EDGEWOOD, Md., 26 Feb. 2008. The Military unit of Smiths Detection, part of the global technology business Smiths Group, has been selected to participate in the first major phase of Increment 2 of the Improved Point Detection System (IPDS) program.

The IPDS II is a shipboard detection system that detects chemical warfare agents. It provides system control at a central location and interfaces with ship-based alarms. In addition, IPDS II is capable of providing audible and visual alarms at a remote location via a remote display unit.

"Smiths Detection has provided shipboard detection systems to more than 10 countries throughout the years," says Tim Picciotti, general manager, U.S. Military of Smiths Detection. "We are proud to have delivered over 130,000 chemical detectors to our customers around the world, demonstrating both the effectiveness of our technology and the quality of engineering to meet the harshest military conditions."

Initially four detectors will be procured from Smiths Detection by the DoD for evaluation. If successful through the evaluation phase, the long-term potential for the IPDS II program is for production valued up to $50 million.