FINAL_HSHQDN-17-R-0002_RPM_RP_RFP-Atch_15-Benchmarks-2017-1-19.docx

HSHQDN-17-R-0002

Attachment 15 – Benchmarks RPM System Performance Statement for Vendors

Development of the Global Nuclear Detection Architecture (GNDA) by the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) and its partners requires recognition that the spectrum of potential threats is extensive. These threat items may include nuclear weapons, improvised nuclear devices, nuclear materials, radiological dispersal devices, or radiological materials. The spectrum of threats, also known as the “threat space,” and attack options available to an adversary are numerous. Performance against the threat space will be evaluated in the modeling and simulation campaign that is a key component of the evaluation described below. The General Performance Characteristics and Detection Challenge Examples described in this document do not comprise the system performance requirements specified in Attachment 2 of the Request For Proposal, and are only presented here as examples of the variation in gamma-ray, energy-dependant, spectral shape that one may encounter in the RPM environment, which should be considered in sizing the detection systems or developing and tuning the detection algorithms.

General Performance Characteristics The following general performance characteristics of detection systems should be considered in sizing the detection systems or developing and tuning the detection algorithms:

· Systems are expected to detect bare and shielded nuclear material to include highly enriched uranium (HEU), weapons grade plutonium (WGPu), reactor grade plutonium (RGPu) and depleted uranium (DU). The nuclear material may confront the GNDA in different chemical forms.

· The shielding of the nuclear or radiological material can consist of the object structure or the material in the surrounding cargo and container, as well as shielding specifically designed to hinder detection. The shielding can be considerable and could consist of low, medium, and high Z materials.

· The gamma ray emission rate of interest[footnoteRef:1] can range from zero to 108 gammas per second. [1: This is the emission rate at the surface of an object, including and low, medium, and high Z materials included in the object construction.]

· The overall neutron emission rate of interest can range from zero to 106 neutrons per second.

· The systems are expected to provide gamma detection capability for special nuclear material (SNM) as described in Section 6.1.9 (Table 3) of the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) N42.38-2015 standard.

· The systems are expected to provide neutron detection capability for SNM as described in Section 6.4.1 of the ANSI N42.38-2015 standard.

It should be noted that passive radiological/nuclear detection technology is not expected to perform across the entire gamma and neutron ranges of interest. The performance trade space will be determined by how much of the performance envelope, in terms of flux and shielding, can be encompassed by system performance. The detection challenges associated with nuclear and radiological material are dependent on the detailed characteristics of the gamma-ray and neutron spectra to be analyzed. Table 15-1 provides configurations that may help characterize the detection challenges for the gamma-ray, energy dependent, spectral shapes. Configurations were selected to represent a range of energy-dependent spectral shapes that may challenge RPM analysis algorithms which utilize evaluation of spectral characteristics. The configurations provided in the table are not representative of threat characteristics. Performance against the threat space will be evaluated in the modeling and simulation campaign that is a key component of the evaluation below. The configurations are only presented here as examples of the variation in the gamma-ray, energy-dependent, spectral shape that one may encounter in the RPM environment.

Evaluation Detection systems will be evaluated by DNDO against the entire spectrum of anticipated threats. A successful threat detection may be based on one or more signatures, such as neutron or gamma-ray spectra. This evaluation will be accomplished by modeling the spectral signature of nuclear and radiological threats in operational environments and determining system detection performance using the vendor provided Replay Tools. Systems will be evaluated, utilizing modeling and simulation processes, for detection of threats in both empty cargo containers and in cargo containers with simulated cargo materials. The modeling results, stated in terms of an aggregate performance against the spectrum of threats, will be classified. This modeling campaign will allow a fair and comprehensive comparison of performance against the entire spectrum of threats. This evaluation is only a single consideration in acquisition decision making. Other factors for consideration include the operational burden, operational effectiveness, and lifetime cost.

TABLE 15-1: Detection Challenge Examples[footnoteRef:2] [2: Configurations are descriptive of the spectral shapes which are related to the challenges associated with radiation detection. They are not representative of the nuclear or radiological threats, and not representative of configurations that will be used in either the modeling and simulation campaign or any specific physical testing.]