Protection against CBRN and other hazardous substances
The Swedish Armed Forces will be playing a steadily increasing part in international operations and in reinforcing national capabilities in peacetime.
There is therefore a growing need for a flexible and interoperable protection against a range of hazardous substances, for example infectious diseases, toxic chemicals and radioactive sources. The research is conducted in an environment of international cooperation and ensures that Sweden has access to leading experts in the area of CBRN. This specialist knowledge is put to use in Sweden’s involvement in the field of security and disarmament. In the event of a CBRN incident, this knowledge is again available in the form of expert operational support for the authorities concerned.
Activities are oriented mainly towards the assessment and evaluation of threats, identification of hazardous substances and verification of their use, and the evaluation of different types of protection. This includes, for example, medical protection, individual breathing equipment and protective clothing as well as detection and warning instruments.
The need for expert resources in the field of CBRN applies as much to the Swedish Government Offices as it does to the Armed Forces and the civil community. The comprehensive body of knowledge that has been built up for the military can equally well be used for civil purposes. This results in the more efficient use of resources and makes it easier to coordinate joint operations.