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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently awarded contracts totaling $1.3 billion to three firms to develop an imaging system capable of detecting nuclear materials in cargo scanned at border crossings.

Under the Cargo Advanced Automated Radiography System (CAARS) program, the department let contracts to Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), American Science & Engineering and L-3 Communications. The companies must develop one prototype CAARS within two years and a production model within five years. DHS plans to deploy about 300 systems both domestically and internationally during the next six years.

The CAARS will be designed to automatically detect high-density shielding that could be used to hide nuclear materials, such as highly enriched uranium or weapons-grade plutonium. The system also would detect explosives or illegal drugs.

“CAARS is the latest effort in the department’s broader strategy to enhance our nation’s security by harnessing cutting-edge, automated technologies to better detect radiological and nuclear threats at our nation’s points of entry,” said Vayl Oxford, director of the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, in a prepared statement.