Keeping safe in high-risk environments
When entering a hazardous environment, military personnel are immediately at risk of exposure to radiation. Extreme terrains and environmental conditions also make it near to impossible to survey target areas on foot. Yet, the effective detection of radiological and nuclear threats in these sites is critical for mitigating risks, reconnaissance and remediation.
Therefore, how do you ensure the safety of the military in such hazardous environments?
Send the D5 RIID in first
When mounted onto a vehicle or any UGV model, the Remote Mode of the D5 RIID allows operators to stand at a safe distance from high-risk environments whilst the D5 RIID collects essential spectral and isotopic data. Target sites can still be surveyed and contamination characterised without putting troops in unnecessary danger.
Rapid alarms and real-time, agnostic data from a defined area are delivered to the distanced operator via a wired or wirelessly connected device. In a set-up where the D5 RIID is connected directly to the communications module of the UGV and receives power via USB, the D5 RIID can supply data to the onsite operator across the entire range covered during a specific mission, no matter how far the robot travels. Meanwhile, ANSI N42.42 data files can be sent to remote technical authorities for secondary adjudications and the coordination of emergency responses. More informed and timely decisions can be made as a result, even in the most complex and demanding situations.
Ruggedised, reliable and ready when you are
The D5 RIID is more than prepared for being sent into high-risk environments, meeting British and US DEF-STAN and MIL-STD requirements.
The <4% medium resolution and high sensitivity of the D5 RIID also ensures radioisotopes present in the target site can be categorised with confidence, even those in weak, mixed, shielded and/or heavily masked sources. CBRN specialist teams are provided high-quality adjudication spectra and a more definitive confirmation of which radioisotopes are present.
Despite the extensive capabilities of the D5 RIID, the device is simple to set up and use almost immediately. With 30 seconds start up time and training to use the detector taking less than 10 minutes, no minutes are wasted in time-dependent situations.
The D5 RIID is also reliable in the long run, with the longevity and stability of the device facilitating a low lifetime operational cost.
The best just got even better
In addition to the device’s existing capabilities, the D5 RIID continues to expand its detection potential with new updates and features.
Now compliant with ATAK, the military situational awareness app, the D5 RIID is helping to scale-up widespread, real-time situational awareness for the military. The device can be integrated into the CBRN Plugin, enabling extensive data sharing and better-coordinated action on the battlefield.
Also increasing the communication potential of the D5 RIID is its new compatibility with the free app InterSpec, created by Sandia National Laboratories. Spectral analysis and ID recorded by the D5 RIID can now be distributed to remote decision makers without using a network. Foreground and background data can be shared via a QR code, which when scanned opens up the analytical data in InterSpec,
Alongside the new updates, existing features of the D5 RIID are being continuously developed. Localisation Mode of the D5 RIID allows a user to pinpoint the location of a radioactive source. The background radiation is first measured to establish the thresholds, which in turn determines the beep frequency. The closer the user is to a radioactive source, the closer together the audible ‘beeps’ are. In this new update, thresholds are now established in multiples of sigma and can be adjusted the closer the user gets to the source to account for higher background levels, ensuring more precise searches.
Remote Mode reduces risk to human life
Radiation-detection equipment remains a critical component of modern military operations, and its importance continues to rise. Being able to deploy devices such as the D5 RIID that prioritise operator safety ensure crucial data can be collected from hazardous environments whilst minimising human exposure to such hazards.
With its small form factor, instant alarms, accurate spectroscopic data and versatile networkability, the D5 RIID offers the ultimate radiation detection performance, and delivers extensive operational flexibility to those on the ground and distanced decision-makers.
You can find the Kromek team and the D5 RIID at DSEI 2025 from 9th to 12th September, in London, UK
You can also find the original article on pages 113-115, Edition 3, September 2025 of the Military Systems and Technology magazine
