The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded Northrop Grumman [NOC] an $8.4 million task order under an existing contract to begin field testing the company’s version of the Gen-3 BioWatch autonomous bio-detection system. Under the award, which is the second task order from a potential $37 million contract Northrop Grumman received last November, the company will build and deliver 12 of its Next Gen Automated Detection System units for several months of field testing in Chicago at outdoor and indoor locations. In addition to the units Northrop Grumman will provide its command and control and information technology (IT) package that is part of the Gen-3 program that will allow health and security officials to receive alerts in real-time from the equipment. In addition to the equipment, Northrop Grumman will provide technical, operations and maintenance support during the field test. The purpose of the field testing is to provide the suitability of the systems for operational use, Dave Tilles, director of Homeland Security and CBRNE defense programs for the Advanced Concepts & Technologies Division at Northrop Grumman’s Electronic Systems sector, tells TR2. The field tests follow a series of laboratory tests done earlier this year at multiple locations to demonstrate the detection performance of the system, he says. Northrop Grumman’s teammates on the Gen- 3 effort are Luminex Corp. [LMNX], which is providing the assay reader technology and some of the assay chemistry, Research International, which is providing the aerosol collector sub-module, and Global FIA, Inc., which is providing the fluidic system. Northrop Grumman is the system integrator and is providing the command and control and IT technology. United Technologies [UTX] is also working competing on the Gen-3 program.