National Guard Working To Improve Ability To Respond To Terrorist Threats At Home

Terrorists still want to attack the United States. ISIS has openly called on Muslims in the West to attack “soldiers, patrons, and troops … their police, security and intelligence members.” Senior intelligence and law enforcement officials are taking this threat seriously. Truth be told, it isn’t all that hard for individual jihadists to put together a bomb. Remember the Boston marathon bombers? How about the Time Square bomber who built a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device pretty much out of stuff lying around his garage?

One of the primary missions of the National Guard is providing assistance to civil authorities in the defense of the homeland against terrorist threats. This includes responding to the discovery of an explosive device.

So what would authorities do if they come across a terrorist-built explosive device? Obviously, call in the bomb squad to analyze and, if possible, neutralize the device. But even if the bomb is disarmed, what then? It must be moved safely to a location where it can be detonated. Containing and moving a terrorist bomb requires specialized equipment.

Fortunately, such equipment is available. The National Guard is in the process of acquiring the specialized containment devices that will enable it to deal safely with even large terrorist bombs.  The Air National Guard has the explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) mission for the Reserve Component. It has a contract with a U.S. company, NABCO, to acquire enough specialized containers, that company’s Model 42-GT-SCS Total Containment Vessel (TCV), for all its EOD units. NABCO TCVs are the world standard for safely containing and transporting improvised explosive devices. It is mobile and can be operated remotely to improve the safety of EOD personnel. The TCV also can contain, sample and treat the effects of a chemical, biological or radiological device.

Other nations, notably Israel, have the reputation for being the best at developing counter-terrorist technologies. However, NABCO has been the world leader in designing and manufacturing TCVs worldwide for over 30 years. NABCO TCVs are used by over 90% of the bomb squads in the United States as well as all the branches of the U.S. military. In addition, TCVs have been sold to more than 22 countries.

As the terrorist threat morphs and mutates, it is important that the U.S. military and law enforcement agencies have the best equipment and training. This must include explosive containment devices such as those currently being acquired by the Air National Guard.