American Science and Engineering signs service contract for ZBV X-ray system
Despite recent worries about explosive detection industry, DHS moves forward with long-term deals; unnamed agency purchased eight ZBV vans last month
It has not been a good week or even month for the explosive detection industry. First it was revealed that technologies currently in use are incapable of detecting liquid explosives. Then the Transportation Safety Administration announced it was suspending the roll-out of Smiths and GE’s explosive trace portals, or puffers, due to technical glitches. Criticism notwithstanding, the government intends to move forward with its plans, this week signing a long term $46 million contract with American Science and Engineering to provide service and maintenance for the Z(R) Backscatter Van (ZBV) X-Ray Inspection System. The news comes on the heels of an anouncement last month that an unnamed U.S. government agency would buy eight of the vans for $6.4 million.
We have reported on the ZBV technology many times before, and with good reason. It has the unique advantage of being able to be moved about quickly to areas where there is a need to investigate suspicious radiation, and with its unique drive-by detection capability it does not even need to come to a full stop to perform its duties. As for personnel safety in dangerous environments, a remote console is available for operating the system in stationary mode from a distance of up to 500 meters.
-read more in this company news release
