DTRA Fact Sheets

Contamination Avoidance at Seaports of Debarkation Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration

Contamination Avoidance at Seaports of Debarkation (CASPOD) is an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) designed to identify equipment and procedures to mitigate the impact of a chemical-biological attack at foreign seaports used by the United States and its coalition partners to move forces and equipment into a theater of operations. The approximately $43 million program, five-year ACTD, consisted of a three-year demonstration phase and a two-year residual support phase.

The CASPOD ACTD focused on seaports of debarkation within the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) area of responsibility where there are no U.S. bases, no permanent U.S. military presence and no command and control infrastructure in place. The goal of the CASPOD ACTD was to determine means to minimize the effects of a chemical or biological attack on seaports of debarkation by using new and emerging equipment, changing concepts of operations and tactics, techniques and procedures.

In fiscal year 2002, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) conducted a baseline study to define seaport of debarkation vulnerabilities and to develop a transportable chemical-biological defense package. This included associated concepts of operations and tactics, techniques and procedures to mitigate the effects of a chemical-biological attack on a fixed site. DTRA, in participation with USCENTCOM, held a preliminary demonstration in August 2003 at Naval Weapons Station, Charleston, S.C., to assess the military utility of technologies and their associated concepts of employment as well as assess current port operations doctrine as it applies to chemical-biological defense readiness capabilities. The final field demonstration was conducted at the Port of Beaumont, Texas, Sept. 5-18, 2004, with the purpose of determining the impact of the improved procedures and technologies for a seaport of debarkation’s ability to resume near-normal operations following a simulated chemical attack during cargo off-loading operations. During the residual support phase, 13 technologies that demonstrated a military utility were fielded to USCENTCOM units in the Kuwait seaport of debarkation through March 07, to provide a limited operational capability and allow USCENTCOM the opportunity to further refine continuity of operations, tactics, techniques and procedures, and establish logistical support procedures. The ACTD also examined doctrine and policy recommendations for host nation aspects of seaport of debarkation protection.

The executing agent and technical manager for the CASPOD ACTD was DTRA. The operational manager and sponsoring combatant command was USCENTCOM and the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center, Kirtland AFB, N.M., conducted the assessment.

DTRA safeguards America and its allies from weapons of mass destruction (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosives) by providing capabilities to reduce, eliminate, and counter the threat, and mitigate its effects. This Department of Defense combat support agency is located at Fort Belvoir, Va., and operates field offices worldwide.

February 2007