National ABC deployment concept - 5. -

5. NBC investigation centers of the Bundeswehr (Sonthofen)

The two ABC investigation centers (ABC-U or ABC-UntersSt) also belong to the group for further development (GrpWEntwg) of the ABC and self-protection school. They were built since December 31, 1996 to replace the earlier NBC ordnance investigation centers. Initially, it was only a stationary office that used the two special laboratories of the NBC defense school, a BSL 2 bio-laboratory and a toxin laboratory. In addition, the group has had a mobile variant for "qualified ABC education" since 1997, and a second ABC investigation center was put into service on April 1, 2003. Today, the two ABC investigation centers (mobile) are each divided into four sub-units:

- a guiding and sampling team,

- a radiation and hazardous substance measuring team,

- a laboratory equipment B defense,

- a laboratory equipment C-Defense

An ABC investigation center (mobile) consists of 11 soldiers, including 3 natural scientists. They are distributed over 5 vehicles with 4 trailers (4t with power generator etc.), so that each sub or laboratory unit has a separate Fm II B container on Mercedes-Benz 107 5t trucks. The mobile examination center can be relocated with three C160 Transall transport aircraft. The ABC investigation center (mobile) is ready for use six hours after landing.

The leadership and sampling team owns a 0,5 t gl Wolf truck (Mercedes Benz G-Class). The laboratory of the radiation and hazardous substances measuring team (NBC-AL RAD LAB (DEU)) is equipped with the most modern measuring devices. Biological agents can be identified with the following detection methods (ELISA, PCR, GC / MS or HPLC). The bio-laboratory is operated with a slight negative pressure to prevent the agents from escaping. In order to determine the spread of a warfare agent cloud, the ABC school developed the computer-aided spread module biology (RAMBio). The prototype of the mobile bio-laboratory of security level 2 was introduced on August 2, 2005. The laboratory is housed in a container that can be transported by air and can be used not only by truck but also on warships. The chemical laboratory is called "NBC - AL CHEMLAB (DEU)". It is used to detect chemical warfare agents or industrial poisons in order to identify a hazard to humans or the environment. A gas chromatograph with mass spectrometer (GC / MS ), an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer Niton 703 and an infrared spectrometer are available.The chemists in the group have created their own database for chemical industrial hazards (DAFCIH).

"Our mobile laboratory, with its analysis capabilities, is unmatched anywhere in the world," explained the former head of the NBC defense school, Colonel Dr. Hans Jürgen Kalder. In use, a laboratory is usually manned by one or two technical assistants and a graduate scientist. Investigation center was already used in January / February 2001 at SFOR in Bosnia to detect uranium hardened DU ammunition.

Address:

ABC and self-protection school

Hunter barracks

Mühlenweg

87527 Sonthofen

Tel: 08321 278-0

Donation appeal

- The THTR circular is published by the 'BI Environmental Protection Hamm' and is financed by donations.

- The THTR circular has meanwhile become a much-noticed information medium. However, there are ongoing costs due to the expansion of the website and the printing of additional information sheets.

- The THTR circular researches and reports in detail. In order for us to be able to do that, we depend on donations. We are happy about every donation!

Donations account:

BI Umweltschutz Hamm
Purpose: THTR circular
IBAN: DE31 4105 0095 0000 0394 79
BIC: WELADED1HAM

***