The Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) has awarded phase three contracts to all four participants in the Stand-Off Radiation Detection System (SORDS) for further development after each passed a critical design review. Raytheon [RTN] says its eight-month Phase 3 award is for $2.3 million and calls for construction of a prototype.
General Electric [GE], Science Applications International Corp. [SAI], and the Naval Research Laboratory also received Phase 3 awards. The program has four phases. DNDO tells TR2 that it expects there will be a characterization and analysis phase for SORDS in the September and October timeframe under Phase 4. At least in GE and Raytheon’s cases, the company’s are developing sensor systems that would be vehicle mounted and allow for stand-off detection and identification of radiation sources. Raytheon is currently building its SORDS prototype, which will be installed on the back of a Ford [F] F-150 truck, John McElroy, the head of homeland security advanced technology efforts at Raytheon’s Integrated Defense Systems division, tells TR2. Raytheon will do its own testing on SORDS this summer prior to handoff to DNDO, he says. He expects Phase 4 to conclude by the end of 2009. As for what will happen after that, McElroy says he’s not sure. There could be further development for a possible end customer or low rate production for field testing by a customer but there is nothing determined, he says.