Graseby Dynamics Limited Receives Overseas Orders for Lightweight Chemical Agent Detector™ (LCD)
17 April 2002
Graseby Dynamics Limited of Watford Herts UK has received a number of orders for its new LCD (Lightweight Chemical Agent Detector). LCD is a small (less than 325cc) and light (less than 500gm), extremely capable, chemical warfare agent (CWA) detector designed to be carried by an individual to provide immediate warning visual and audio to him and his immediate colleagues of the presence of attack levels of CWA in their vicinity. The most recent of these orders is one for in excess of 60 LCD from the Japanese Police. It will be remembered that Japan was the subject of a number of CWA attacks in 1995 the culmination of which was the nerve agent Sarin attack on the Tokyo subway.
LCD makes use of the same basic technology as Graseby's world famous CAM Chemical Agent Monitors and GID chemical detectors with the notable difference that LCD utilises a non radio active ionizing source. A benefit of this development is that there is no need to account for the LCD to local radiation regulatory authorities. LCD uses the same basic technology and design that has been selected by the UK MOD for its LCAD (Lightweight Chemical Agent Detector) programme that was placed with Graseby following recent evaluation by the UK Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) NBC Integrated Project Team (IPT). Instruments of the same type are currently undergoing evaluation by the US DoD for its Joint Chemical Agent Detector (JCAD) programme under a Foreign Comparative Test.
The advent of LCD and the related programmes is the culmination of some ten years of Research and Development by Graseby to meet the critical design requirements of size and weight whilst maintaining the essential detection and false alarm rejection capabilities required in effective field CWA detection. Series production of the generic LCD has started and production of LCAD will commence following current operational tests at the Porton Down Laboratories of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratories (DSTL) of the UK MOD.
