MIL-HDBK-783

Abstract

This handbook contains six chapters. A brief description of each chapter follows.: <br>Chapter 1, "Introduction", briefly describes CB warfare history and agent threat effects on both personnel and materiel, and current countermeasures. <br>Chapter 2, "Contaminants", describes agent properties, toxic mechanisms, and their threats. Also systems currently available to deliver and disseminate CB agents are discussed. <br>Chapter 3, "Protection, Detection, and Contamination Control", introduces protection and contamination avoidance strategies. This chapter describes individual and collective protection equipment as well as support equipment and supply protection techniques. Detection and warning, an essential part of the contamination control strategy, is also addressed in this chapter. <br>Chapter 4, "Decontamination, Methods and Equipment", describes currently fielded decontaminants, equipment, and methods for personnel, equipment, vehicle, and aircraft decontamination. Levels of decontamination within the current Army doctrine are also discussed. <br>Chapter 5, "Material and Design Considerations", describes the effects of both agents and decontaminants on materials and discusses the CB survivability requirements of the Army outlined in AR 70-71. Examples of material compatibility test data with CB contaminants, decontaminants, and design methods to reduce system vulnerability to CB contaminants are discussed. <br>Chapter 6, "Future Concepts", describes current US Army development activities for providing new and improved decontamination methods to counter the current and future CB agent threats. Several decontamination concepts and their application feasibility are discussed.