posted September 25, 2003
Washington - Funding for East Tennessee technologies is included in the final defense spending bill approved today, Rep. Zach Wamp said.
The House of Representatives passed the $368.2 billion 2004 final Defense spending bill. The bill represents a $3.8 billion increase over last year's funding.
Rep. Wamp's office said through his service on the House Appropriations Committee, he was able to secure $6.75 million in the spending bill for SensorNet, an Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) program. Using technology developed by the Army, SensorNet can detect chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats within minutes by using strategically placed sensors.
"This funding will allow for continued research and development of SensorNet and to take this technology to the next level. In the event of a biological or chemical terrorists attack, getting information in real-time is crucial to protecting human life and that is what Sensornet can do," said Congressman Wamp, whose congressional district includes Oak Ridge.
$3 million was also included in the Defense bill for Remotec, an Oak Ridge based company that is the leading producer of mobile robotic systems for use in hazardous conditions. "Any investment in technology that can reduce the threat to human life is vital. Remotec robots can be used by U.S. soldiers in high risk situations, such as dismantling a bomb or investigating a dangerous area, to keep them out of harm's way, said Wamp.
More than 1,400 Remotec robots are in use worldwide by the military, law enforcement agencies, nuclear facilities and chemical plants. The British Ministry of Defense, the U.S. Department of Defense and the US Federal Bureau of Investigation are among the agencies that already use these highly advanced robots to protect their personnel.
The Tennessee Air National Guard is slated to receive $5 million as part of a military program to upgrade aircraft radar equipment. These funds will allow the U.S. Air Force to accelerate the introduction of 8 APN-241 radars into the Air National Guard for C-130 units in Tennessee.
Two other Tennessee projects that were included in the final 2004 Defense Appropriations bill are:
*$2.2 million for UT to help in the design and development of a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator that can be used to power the onboard electrical systems of future military aircraft. The research is being managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory, in conjunction with the University of Tennessee.
*$1 million for the University of Tennessee's Biomedical Information Transfer (BIT) Network. "The military has to be able to obtain medical information quickly and the BIT Network technology is a wireless, modular telemedicine system that offers the latest integration of medicine, engineering and physics. It is ideal for the military's medical situations out in the field," said Wamp.
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