Biral wins PIBBDT Biodetection Contract award

Biral (Bristol Industrial & Research Associates Limited) has been awarded a contract by the UK Ministry of Defence following a competitive tender for the development of a technical demonstrator for the Portable Integrated Battlespace Biological Detection Technology (PIBBDT) project. The contract will build upon and extend research already undertaken by the MOD's scientific research centre at Dstl Porton Down towards the development of a compact and fully automated biological agent identification system.

Biral will lead a consortium of UK experts with a proven track record in the areas of collector technology, bio-detection and micro fluidics. Consortium members are Optisense Ltd, Stratophase Ltd, the University of Hertfordshire STRI (Scientific Technology Research Institute), and Dytecna Ltd who will provide advice and expertise on future in-service support considerations.

The technical demonstrator delivered at the end of the two-year project will reduce risk for the next generation of in-service equipment. The benefits are expected to include a quantum leap in technology from macroscale to microscale when compared with current in service capability.

The PIBBDT project represents a major opportunity to Biral and its partners in the development of the next generation of specific biological detection technology capability for the UK. PIBBDT will result in Biral being strategically well placed as a unique supplier of both real time generic and specific biodetection equipment.

Biral is a technology company specialising in the design, manufacture and supply of particle analysis, biodetection and meteorological instruments for science, industry and the environment. The company has particular expertise in optical characterisation of the atmosphere of which the detection of biological components is a major part for both military and civil applications. Biral is pleased to continue its working relationship with the CBRN IPT established on previous in service equipment programmes and now working towards the next generation of PIBBDT biodetection capability.