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• Department of Homeland Security
• radiation
• nuclear weapons
• terrorism
• Chevrolet
• Raytheon

It's the exact sort of gadget you would assume the government already has in a garage somewhere: a big, black SUV that can detect the presence of radioactive material. But this modified Chevy Suburban XL, delivered to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by Raytheon last month, claims to be the first of its kind: a highly-sensitive, self-contained system that uses the same spectroscopic analysis technology that's found in advanced cargo inspection scanners. Unlike those stationary Advanced Spectroscopic Portals—which are far from standard-issue for port authorities, due to their high cost—the SUV-based system can be repositioned quickly and used while the vehicle is in motion. In the past, authorities have had access to systems mounted in the back of pickup trucks, which were less accurate and much easier to spot during clandestine searches.

According to the DHS's Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), the modified Suburban is fitted with two swiveling panels, which can slide out for maintenance but would generally remain out of sight in the truck's rear compartment. If radiation were detected, an integrated laptop would provide a full spectroscopic analysis, including the type of radiation source involved. Depending on the mission, the SUV's operators could set the system to trigger a number of automatic alarms, from a discrete vibration sent to a dedicated PDA to a blaring car alarm, with the truck's lights, siren and horn signaling a positive reading. "The effective range depends on the shielding, and how hot the source is," says DNDO spokeswoman Andrea Hoshmand.

When the system was unveiled to lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Feb. 28, the demonstration—which was closed to the press—involved benign radioactive sources, such as cesium. To determine the SUV's effectiveness at detecting legitimate threats, DNDO will begin testing its initial fleet of trucks next month, at the same site in Nevada where it tested its stationary radiation portals. Hoshmand isn't expecting any problems, since the technology is essentially identical, and the portals have already picked up suspicious sources—even when it's in a shielded cargo container or hidden within benign radioactive sources (like cat litter).

By the summer, DNDO could begin tweaking all nine of its trucks based on those tests, optimizing their performance before sending them out for additional field-testing. So far, the prospective customers include federal, state and local authorities, including the U.S. Border Patrol and New York City Police Department. DNDO is also investigating the potential installation of individual spectroscopic panels at roadside weigh stations along the East Coast.

Although the modified Suburbans have been black so far, Hoshmand notes that the state and local users have already asked for something in a silver or a green—something not quite so "federal." At press time, DNDO had not released the cost for the tests, or the potential cost of additional trucks.

1. RE: Homeland Adds On-the-Go Radioactive Hunter to Garage
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