Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Defense, Memorandum of Understanding (CBR MOU)

摘要

The CBR MOU is an agreement between the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia for the purpose of improving their mutual CBR defense capabilities. The four member nations have a common interest to defend their armed forces against weapons of mass destruction and a mutual need to develop improved CBR defense materiel. Each nation entered the CBR MOU because it recognizes the benefits of standardization, burden sharing, and interoperability. Our objective is to improve the mutual CBR defense capabilities of participants through greater cooperation in research, development, acquisition, doctrine, operations, and training of chemical, biological, and radiological defense. International Task Forces (ITFs) are special working groups that address well-defined, high-priority issues and problems. The task forces have a limited duration, typically 12 to 24 months. Working Groups (WGs) address long-term, high-priority issues and problems. The groups' duration, typically lasts several years, where they work to achieve interoperability of CBR defense materiel by coalescing the requirements of all member nations. The WGs identify development resources that can be combined to produce a single item, satisfying the needs of all member nations. A major focus is the development of the CBR MOU Roadmap, which will display the chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR) capabilities of its member nations from now through the next 15 years. For members, the Roadmap's vision is to achieve the ability to function in any environment, unencumbered by CBR effects or threats. To achieve this vision the Roadmap's mission is to identify, develop and implement multinational capabilities to operate globally. A salient feature of the Roadmap is its promotion of an environment that allows members to envisage future requirements while developing a means to satisfy them. The efforts of the CBR MOU aspire to produce efficacious programs designed to enhance all members' CBR postures.