Gear Heads

The Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO) is looking for new gear that might come in handy during counterterrorism operations, according to an announcement released by the organization this week.

Officials have grouped the solutions they are looking for into the following areas:

Blast Effects and Mitigation (BX); Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Countermeasures (CBRNC); Explosives Detection (ED); Improvised Device Defeat (IDD); Investigative Support and Forensics (ISF); Irregular Warfare Support Program (IWS); Physical Security (PS); Surveillance, Collection, and Operations Support (SCOS); Tactical Operations Support (TOS); Training Technology Development (TTD); and Personnel/VIP Protection (VIP)

In the BX category, for example, officials are seeking some sort of lightweight, deployable shelter strong enough to protect forward-deployed forces against "personnel borne improvised explosive devices" -- aka suicide bombers -- or vehicle-mounted bombs.

In a separate project, officials are looking for a "Non-lethal Suicide Bomber Immobilization Device" capable of doing this:

The non-lethal capability device to immobilize a suicide bomber shall work from a standoff distance of 50 (threshold) to 75 (optimal) yards and incapacitate the potential suicide bomber for 60 (threshold) to 90 (optimal) seconds. The desired end-state allows no and/or minimal reaction time for the potential suicide bomber to initiate the explosive charge without causing long-term harmful side effects or permanent damage to the subject. . . . Devices employing an electrical charge (shock) to immobilize the suicide bomber will not be considered.

Not all projects are technology-focused. Officials also are looking for a contractor to study the dynamics of certain populations in the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command areas of responsibility. The idea is to get an understanding of the "actual versus perceived stakeholders and centers of gravity and power" in these areas, the announcement reads.