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Henderson is lone American in CTBT field test

(Download Image) John Henderson (fifth from left) in a field test for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization in Hungary in May.
John Henderson of Global Security was the sole U.S. participant in a May international field test for the on-site inspection division of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organization's (CTBTO) Provisional Technical Secretariat.

The event was sponsored by the Hungarian Atomic Energy Authority and took place on a military base near Taborfalva, Hungary. Other participants represented Hungary, Italy and the CTBTO.

Experiments on a multispectral and infrared (MSIR) imaging system evaluated several techniques under consideration for on-site inspections, which may be confrontational, once the Treaty enters into force. The focus was on the detection of underground nuclear explosions via disturbed earth using multiple sensing modalities, including airborne multi-spectral imagery, thermal infrared, and high-resolution lidar terrain mapping systems.

Hungary provided the flight crew and ground support, and GeoCart of Italy supplied all airborne equipment.

Planning for additional MSIR tests will take place at an international meeting of multispectral experts in Austria in October. More testing will take place in 2013, leading to a major integrated field exercise in 2014.

Henderson participated under the auspices of the National Nuclear Security Administration Office of Nonproliferation and International Security and coordinated with the Department of State.