Owlstone Inc., in Partnership with UTC Aerospace Systems, Awarded the Only Department of Homeland Security Contract to Develop a New Handheld Explosives Detector

Norwalk, CT, December 18 2015: Owlstone Inc., in partnership with UTC Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp., (NYSE: UTX) announced today it was awarded the only contract by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a new handheld explosives detector. The mandate of DHS’s new Next Generation Explosives Detector (NGED) program is to fund development of a new family of explosives detection solutions for detecting a wide variety of explosives at levels of extreme sensitivity. Upon program completion, it is anticipated that new NGED products will be deployed across infrastructure including airports and government buildings, replacing existing equipment, and will lead to new deployment scenarios as well according to the performance requirements exceeding existing market offerings.

Using patented technology originally developed by Owlstone for ultra-fast chemical separation and detection of ionized products to meet needs in chemical warfare agent (CWA) detection and medicine, the new advanced explosives detector will demonstrate significant improvements in the performance parameters of explosives detection including extreme sensitivity (probability of detection and limits of detection) and false alarm rates. After the NGED program’s request for proposals from industry in March 2014 to address and satisfy DHS’s new required standards, Owlstone partnered with United Technologies and was chosen for funding. As DHS’s only contract to develop a new handheld explosives detection system, the system is projected to be a critical tool in delivering advanced and portable detection capability against the new generation of threats.

Widely recognized within the defense industry as a prime contractor for diverse product and systems arrays equipping air, ground, and naval platforms, UTC Aerospace Systems is a strategic partner for Owlstone in bringing its cutting-edge detector technology to market. In entering the prototype phase, the system will continue to refine features enabling field portable compact configurations, low power requirements, simple operation, non-specialist use, and reprogrammability. “We are proud to be partnering with UTC, a company with a strong and vital presence in some of the most important military platforms in service today. We look forward to bringing this exciting new explosives detector into service together in support of DHS’s important homeland security and lifesaving missions,” said Bret Bader, CEO and Director of Owlstone.

Media contact

For more information please contact:

For Owlstone
Mark Brennan
Mark.Brennan@owlstoneinc.com
USA: +1 203-908-4848

About Owlstone Inc.

Owlstone Inc. delivers next generation chemical detection technology that is used to help diagnose cancer, protect the military, and monitor food, water, and air. Owlstone’s powerful platform technology delivers solutions in compact configurations at low power requirements to defense, medical, industrial, and IoT markets wherever there is a need for extremely sensitive and selective methods of detection. Owlstone partners with leading systems manufacturers and systems integrators to integrate its technology into next generation chemical sensing products and solutions.

SOURCE Owlstone Inc.

About UTC Aerospace Systems

UTC Aerospace Systems is one of the world's largest suppliers of technologically advanced aerospace and defense products. UTC Aerospace Systems designs, manufactures and services integrated systems and components for the aerospace and defense industries, supporting a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and customer service facilities. For more information about the company, visit our website at www.utcaerospacesystems.com or follow us on Twitter: @utcaerosystems

About United Technologies Corporation

United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. By combining a passion for science with precision engineering, the company is creating smart, sustainable solutions the world needs. For more information about the company, visit our website at www.utc.com or follow us on Twitter: @UTC

SOURCE UTC Aerospace Systems