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Twenty states are suspected of possessing chemical and biological weapons, including rogue regimes in Iraq, Iran, Libya, Israel, North Korea and China so it is not surprising that the world's armies are devoting attention to finding effective protection for troops against these so-called terror weapons.
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US soldiers decontaminate colleagues during a training exercise RIPLEY |
Chemical and biological weapons are sometimes referred to as the poor man's atom bomb because unlike nuclear weapons they can be produced cheaply and easily from basic industrial processes available to any reasonably industrialised state. Chemical weapons come in a variety of forms, as blister or choking agents that burn skin, eyes or the respiratory system, or nerve or blood agents that poison the central nervous system or the victim's blood. These agents can be delivered as liquids or vapours. Liquids are sprayed over enemy troops by aircraft or special shells that explode at high altitude and their contents rain down on their victims. Vapours are suspended in the atmosphere and can float around as a cloud. Chemical weapons are closely associated with the pesticide industry and it is only a short step to convert most pesticide plants to produce chemical agents.
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US soldier in full chemical protective equipment RIPLEY |
Biological agents are the viruses that cause fatal diseases such as the plague, anthrax, cholera and botulism. Infected material can be carried by bombs, rockets, shells or sprays and fired at hostile forces. The diseases are contracted either by direct contact or through the ingestion of contaminated food or water. Serious illness and death quickly follow exposure to chemical or nerve agents.
Basic protective measures fall into either the personal or collective category. The personal category includes equipment used by individual soldiers and the collective category includes those measures used to protect large groups of people in vehicles, buildings, ships or aircraft.
Individual protective equipment (IPE) is the term used by the British Army to describe the personal equipment used by its soldiers and many other armies have followed its example. IPE consists of a charcoal-based suit to prevent agents contacting the skin. There is a respirator (or gas mask) to keep the face safe that has air filters to allow the wearer to breathe. Rubber boots and gloves complete the basic suit. With the suit comes a small personal decontamination set based on puffer bottles and pads to apply fuller's earth to contaminated areas of a soldier's uniform or equipment. Detector papers also are provided to provide warning of chemical attack. The protective suit and respirator filter canister have only a finite life in a contaminated environment so soldiers need to carry spare items in sealed containers.
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UN arms inspectors use chemical agent detectors to search for Iraqi chemical weapons after the Gulf War UN PHOTO 159097/H. ARVIDSSON |
To provide added protection, a number of armies have carried out extensive research into pre-treatments. Basically these are inoculations given to soldiers before battle to build up resistance in their immune systems to chemical and biological agents in the form of injections or tablets such as the British NAPS tablets.
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The British Army's individual protective equipment (IPE) RIPLEY |
The British Army also provides its soldiers with what it calls a combopen. This is a robust form of single-use syringe containing a nerve agent antidote. As soon as a soldier begins to suffer from nerve-agent symptoms, he injects the combopen into his leg or arm.
Chemical agents quickly collect on soldiers, vehicles, equipment, buildings and defensive positions. It is essential to decontaminate these quickly if they are important to the conduct of military operations. Decontamination can be achieved either by the application of chemicals to neutralise the agent or water to dilute and wash away the agent. Fuller's earth is one of the main decontamination agents. Many armies have extensive decontamination facilities based on high-pressure bleach and water sprays.
Collective protection is used commonly on buildings, ships and portable shelters to protect large groups of troops. The use of filter systems and overhead pressure devices to keep out contamination also is common.
Before any protective measures can be taken it is essential for military units and personnel to have advance warning of enemy chemical or biological warfare attacks. The cumbersome and debilitating nature of IPE makes it essential for military efficiency that soldiers put on their protective suits only when absolutely necessary. During the First World War canaries were used extensively to provide warning and some coalition units made use of them during the 1991 Gulf War. High-technology warning devices include chemical detector paper, vapour sensors and samplers, portable analysis kits for testing samples in the field and computer communications devices to predict contamination patterns so neighbouring units can be warned.
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A US Army helicopter is decontaminated during an exercise prior to the 1991 Gulf War RIPLEY |
Chemical and biological weapons retain an amazing capacity to panic troops even if they are provided with the most advanced protective equipment. Unless troops are well trained in the use of this equipment and confident of its ability, a minor chemical attack will cause mayhem. Training is a good investment.
