Threat

In the Department of Defense, the Commanders in Chief of our warfighting commands have declared the biological weapons threat one of their top priorities. Despite the long history of dedicated activity against the biological weapons threat, there remains an active and growing list of nations with the means and the desire to direct biological weapons against U.S. forces and other elements of vital interest to the United States, including population centers. As noted by Gordon Oehler of the CIA,

Many developing countries see biological weapons--like chemical weapons--as having a twofold utility: as a "poor man's atomic bomb," intended to deter attacks from stronger, unconventionally armed neighbors; and as a relatively cheap force multiplier that can help compensate for shortcomings in conventional arsenals. (Statement for the Record to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Appendix C)

Response

Detect the presence of a potential biological weapons threat with sufficient time to allow additional characterization and determination of the degree of threat and to permit evasive or protective action.

Identify the specific threat so that appropriate response measures can be identified and implemented.

Protect troops at risk of contamination or exposure. For an aerosol delivery, troops can be afforded individual protection in the form of respirators or gas masks and protective clothing. Collective protection against an aerosol biological weapons threat can be achieved with enclosed shelters with air filtration sufficient to trap agent aerosol particles. For a surreptitious attack, treatment by immunization may be possible, subject to the availability of time and vaccines. If battlefield operations permit, areas of contamination can be avoided. Finally, troops engaged on a contaminated battlefield can also exercise individual and collective protection options to minimize the chances of contamination.

Where possible, troops can decontaminate and destroy some biological agent threats.

References and Links

• U.S. Army Chemical and Biological Defense Command (CBDCOM)
• Office of the Project Manager for NBC Defense Systems
• Program Director, Joint Program Office for Biological Defense, Biological Detection
• Handbook on the Medical Aspects of NBC Defensive Operations, Part II Biological
• CBIAC: The Chemical and Biological Defense Information Analysis Center
• Biological Integrated Detection System (BIDS