Battlefield decontamination using aircraft

CML Army Chemical Review, Sept, 2003 by David Bergman

Outside the Box

When you think outside the box, The problem's always greater.

The reality is often such That the others just don't get it.

It's often hard to visualize And harder to explain,

But what's as plain as your nose Can be someone else's game. (2)

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has never had the luxury of a dedicated Chemical Corps or the decontamination battalions that are available to our allies in the United States and Britain and our nonallies such as the former Soviet Union. The ability of the ADF to decontaminate in a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) warlike environment at the tactical level is based on limited equipment and personnel at the brigade level. The decontamination capability currently consists of combat engineer regiments and a troop from the Emergency Response Squadron, Incident Response Regiment. Because decontamination is only one of a range of tasks for each, the priority for training, experience, and preparation for brigade decontamination tasks is at a low level. The employment of decontamination assets is based on post-World War II developments.

Ways to increase the effectiveness of the limited resources that we have at the brigade level for decontaminating large numbers of vehicles and personnel in a tactical warlike environment needs to be looked at from as many different perspectives as possible. In this time of change, we need to look to battle cunning (1) to provide an edge in a difficult task and look laterally to apply techniques used by other organizations.

This article explores the "outside-the-box" concept of using aircraft on the battlefield to assist engineers in mass chemical and biological decontamination of vehicles, personnel, and ground. It also suggests the possibility of sharing this resource with other Australian national stakeholders.

Background

"Land warfare represents the most comprehensive form of conflict and, until recently, victory or defeat on land has been synonymous with victory or defeat for the state." (3) With the increase in world tension in respect to the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons, the ADF needs to be able to better support units on the battlefield. Currently, engineers provide this support in the form of mobility/survivability at the tactical level of operations, which includes decontamination.

"Decontamination is a progressive operation that removes residue contamination from personnel and material with the aim of restoring combat power by allowing a reduction in protection levels." (4) Decontamination is traditionally a labor-intensive task. The Soviet Union, prior to its loss in the Cold War, employed thousands of troops dedicated to decontaminating its forces en masse on the battlefield. As a small force, the ADF needs to have a knowledge edge over potential adversaries. (5) For example, to decontaminate a brigade on the battlefield, we may be able to look to technology to overcome labor and other resource requirements.

Technological Advances

There have been advances both in aircraft and in additives to water to increase the fire retardant effectiveness of water. One advance in technology that has a relevance to decontamination on the battlefield is firebombing aircraft.

Foam

Foam is used as an additive to water for firebombing tasks. An example of this is the Bombardier CL-415 amphibious aircraft where the foam chemical is carried in one or two 300-litre (80-gallon) reservoirs. "When used, it is injected into the water load at a ratio of 0.3 percent to 0.6 percent by volume. Using a 0.4 percent concentration, which is typically used in fire fighting, a 6,000-litre (1,585-gallon) water load requires only 24 litres (6.4 gallons) of foam concentrate." (6) "Class 'A' fire fighting foam, as it is more commonly known, is designed to be mixed with water to produce a very effective fire suppressant. Foam has the following characteristics:

* It improves the drop pattern.

* The mixture of foam and water expands and doubles the drop area.

* It protects unburned vegetation and structures.

* It increases moisture penetration, creates an air barrier, and reflects radiant heat.

* It also clings to tree and structure surfaces providing additional protection.

* The foam drop can easily be seen from the air, enabling pilots to maximize coverage." (7)

The characteristics outlined above appear similar to those desired in the use of Canadian Aqueous System for Chemical-Biological Agent Decontamination (CASCAD) or similar decontamination agents. One of the reasons sited for moving to foam over other fire-suppressant additives is that "foam is inexpensive compared to the cost of dropping an equivalent quantity of long-term retardant (red slush commonly used as afire barrier)." (8) The benefits to the ADF are not necessarily the cost but the capability of providing large amounts of decontamination foam over a large number of equipment and it stores quickly and efficiently.

The suitability of the firebombing aircraft to be utilized in battlefield decontamination depends on the performance of decontamination foam when dispensed from aircraft. The crux of the issue is whether decontamination foam has the same or similar properties that allow it to be dispersed from aircraft, just as fire retardant foam is now. Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) specialist support and trials are required to qualify the suitability of this method of decontamination.