The Non-Medical Science and Technology Program

Non-Medical S T Finding Contamination Avoidance—A Limiting Philosophy Against Asymmetric Threats 

This importance of early detection has promoted the focus of non-medical S T on threat discovery and environmental detection—that is, on avoiding contamination altogether so as not to be faced with subsequent situations and with actions needed farther along the time line. Avoiding contamination eliminates or reduces the need for (1) decontamination, (2) utilization of protective equipment (and the associated loss of performance), and (3) medical response, both short 

2For example Institute of Medicine and Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology, National Research Council. 1999. Chemical and Biological Terrorism Research and Development to Improve Civilian Medical Response, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., pp. 239-240. 

The committee s assessment derives from the fact that the risk from asymmetric, or at least unconventional, attacks has increased. A determined adversary with even a small quantity of chemical or biological agent and a well-executed attack plan could produce significant consequences if supply chains, civilian support operations, and/or deployment schedules were disrupted. For example, the contamination of a ship in a foreign port raises the question as to how a captain should best utilize the non-medical science and technology at his disposal in response to an attack in which no sensor system allowed the avoidance of exposure. The extension of that question for the Non-Medical Science and Tech- 

3If an adversary s intent can be determined early enough, contamination avoidance also includes the destruction of capability before an agent is actually used. This is the agent-defeat program in DOD s active defense element for countering weapons of mass destmction. It is not discussed here because the committee s focus, as directed by the terms of reference, was on the passive defense element. 

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