Advanced Spectroscopic Portal systems

In partnership with Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems based in Massachusetts, BTI is currently executing a contract for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for the development and deployment of advanced radiation detection systems for reliably detecting and identifying illicit nuclear materials that may be used in weapons of mass destruction. The U.S. market for these systems is estimated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to be greater than $1 billion USD.

The contract is part of a high priority U.S. counter-terrorism initiative, known as the Advanced Spectroscopic Portal (ASP) program, which is led by the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office of the DHS. The ASP systems are the next generation of radiation portal monitors, which are deployed at border crossings and internal chokepoints to screen vehicles and cargo for radioactive materials. The ASP systems to be provided by the Raytheon-BTI team offer major improvements over currently deployed systems by increasing the probability of detecting nuclear threats, while significantly decreasing the number of false alarms.

Under a previous contract for DHS, BTI performed the initial research and engineering to develop prototypes of the ASP systems, which were then rigorously tested by DHS at the Nevada Test Site to assess the performance of the systems in realistic threat scenarios. In the current phase of the program, BTI is teamed with Raytheon IDS, a leading U.S. defense and aerospace company. BTI brings cutting-edge expertise in nuclear physics and radiation detection systems, while Raytheon IDS brings proven prime program management, engineering, manufacturing, and deployment support. Production of the portals will be performed at Raytheon’s Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, Massachusetts.

The ASP systems are passive devices that use a suite of radiation detectors and advanced algorithms to rapidly detect and identify radioactive materials that may be concealed in vehicles and cargo containers. The systems’ ability to distinguish between real nuclear threats (such as a nuclear weapon or “dirty bomb” materials) and “innocent” radioactive materials (such as medical isotopes and naturally-radioactive materials like ceramics, bananas, and cat litter) will allow authorities such as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to effectively screen vehicles and cargo while minimizing disruptions to the normal flow of commerce. The United States has over 600 points of entry at border crossings, airports, seaports, courier facilities, and mail facilities where people and material enter the country.