"Capital Impact":AU, MDA Test, Drills, DHS +

U.S. stages 1st dual-missile intercept test in space

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN0750720320071107?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews&rpc=22&sp=true


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military destroyed a simulated salvo of two short-range ballistic missiles more than 100 miles over the Pacific Tuesday night in the first such simultaneous test in space.
The event marked the 10th and 11th successful ballistic missile intercepts for Lockheed Martin Corp's sea-based Aegis system in 13 attempts, the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency, or MDA, said.
"We consider it a simultaneous engagement," said Richard Lehner, an agency spokesman, on Wednesday. "That means both targets were in flight at the same time even though they were not intercepted at precisely the same moment."
The Aegis system tested is part of a fledgling, multibillion-dollar U.S. shield designed to thwart missiles tipped with deadly warheads that could be fired by potential foes like North Korea and Iran. (cont...)

'Capital Impact'

Anti-terrorism exercise tests emergency crews (AU)http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/07/2084672.htm

Canberra's emergency services are being tested in the ACT's most ambitious anti-terrorism exercise to date.


Exercise 'Capital Impact' is a two-day operation involving 400 personnel.
For the first time, a simulated chemical attack is being staged at Canberra Stadium, along with a simulated building collapse in Pialligo.
ACT Chief Police Officer Michael Phelan says while there is no specific threat against Canberra, it is crucial the emergency services are ready for the worst.
"None of us want to face the situation where this occurs, but if it does occur we want to ensure that we're able to tackle the situation properly and correctly and have a very measured response," he said.
"We need to prepare for the thing that none of us want to occur and the only way to do that is to continually practice through these exercises."
Mr Phelan says each exercise is designed to test the emergency services in slightly different ways.
"It's important to test every possible scenario we can," he said.
"The range of testing exercises that are done over time are all the way from prevention, through to consequence management and recovery.
"We test all avenues along the way with different types of exercise but this one here is particularly about the investigation and the management of the actual site itself and recovery."
ACT Emergency Services Minister Simon Corbell says the exercise is vital preparation for a major incident in Canberra.
"This is a very important part of making sure our emergency services are prepared in the event of an emergency," he said.
"Whilst the scenario today is a terrorism related event, it's very important to stress that regardless of the nature of the incident - whether it's a terrorist event, a flood or a fire - it's all about making sure our emergency services work well together."

Mock bio-terrorism attack makes house calls in Ches.
http://www.wavy.com/Global/story.asp?S=7321621

A mock bio-terrorism attack sent dozens of volunteers onto the streets of Chesapeake to make house calls. It's a drill that could mean the difference between life and death. Experts say people are more likely to stay inside than leave their homes during a real emergency, which is something officials want to avoid.
Volunteers raced against the clock to get medicine catalogued, packaged and readied for victims of a simulated bio-terrorism attack. Time made all the difference in this drill

Emergency response exercise set for Wednesday (OK)
http://www.edmondsun.com/local/local_story_311125425.html



EDMOND — The City of Edmond’s Emergency Management Department will conduct a multi-agency emergency exercise Wednesday.The exercise will give emergency responders the opportunity to practice their response using the city’s recently revised emergency operations plan. It will allow emergency managers to assess the effectiveness of the plan and identify any areas that may need refinement.Mike Magee, Edmond’s Emergency Management Coordinator, said these exercises test the response capabilities at all levels. The details of the scenario are kept confidential prior to the exercise to ensure a realistic response. (cont..)



Military Zips Lips on Pain Ray Accident (ADS/DEW)
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/11/seven-months-af.html

Seven months after an airman was burned in a test of the nonlethal heat beam, the Air Force has released a heavily redacted version of the mishap report (available in PDF here) that reveals few details about what happened.
The military has bent over backwards to demonstrate to the public that the Active Denial System (ADS), a millimeter wave directed energy weapon that heats up the top layer of skin, is a well-tested nonlethal weapon, and not a scary microwave weapon with unknown health effects. For example, last month, they staged demonstrations of ADS for reporters at Quantico (cont...)

Battelle Gets Biodefense Lab Contract http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/5282047.html

FREDERICK, Md. — Battelle Memorial Institute says it has won a $257 million, 10-year contract to run a National Institutes of Health biological defense laboratory at Fort Detrick.
Battelle has now secured management contracts for two of the high-security laboratories planned at a multi-agency biodefense campus at the Army installation in Frederick. In December, Battelle National Biodefense Institute, a unit of Columbus, Ohio-based Battelle, won a $250 million, five-year contract to run a Department of Homeland Security laboratory at Fort Detrick. That contract has five optional one-year extensions for a total potential value of $500 million.
Battelle said Tuesday it will provide up to 119 scientists and technicians to staff the High Containment Integrated Research Facility planned by the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, an NIH unit. The lab will open in the fall of 2008, Battelle said. (cont..)

General Dynamics on Raytheon team
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-briefcase0607nov06,0,2544459.story

After a failed bid but a successful protest, General Dynamics Corp. has landed a place on the Raytheon Co.-led team that won a multibillion-dollar contract this year to support the Army's entire training simulator fleet, the Army said Monday. The Army's Orlando simulation training contract agency awarded the $11.2 billion deal in June to a team led by Raytheon Technical Services Co. and its principal subcontractor Computer Sciences Corp. The so-called Warfighter FOCUS (Field Operations Customer Support) contract is the Orlando agency's largest ever. General Dynamics protested the award, a move that was upheld in September by the Government Accountability Office. The addition of General Dynamics to the winning team is expected to resolve the issues, Army officials said. Dozens of companies -- and potentially hundreds of jobs -- in Central Florida would be tied to the project, which involves maintaining, updating and supporting high-tech training simulators at bases around the world.