Osama bin Laden is gone but the fight against terrorism continues. One of the most significant elements in that fight, the Force Protection Equipment Demonstration, will be presented just 10 miles south of Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., at Stafford Regional Airport, May 17-19.
Marines, military and civilian members of the Department of Defense, employees of federal agencies, state and local law enforcement, as well as fire and rescue departments are invited to attend. They will see more than 3,000 items of commercial off-the-shelf counter-terrorism equipment presented by over 575 exhibitors. There is no admission fee.
All attendees are required to register. Online registration is provided at: https://register.rcsreg.com/r2/fped2011/ga/top.html.
The FPED series, which in its eighth instance this year, addresses current and evolving force protection needs, anti-terrorist requirements and the demands of an increasingly broad range of challenges faced by first-responders when terrorist strikes occur. The 2011 theme is "force protection through integrated physical security solutions." All equipment presented must be available for procurement and testing within the 90 days immediately following FPED VIII.
Manufacturers will demonstrate products from 20 equipment and systems categories, including items with capabilities for reducing vulnerability of personnel, infrastructure and equipment, to threats such as improvised explosive devices, car bombs, suicide bombers, chemical and biological agents, and nuclear materials. Demonstrated equipment will be types that may be employed in either combat environments or domestic homeland security and diplomatic post settings.
The Force Protection Equipment Demonstration series was initiated by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a result of the bombing at Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia in 1996. Since then, an FPED has been held in Northern Virginia every two years. The Department of Defense Physical Security Equipment Action Group administered by the Office of the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Chemical and Biological Defense Programs/Nuclear Matters will direct and sponsor the demonstration. Additional sponsors include the U.S. Department of Energy and the Technical Support Working Group. The demonstration is coordinated and executed by the U.S. Army Product Manager, Force Protection Systems.
Defense, homeland security and first-response media are invited to register and attend. The event is not open to the general public. Comprehensive details on the origin, history and mission of the FPED series are at http://www.fped8.org.