*The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Poland’s Ministry of Interior and Administration and Ministry of Finance that will allow the U.S. agency to help equip Poland’s strategic points of entry–borer crossings, airports and seaports–with new radiation detection systems and to train Polish operators in the use and maintenance of the equipment. The agreement will help Poland to prevent the illicit trafficking of nuclear and other radioactive materials. Separately, the NNSA, which is part of the Department of Energy, last month signed an agreement with Lebanon to begin a cooperative effort to detect, deter and interdict illicit smuggling of nuclear and other radioactive material. The agreement paves the way for the NNSA to work with Lebanese Customs and other government agencies to install radiation detection equipment at the ports of Beirut and Tripoli. The work in Poland and Lebanon will be performed by NNSA’s Second Line of Defense program.
*Implant Sciences [IMX] named Glenn Bolduc as its new president and CEO, replacing Phillip Thomas who resigned to pursue other personal interests after nearly two years at the head of the company. Bolduc was previously Implant’s chief financial officer. Thomas was responsible for restructuring Implant to focus on its security business while shedding non-core assets. Implant’s financial position has been tenuous although the company did completed $5.6 million in new financing in December.
*Textron [TXT] will receive a contract from the Department of Homeland Security for repairs and upgrade to the RadTruck, a vehicle based radiological detection system. Textron’s Innovative Survivability Technology’s business unit commercialized the radiation detection technologies into the RadTruck based upon a prototype designed and licensed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The RadTruck is used by State Police in two states and by two local agencies. A portal version of the radiation detection technology is used by California’s Highway Patrol.