Photo By Gabriella White | An M75 Screening Obscuration Module mounted on an unmanned vehicle releases smoke to...... read more read more
Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD — The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center (DEVCOM CBC) assisted the Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) with an event focused on advancing Army CBRN capabilities.
The Integrated Test and Evaluation and CBRN Integrated Layered Defense capstone event featured various technology demonstrations and highlighted ways to integrate technology and prepare and protect the warfighter.
The event showcased Soldiers applying CBRN capabilities to a variety of scenarios, including a simulated wet gap crossing. In this scenario, the team outlined a portion of the field that would simulate the water obstacle and Soldiers demonstrated how they would move from one side of the field to another while using a smoke generator to obscure the unit’s movement. The Center’s team of obscuration experts demonstrated the M75 Screening Obscuration Module, a mountable and portable smoke generator. It was deployed on an unmanned ground vehicle, which deployed the smoke obscurant used to conceal the Soldiers as they crossed the simulated wet gap.
Data analysis and communication were at the forefront of the event, which included various technologies working together. These exercises demonstrated how existing technologies can be integrated to expand capabilities in the field and equip the warfighter with the appropriate data to make real-time decisions on the ground.
The teams from DEVCOM CBC and JPEO-CBRND gathered with several other partners at the Center’s campus at Aberdeen Proving Ground to execute the event. The facilities and ranges operated by DEVCOM CBC offer unique opportunities to enhance Soldier readiness.
“Out here we have obstacles like hills and valleys that can help determine if technologies might have certain pitfalls in different environments,” said Sheri Blackiston, a lab manager at the Center. “At other facilities, you usually have a flat field, and that might not provide the ability to see if different terrain will impact whatever technology is being tested.”
The other major draw to partnering with DEVCOM CBC is the people. The Center features world-class scientists and researchers ready to work towards the common goal of improving readiness across the force. When working with a diverse range of stakeholders and partner organizations, it is important to have a team that can come together and deliver results.
“I have an incredible team of scientists and engineers who are experts in obscuration. We’ve had representatives from the Chemical School and from the requirements community coming to us directly to ask their questions and looking for our guidance,” said Dr. Danielle Kuhn, the Center’s Branch Chief for Smoke and Target Defeat. “They recognize that we’re the experts and they’re asking us how to plan for the future and make sure the warfighter has the upper hand. And it’s been great to see my team switch from the scientific perspective to understanding the bigger vision.”
The event has significant implications for Kuhn’s team, which receives a predominant amount of its funding directly from the Army. The team used this event as a jumping-off point to engage with customers and stakeholders and ultimately advocate for the project’s next steps. The team is currently working on a new generation of the M75 Screening Obscuration Module. The next phase of this initiative will focus on expanding infrared and radar obscurant capabilities, further modernizing obscurant technologies.
“By working together, DEVCOM CBC, JPEO-CBRND and other partners were able to demonstrate capabilities that had never been integrated, seeking real-time feedback from Soldiers and stakeholders. These partnerships have helped teams cross the Valley of Death, the phase in acquisition where technologies sometimes stall out, and get into the hands of the warfighter,” said Kuhn.
Dr. James Watson, DEVCOM CBC’s Director of Engineering, added, “Collaborative exercises and demonstrations like these are a critical part of the Army's continuous transformation and its ability to deliver concept-required capabilities, both for today's battlefield and the future.”
| Date Taken: | 11.20.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.20.2025 16:09 |
| Story ID: | 551944 |
| Location: | US |
| Hometown: | ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, DEVCOM CBC Supports CBRN Technology Capstone Event, by Alexandria Mann, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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