Chem-Bio Workplace Working By Provide Chain Points
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The pandemic-fueled provide chain disaster that has clobbered industries throughout the nation can also be affecting a key Pentagon workplace tasked with countering organic threats, limiting its capacity to surge essential applied sciences if wanted.
The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated a number of challenges, together with the flexibility to acquire essential parts and components for chemical, organic, radiological and nuclear protection applied sciences, mentioned Col. Chris Hoffman, principal director for the Pentagon’s chem-bio protection program.
“It is a very small group with … a restricted quantity of producing that’s oriented on producing our merchandise, which inherently creates some challenges in our capacity to scale up and meet surges in demand,” he mentioned throughout a web-based occasion hosted by the Nationwide Protection Industrial Affiliation.
A current survey performed by this system’s evaluation workplace discovered that 57 p.c of the producers that the group depends on are a minimum of at a medium threat for provide chain challenges and vulnerabilities.
One space of main concern is the manufacturing of semiconductors, Hoffman famous. Semiconductors are the muse of the superior applied sciences that each common residents and army officers depend on. A world scarcity amidst unprecedented demand through the pandemic for digital gadgets has created a serious provide chain concern.
Whereas america is a pacesetter within the design of semiconductors, in current a long time the manufacturing and manufacturing of microelectronics has moved offshore.
The semiconductor scarcity has had a direct influence on the CBRN protection workplace, forcing officers to delay the testing and fielding of a few of its techniques, Hoffman mentioned.
For instance, the nuclear, organic and chemical reconnaissance automobile sensor suite improve program has confronted delays.
“We had a change in addition to some software program challenges that made us intentionally slip the testing as we couldn’t get the 2 prototypes constructed in an effort to take a look at [them] as a result of essential provides have been unavailable,” he mentioned.
The chem-bio protection workplace plans to work with business to higher establish the place shortcomings within the pipeline are to mitigate future points, Hoffman mentioned. It has already begun making some focused investments into sure applied sciences to make sure it has the mandatory components and provides to execute applications.
Subjects: CBRN