Explosives Programs & Projects

These projects promote the development of effective techniques to protect our citizens and our country's infrastructure to against the devastating effects of explosives by seeking innovative approaches in detection, and in countermeasures.

Air Cargo Project

Project Manager: Eric Neiderman

Project Overview: The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Air Cargo Program focuses on identifying and developing the next generation of air cargo screening systems to mitigate the threat of explosives placed in air cargo containers. Activities include developing technologies to enable screening of 100 percent of cargo, including break bulk screening, with very few false alarms and reduced operational costs. This project is part of the Transportation Security Thrust Area and Cargo Program within the Explosives Division.

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Aircraft Hardening Project

Project Manager: Christopher Smith

Project Overview: The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Aircraft Hardening Project addresses the risk of catastrophic loss of passenger aircraft due to explosives detonated in the passenger cabin or cargo hold. This project will develop measures to harden the passenger cabin and cargo hold against blasts. These measures will be incorporated into aircraft design and airline employee standard operating procedures.  Deliverables under this project include ready-for-production designs and will be provided to the the Transportation Security Agency to develop policy decisions for the Federal Aviation Administration to mandate and implement. This project is part of the Transportation Security Thrust Area and Conveyance Protection Program within the Explosives Division.

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Aircraft Vulnerability Tests Project

Project Manager: Nelson Carey

Project Overview: The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Aircraft Vulnerability Tests Project conducts vulnerability assessments of aircraft subject to detonation of explosives. These vulnerability assessments will analyze blast and damage effects of these explosives. This project is part of the Transportation Security Thrust Area and Conveyance Protection Program within the Explosives Division.

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Algorithm and Analysis of Raw Images Project

Project Manager: Doug Bauer

Project Overview: The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Algorithm and Analysis of Raw Images Project collects and consolidates images from commercial vendors to coordinate purchase of additional images and data from existing and new emerging devices in order to determine the relationships between image quality and false alarm rate, detection quality and image resolution, detecting quality/image resolution and detection over multiple types of dielded and new scanning systems. This project is part of the Science and Advanced Technology Thrust Area and Algorithm Program within the Explosives Division.

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Automated Carry-On Detection Project

Project Manager: Eric Neiderman

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Automated Carry-On Detection Project develops advanced capabilities to detect explosives and concealed weapons, including home made explosives. This project will introduce new standalone technologies or adjunct technologies to computed tomography technology to continue improving detection performance and the detection of novel explosives. This project is part of the Transportation Security Thrust Area and Check Point Program within the Explosives Division.

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Body Armor Project

Project Manager: Joe Foster

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Body Armor Project develops improved and advanced body armor for new threats and improves wearability in adverse environmental conditions. This project is part of the Counter Improvised Explosive Device Thrust Area and the Respond/Defeat Program within the Explosives Division.

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Bomb Components Project

Project Manager: Mike Shepard

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Bomb Components Project develops and enhances technologies, tools, and procedures available to law enforcement and first responder teams to improve the tracking and detection capabilities of commercial explosive components. This project will investigate critical improvised explosive device (IED) component detection, advanced/improved IED component analysis, as well as conduct demonstrations and pilots. This project is part of the Counter Improvised Explosive Device Thrust Area and the Respond/Defeat Program within the Explosives Division.

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Canine Detection Research & Development Project

Project Manager: Polly Gongwer

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Canine Detection Research & Development Project conducts extensive modeling of canine sampling to support further basic research in canine pattern recognition for trace detection, which will facilitate development of an electronic nose to mimic canine detection of trace particles and vapor for threat materials. This project significantly broadens the canine detection investment. This project is part of the Transportation Security Thrust Area and the Detect and Cargo Program within the Explosives Division.

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Canine Explosives Detection Project

Project Manager: Polly Gongwer

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Canine Explosives Detection project optimizes canine explosive detection to enable Department canine user agencies such as Transportation Security Administration, Customs and Border Protection, United States Secret Service, and Directorate for National Protection and Programs to select and breed the best canines for detecting explosives. This project will improve canine deployment strategies and create a predictive canine success database based on traits and genetics. This project is part of the Transportation Security Thrust Area and Cargo Program within the Explosives Division.

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Counter-MANPADS Project

Project Manager: Herman Rediess

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Counter-Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems (MANPADS) Program conducting an operational assessment of equipping commercial transport aircraft with defense systems for countering MANPADS attacks. This project is part of the Counter-MANPADS Thrust Area and Directed Infrared Countermeasures (DIRCM) Program within the Explosives Division.

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Detection Technology and Material Science Project

Project Manager: Doug Bauer

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Detection Technology and Material Science Project employs the latest advances in high performance materials development to enhance aircraft survivability in the event of an on-board blast. The project will study blast resistant materials, and develop and implement advanced materials to be used within aircraft to reduce the effects of an explosive detonation, including the attenuation of the explosive shock wave and containment of blast fragmentation (shrapnel). This project is part of the Science and Advanced Technology Thrust Area and Basic Research Program within the Explosives Division.

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Electronic Countermeasures Project

Project Manager: Joe Foster

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Electronic Countermeasures Project develops new radio frequency (RF) or infrared jamming technologies to inhibit RF hazardous devices while allowing the bomb squad to maintain the RF capabilities of their robot and communications system during an emergency. This project is part of the Counter Improvised Explosive Device Thrust Area and Respond/Defeat Program within the Explosives Division.

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Explosive Trace Detection Project

Project Manager: Eric Houser

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Explosive Trace Detection Project develops advanced capabilities to detect explosives through trace residue technologies to include home made explosives. This project is developing a fully functional laboratory breadboard portal for aerodynamic wake sampling to improve throughput by real time sampling of the passenger's wake while walking through the portal. This project is part of the Transportation Security Thrust Area and Check Point Program within the Explosives Division.

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Fundamental Particle Physics Project

Project Manager: Doug Bauer

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Fundamental Particle Physics project improves the comprehension of the energy barriers involved in the adhesion, desorption, and transport of particles. Advances made in the fundamental understanding of particle behavior will lay the groundwork for the next generation of sampling technologies and improvements to currently used devices. This project is part of the Research Thrust Area and Explosives Research Program within the Explosives Division. This project is part of the Science and Advanced Technology Thrust Area and Basic Research Program within the Explosives Division.

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Home Made Explosives Project

Project Manager: Doug Bauer

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Home Made Explosives (HME) project examines potential detection technologies capable of detecting and distinguishing explosives and flammable liquids from benign liquids (e.g. drinks, lotions, hygiene products, contact lens solution). This project includes:

• improving products and systems capable of detecting HMEs;
• supporting the research and development of next generation, novel technologies, algorithms or prototypes for the detection of HMEs;
• and addressing potential operational venues, including airport and mass transit checkpoints for passengers and carry-on baggage.

This project is part of the Transportation Security Thrust Area and Homemade Explosives Program within the Explosives Division.

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Home Made Explosives Characterization Project

Project Manager: Doug Bauer

Project Overview:  The Science and Technoloy (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Home Made Explosives (HME) Characterization Project determines the impact, friction, and electrostatic discharge sensitivities of HME threats. The project provides a better understanding of the potential damage of HMEs and their impact on aircraft. This works enables the Explosives Division to determine the necessary technologies to counter this threat. This data will also facilitate the safe handling and storage of volatile materials for Department S&T researchers involved with developing explosive detection systems, as well as their customers. This project is part of the Transportation Security Thrust Area and Homemade Explosives Program within the Explosives Division.

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Home Made Explosives Standalone Detection Project

Project Manager: Doug Bauer

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Home Made Explosives (HME) Standalone Detection Project provides a standalone detection capability for HME or novel explosive by improving commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) systems. Due to the urgency of the threat, detection capability will be provided by spiral upgrades to COTS equipment that are able to detect an increasing number of HME threats. This project is part of the Transportation Security Thrust Area and Homemade Explosives Program within the Explosives Division.

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Improvements to Deployed Check Baggage Technology Project

Project Manager: Eric Neiderman

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Improvements to Deployed Check Baggage Technology Project qualifies operational systems in accordance with customer-established verification of usability, reliability, maintainability, and operability metrics. This project examines the root cause of false-alarm rates and shield alarms in Explosive Detection Systems (EDS) to reduce the number that occur. The program certifies EDS for reduced threat mass to detect smaller amounts of explosives based on aircraft vulnerability. This project is part of the Transportation Security Thrust Area and Checked Baggage Program within the Explosives Division.

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Inerting Project

Project Manager: Joe Foster

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Inerting Project develops advanced applications, improved strategies, and implementation planning to render a compound non-explosive. This project plans to investigate advanced inerting applications and technologies and perform cost-benefit analyses as well as technology and pilot demonstrations. This project is part of the Counter Improvised Explosive Device Thrust Area and Mitigation Program within the Explosives Division.

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Liquid and Home Made Explosives Chemical Characterization Project

Project Manager: Doug Bauer

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Liquid and Home Made Explosives Chemical Characterization Project qualifies and quantifies the physical and chemical properties of home made explosives threats. The project will identify density, CT number, dielectric constant, chemical composition of products, molecular structure, thermal decomposition rates, etc. This project is part of the Science and Advanced Technology Thrust Area and the Basic Research Program within the Explosives Division.

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Manhattan II Project

Project Manager: Doug Bauer

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Manhattan II Project stimulates commercial development of next generation systems that provide the best value combination of performance and affordability for screening checked baggage. S&T will work to identify and mature the key enabling screening technologies and algorithm concepts with the potential to meet future Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checked baggage screening requirements and to help inform the direction of future technical advances to reduce false alarms without sacrifice to detection probabilities.  Testing and evaluation of these systems will focus on probability of detection, level of false alarms, and throughput. The project will identify and investigate the key cost-performance trades for next generation checked baggage screening technologies to meet future TSA checked baggage throughput requirements and reduced operational costs, by assessing initial purchasing cost, operating costs, maintainability, and other elements of the full life-cycle costs. This project is part of the Transportation Security Thrust Area and the Manhattan II Program within the Explosives Division.

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Next Generation Transportation Checkpoint Project

Project Manager: Eric Neiderman

Project Overview: The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Next Generation Transportation Detection Project develops automated passenger and carry-on bag detection system demonstration, system requirements, and performance goals to allow for test and evaluation. This program enhances security by automating the detection of weapons and explosives on passengers and in personal articles at airports and other mass transit facilities. This project identifies new emerging threats and integrates them into a complete system including the wide variety of liquid- and gel-based explosives. This project is part of the Transportation Security Thrust Area and the Check Point Program within the Explosives Division.

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Outreach Project

Project Manager: Joe Foster

Project Overview:  The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Outreach Project coordinates Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) requirements for standoff detection technologies from user communities/first responders/public safety officials and various federal organizations. The project will include requirements understanding and development, vetting and coordination, as well as coordinating test and evaluation master plans. This project is part of the Counter-IED Thrust Area and Respond/Defeat Program within the Explosives Division.

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Person-borne Improvised Explosive Devices (PBIED) Detection Project

Project Manager: Joe Foster

Project Overview: The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Person-borne Improvised Explosive Devices (PBIED) Detection Project investigates potential technologies capable of detecting all types of explosive threats such as home made, commercial, and military explosives in order to enhance detection of PBIEDs. Basic research efforts will expand chemical characterization and small-scale testing for detonability of PBIED threats; will advance scientific understanding behind deposition, sampling, removal; and trace detection of explosive particles on people and packages and explore fundamental science behind explosive particle behavior to improve sampling technology. This project is part of the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Thrust Area and Detect Program within the Explosives Division.

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Post Blast Forensics Project

Project Manager: Joe Foster

Project Overview: The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Post Blast Forensics Project develops and enhances technologies, tools, and procedures used by post-blast forensic teams to improve investigation and data collection. This project is part of the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Thrust Area and Respond/Defeat Program within the Explosives Division. 

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Render Safe / Diagnostics Project

Project Manager: Joe Foster

Project Overview: The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Render Safe / Diagnostics Project increases standoff capabilities, reduces collateral damage, and provides precision disruption and disablement capabilities and techniques. This project is part of the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Thrust Area and the Respond/Defeat Program within the Explosives Division.

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Robotics Project

Project Manager: Joe Foster

Project Overview: The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Robotics Project improves robotics design and ability to defeat and disarm improvised explosive devices using fast, lightweight robotic platforms with a suite of tools for emerging explosive threats. This project is part of the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Thrust Area and Respond/Defeat Program within the Explosives Division.

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Standards Project

Project Manager: Joe Foster

Project Overview: The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Standards Project develops a comprehensive set of performance standards and evaluation criteria for improvised explosive device detection and defeat technologies. This project will develop technology and standards to ensure that the products meet customers’ technology requirements and performance standards. This project is part of the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Thrust Area and Detect Program within the Explosives Division.

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Technology Demo/System Integration Project

Project Manager: Joe Foster

Project Overview: The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Technology Demo/System Integration Project consolidates work with first responders, State and local public safety officials as well as Federal homeland security officials in developing a comprehensive plan and venue for technology demonstrations, to determine and validate system-integrated technologies to detect improvised explosive devices to improve system performance definition and integration. This project is part of the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Thrust Area and Detect Program within the Explosives Division.

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Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIED) Detection Project

Project Manager: Joe Foster

Project Overview: The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division Technology Demo/System Integration Project consolidates work with first responders, State and local public safety officials as well as Federal homeland security officials in developing a comprehensive plan and venue for technology demonstrations, to determine and validate system-integrated technologies to detect improvised explosive devices to improve system performance definition and integration. This project is part of the Counter-Improvised Explosive Device Thrust Area and Detect Program within the Explosives Division.

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