DASA has begun phase 2 of a competition offering funding for ideas and prototypes that can destroy, access, and disable explosives.
DASA is seeking projects that are developing products that can disable explosives such as chemical and biological munitions, containers of dangerous agents, and IEDs containing biological and chemical weapons. The ‘Don’t Blow It’ competition is offering a share of £1.5million to innovations at Technology Readiness Level 3 (TRL3) or upwards to develop full prototypes.
The competition is co-funded by the MOD and the US Department of Defence (DOD) and will operate under an existing document of understanding between the US and UK. Under the Chemical Weapons Convention, all members are required to destroy or disable any chemical weapons they have or have abandoned on the land of another member state.
The competition has three objectives:
- Access: Gain access to munitions, IEDs and bulk containers without relying on the original design features, such as filling ports
- Disable: Prevent munitions, IEDs and bulk agent being used as intended either temporarily or permanently
- Destroy: Permanently and irreversibly destroy munitions, IEDs and bulk agents.
Where Phase 1 funded proposals were focused on single component parts, Phase 2 projects should focus on a system solution either by collaboration with other partners or by integration into existing technologies. DASA is looking for ideas which enable more rapid, effective and flexible destruction methods than are used for large stockpiles, and reduce logistical support requirements, whilst maximising ease of operation, transportability and ruggedness of the equipment.
The second phase of the competition will officially launch in October this year. If you are interested in attending an event please register your expression of interest here by 14 August 2019 17:00 (BST) and accepted registrants will be sent full details and an agenda.
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Biological chemical weapons Chemical Weapons Convention DASA funding research funding US DoD
Post written by: Ciara Houghton
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