Anti-terrorism focus: Federal Research Agency tackling improvised bombs.

• Author: Kennedy, Harold
• Position: DEFENSE RESEARCH

A government research organization that traditionally has concentrated on homeland defense efforts is shifting its attention to the problem of improvised explosive devices, which are taking a heavy toll on U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq.

The technical support working group, or TSWG, is composed of representatives from the Departments of Defense, State, Justice, Energy and Homeland Security, as well as a host of other federal agencies. It meets regularly to identify and prioritize research and development requirements for countering terrorism.

TSWG--pronounced "tis-wig"--was established in 1983, after the suicide bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. Nearly 250 Marines died in that attack, when an explosives-laden truck crashed through the barracks security perimeter.

Every year, TSWG conducts a briefing in Washington, D.C., to lay out its annual research and development goals for interested industry representatives.

Since the terrorist attacks of September 2001, TSWG's efforts have centered on protecting the homeland, but this began to change as American casualties in Iraq increased.

TSWG's emphasis this year is on finding better ways to protect troops in Iraq from roadside bombs, said Jeffrey M. David, deputy director of the Defense Department's combating terrorism technology support office that manages TSWG activities.

TSWG is seeking this year to fund 60 projects at a cost of about $60 million, he said. In addition to that money, the Pentagon's joint improvised device defeat task force--which was established in 2003--is providing another $20 million. Some of the technologies that TSWG is seeking would be useful both against insurgents in Iraq and terrorists attacking domestic targets, officials said.

Between 30 to 40 percent of the contracts that are awarded will go to small businesses, David told the industry representatives. "We like that, because we know you're hungry," he said. "You'll go out there and sell the product."

TSWG also makes an effort to spread its contracts widely, David said. "Forty two states get money from us," he noted. International partners include the United Kingdom, Canada, France and Israel.

TSWG consists of several subgroups, whose shopping list for 2005 includes these examples:

Explosive detection. TSWG wants to develop handheld multi-mode systems that are capable of detecting explosives, and adding markers to explosives to identify their source and other materials of concern for force...