry of Science and Innovation) organize Workshop nbr 9 FORCE 2035 CBRN Defense.
With the ultimate objective of carrying out material prospecting and system intelligence work which provides a qualitative advantage through a technological drive to apply to all combat functions and capabilities of the land force. The organization of these workshops allows MALE to promote interaction and collaboration between Defense Industry companies, Technology Centers, Associations and Universities with the Army itself.
Since 2019, several Workshops have been held with different themes: Robotics and Autonomous Systems, Anti-Air Defense Systems, Fires, Command, Maneuver, Protection, C-RPAS and Special Operations.
CBRN Defense Workshop was held on June 24 and 25, 2020, and its opening was carried out by the Chief of the Army Logistics Support Command (JEMALE), Lieutenant General Ramón Pardo de Santayana and Gómez-Olea.
As indicated in the Technology and Innovation portal of the Ministry of Defense, the COVID19 crisis and the lessons learned in the context of Operation BALMIS, have been the starting point of this ninth NBC Defense Workshop. And the themes that structure the Workshop were:
- Knowledge Management
- CBRN detection, identification, and monitoring
- Crisis management systems for CBRN alert
- CBRN physical protection
- CBRN decontamination
- Medical Support for CBRN units and personnel
The Technological Observation and Prospective System (SOPT) belong to SDG PLATIN was in charge, after an exhaustive selection process, of selecting a total of 6 Spanish companies from Defense Industry (TECNALIA, INDRA, HISPANOVEMA, IBATECH, i-4S, and SDLE) and 5 Institutions (University of Alcala de Henares, University of Santiago de Compostela, Autonomous University of Madrid, Technological Center of Telecommunications of Catalonia and AITEX) to participate in this CBRN Defense Workshop.
On the other hand, Ministry of Defense representatives were CBRN Regiment Valencia 1of Spain Army, Emergency Support and Intervention Regiment (RAIEM) of the Military Emergency Unit (UME), the General Sub-Directorate of Planning, Technology, and Innovation (SDG PLATIN) of the DGAM, the NBC Department of the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) or the Center for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI).
In the context of Hispano Vema’s CBRN capabilities presentation, Rafael Arruga (Director of Business Development), firstly expressed his gratitude to the Spain Armed Forces for their exalted and extraordinary work carried out within the framework of Operation Balmis to fight against the spread of COVID19. At the same time, the pride of Hispano Vema was highlighted because, in many of the actions carried out within Operation Balmis, CBRN decontamination equipment from Hispano Vema had been used.
Referring to future CBRN decontamination requirements, Rafael Arruga reviewed the main trends and Hot Topics in CBRN international market, with special emphasis on the decontamination of critical infrastructures and Mobile CBRN Decontamination Stations, with multitasking and rapid deployment approach.
Regarding that, eDecon10 (Hispano Vema´s mobile system for chemical decontamination of electronic equipment and sensitive material) spotlighted as a fundamental decontamination capacity in the management of critical infrastructures.
As well as, PDPOL (Mobile Multi-function CBRN Decontamination Station in Container) which provides capabilities for the decontamination of People, Vehicles, Materials, Equipment and Grounds. Based on Container of rapid deployment and high ergonomic, performance and efficiency.
In summary, CBRN Defence Workshop, due to the collaboration and interaction of leading Spain Defense Industry companies, Universities and Research Centers and the units and departments of the Spanish Armed Forces linked to CBRN field, has allowed an important boost and progress in the objectives set:
- CBRN market prospecting for present and future needs
- Specify activities (demonstrations and/or experimentations) of companies and universities to benefit the development of PLEX
- Prospective of technologies and tools necessary to achieve the necessary capacities included in FORCE 2035
- Encourage interaction and information exchange between companies, universities and technology centers.
