AST 2018 CHAMPIONS EDITION AST 2018 CHAMPIONS EDITION | Page 160

In Volume
all scenarios,
there is a great
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benefit in deploying the max-
imum number of detectors to
increase the tightness of the
net in place.
2018 CHAMPIONS Edition
The right balance of initial de-
tection and adjudication devic-
es can greatly increase the effec-
tiveness of security operation.
NEUTRON CAPABILITY
(See the FLIR identiFINDER R440 in action - a lightweight, sourceless RIID that can be
operated with one hand and is IP67-rated to survive tough missions.)
Some of these considerations are easier to an-
swer than others. One that can sometimes be
confusing is determining if you need neutron
detection capability in your toolkit.
The desire to monitor for the presence of neu-
trons is usually driven by two main consider-
ations:
1. Neutrons have the ability to penetrate ma-
terial and travel distances far greater than
any other form of radiation. A neutron de-
tector has a better opportunity of detecting
neutrons before any other associated type of
radiation, like gamma, from the same source.
The neutron detector is considered by many to
be an important early warning system for
the detection of malicious material.
2. Neutrons are often associated with the pres-
ence of fissile material. They are absolute sec-
ondary confirmation when a gamma-based
identification of uranium or plutonium has
been made. The presence of neutrons when a
non-fissile identification is made can indicate
that malicious materials are being hidden
or masked behind a larger benign source.
This is a highly suspicious situation and
triggers an immediate response.
Most handheld RID devices are used as a
stand-alone solution and the majority of those
deployed have neutron detection capability. Al-
though neutron capability is commonly avail-
able, it is possible to buy RIDs without this option.
Belt-worn PSM and PRD devices generally do
not have neutron capability due to size and cost
considerations.
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