Contract Enlists Lasers in Defense Against Chemical Weapons

The US Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command has enlisted ITT Industries Inc. of White Plains, N.Y., into its expanding effort to detect and defend against chemical attack. The military granted ITT's Advanced Engineering and Sciences Div., an $8.3 million contract to develop preproduction sensor systems for field testing on reconnaissance missions. The electro-optical sensors will use laser interrogation of surface agents to detect and identify low concentrations of chemical weapon components from a standoff position.