US Department of Defense places order under $500 million blanket purchase agreement

JULY 11--American Science and Engineering Inc. (AS&E; Billerica, MA; www.as-e.com) has received an order from the US Department of Defense (DoD) for two MobileSearch x-ray inspection systems, valued in excess of $4 million. The DoD currently uses AS&E inspection systems for a variety of force protection and counterterrorism applications around the world. However, this order is the first transaction from a three-year $500 million blanket purchase agreement awarded to AS&E in May 2002.

The MobileSearch x-ray inspection systems will provide DoD officials with a highly effective means for detecting weapons, plastic explosives, illegal drugs, and other organic and inorganic contraband. The inspection systems use a unique and effective combination of technologies--traditional transmission x-ray screening plus AS&E's patented Z Backscatter imaging, which provides photo-like image quality for material discrimination. This convergence of technologies supplies trained inspectors with thorough and comprehensive information for detecting potential terrorist threats.