U.S. government orders 36 van x-ray screening systems from AS&E for counterterrorism applications
Sept. 14, 2006
BILLERICA, Mass., 14 September 2006. American Science and Engineering Inc. (AS&E) has received a $42.4 million order from the U.S. government for 36 Z Backscatter Van (ZBV) x-ray screening systems. The order includes operator training, service, and labor warranty.
The largest single ZBV order to date, this contract calls for the delivery of 36 ZBVs, capable of detecting large quantities of organic materials in vehicles and other targets for urban surveillance or force protection applications.
AS&E's Z Backscatter Van is a maneuverable screening system built into a commercially available delivery van. The ZBV employs AS&E's patented Z Backscatter technology, which reveals contraband that transmission X-rays miss -- such as explosives and plastic weapons -- and provides photo-like imaging for rapid analysis.
The ZBV is capable of immediate deployment in response to security threats, and features a high-throughput capacity to facilitate rapid inspections. The system's "drive-by" capability allows one or two operators to conduct X-ray imaging of suspect vehicles and objects as the ZBV drives past.
