Mr Daniel Massé

French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) - France

The French Initiative on RN Security of Critical Infrastructures: The “REDAR Project”

In France, fighting against illicit trafficking of radioactive and nuclear material, or against malicious acts has become a national priority. In this frame, a national architecture of radioactive and nuclear detection has to be created, and supported by the homeland security organization, mainly composed of security and control forces (more specifically police and Customs), as well as complementary technical elements related to the capability to detect radioactive and nuclear material.

The “REDAR Project” (radiological alert and detection network) is part of the development of a complementary technical capability to enable the detection of any illicit movement of radioactive and nuclear material at critical check points on the national territory, or for identified critical infrastructure. The General Secretariat for Defence and National Security (SGDSN) has designated the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) to develop this “REDAR Project” and implement a primary radiological detection system for port or airport operators, as well as providing deployable detection solution for a temporary event. This project is also providing an operational support via a remote expertise, and the backing of the operators and first responders for basic training and guidance.

Technical and operational choices made in the frame of the “REDAR Project” rely on the analysis of the approaches and experiments of several countries. This led to the implementation of fix sodium iodide (NaI) scintillator detectors in order to provide real-time identification and avoid false-positive alarms. These detectors are associated with automated data processing to alert, and automatically transfer data to a remote control station. First responders are using handheld spectrometers with inorganic scintillation technology for removal of doubt and for transferring data to a remote control station. Technologies from different manufacturers have been selected and adjusted to match with the objectives of the “REDAR Project”, in order to demonstrate its interoperability.

The detection network being currently deployed is structured as a star network and encompasses different common elements, essential to the overall functioning of the system:

• A structure is supervising the status of every single equipment, and ensure its proper operation
• A modelling structure is testing every new equipment to ensure proper integration before site deployement
• A training platform is providing training sessions for first-responders
• A National Center on Radiological Expertise (CNER) is collecting the data from the various radiological sensors to allow spectra processing related to any alert and to provide support to first-responders, and eventually to Emergency Response units.

In the frame of the “REDAR Project”, the maritime port of Le Havre is the first French operator to be equipped with a radiological detection system. Moreover, in 2015 a temporary deployment was achieved to monitor the critical infrastructure of the 21^st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21).

Part of the “REDAR Project”, the national infrastructure for radiological detection has reached a highly advanced stage of development, and an airport operator, also partner of the project, is currently being equipped. The operational feedback related to the project will enable operators and the French State to position themselves for future equipment.