Science & Technology Directorate Explosives Division

Mission

The Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate Explosives Division promotes the development of effective techniques to protect our citizens and our country’s infrastructure against the devastating effects of explosives by seeking innovative approaches in detection, and in countermeasures. It provides the concepts, science, technologies and systems that increase protection from explosives and promotes the development of field equipment, technologies, and procedures to interdict person-borne bombs, car and truck bombs, and shoulder-fired missiles before they can reach their targets. Explosives projects are managed by the S&T Explosives Division.

Objectives

The Explosives Division is working to develop:

• Technologies to screen people for explosives and weapons at fixed aviation and mass-transit checkpoints to allow higher detection rates with minimal disruption to passenger flow.
• System solutions for explosives detection in checked and carried bags. In particular, automated systems to screen for conventional explosives, liquids, weapons and homemade explosives.
• Capability to detect homemade or novel explosives. In particular, characterizing potential homemade explosives for use in developing detection systems for screening at checkpoints.
• Optimized canine explosives detection capability. In particular, techniques, training tools, and methods to improve performance for all transportation venues.
• Technologies for screening air cargo for explosives and explosive devices. In particular, technologies for screening break-bulk, palletized, and containerized air cargo.
• Capability to detect domestic use vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs). In particular, technologies to provide a non-intrusive means of screening vehicles for VBIED detection.
• Capability to assess, render safe and neutralize explosive threats. In particular, technologies to protect against person and vehicle borne explosive threats.
• Capability to detect person-borne improvised explosive devices (IED) from a standoff distance. In particular, technology to enable the detection of person-borne concealed explosive threats in various high-throughput venues, at standoff distances.
• Capability of inerting common explosives or making them less sensitive to initiation.
• Techniques to track the origin of explosives and bomb components used in domestic IEDs. In particular, to improve forensic evidence investigations with better tools such as biometric technology, taggants, and radio-frequency identification.
• Capability to mark explosives material to improve detection of IEDs.

Leadership

Jim Tuttle is the Director for the Explosives Division with the Department of Homeland Security S&T Directorate. 

Organization

The Explosives Division is divided into four main thrust areas including:

• Counter-MANPADS: Developing and demonstrating Counter-MANPADS mitigation technologies to the commercial airlines industry.
• Counter-IED: Developing new or improving existing technical capabilities to detect, respond, defeat, and mitigate the effects of person borne (PB) IEDs, leave-behind, and vehicle borne (VB) IEDs for federal, state and local responders
• Science and Advanced Technology: Conducting research to advance state of the art science related to explosives countermeasures and prevention; overseeing work of the Explosives Center of Excellence; developing advanced technology concepts; prototyping, testing and demonstrating technologies that can be transitioned to meet customer needs; and working with TSA to develop systems and CONOPS to screen 100% of air cargo by June 2010.
• Transportation Security: Working to develop technologies and concepts of operation to screen passengers, carry-on and checked luggage, and cargo; developing and implementing projects that identify and detect conventional and enhanced explosives threats and mitigate their potential damage; and improving screening systems throughput, capacity, reliability and effectiveness while minimizing false alarm rates, cost and labor.